Use of Tools in Software Modeling

Use of Tools in Software Modeling

INDEX

1. Abstract

2. Why software modeling?

3. Why are software tools necessary?

4. Need of Adequate Modeling Tools for Software Engineering      Education

5. Need for Lightweight Modeling Tools

6. Conclusion

ABSTRACT

An important decision that must be taken by anyone designing a course involving (object oriented software) modeling is what tool support, if any, to use. Options include picking an industrial strength modeling tool, using a tool specifically designed for educational use, or eschewing tool use altogether in favor of pencil and paper.

The best answer will depend on many factors, including the prior experience of the students, the length and organization of the course, and the learning objectives. Moreover, decisions on tools have an impact on other aspects of course design.

Why software modeling?

Modeling can be an effective way to manage the complexity of software development. It enables communication, design and assessment of requirements, architectures, software and systems.

With todays, software systems becoming more and more complex, teams getting larger and the development itself being distributed in space and time, the importance of a good model of the system under construction is growing. The model serves as architectural blueprint and is thus a communication means for all stakeholders. It often decides on key factors of the resulting system, like correctness, reliability, security, or maintainability.

Why are software tools necessary?

• Software Development is a complex and often difficult process requiring the synthesis of many disciplines.
• Software tools are necessary if you want to:

• Manage Requirements
• Enhance your software modeling
• Model and analyze business processes
• Build design and behavioral models
• Generate and import source code in a variety of languages
• Generate and import database schema
• Track changes
• Manage tests
• Confirm traceability from requirements through to deployment
• Document your software development
• Communicate and develop team based software engineering projects
• Rapid modeling/engineering of your software's development

Need of Adequate Modeling Tools for Software Engineering Education

The use of tools in modeling education emerged as a widespread concern in the late 1990s/early 2000s, around the same time that UML was being standardized for the first time. If the size of models used, for example, during assignments approaches that of real-life problems, tool support is necessary.

The typically-used industrial modeling tools, such as Rational Rose or Together, have significant drawbacks when applied in an educational setting.

These drawbacks stem from the fact that professional tools are rather “heavyweight” pieces of software, both in terms of their feature set and the hardware required to run them smoothly.

Need for lightweight modeling tools

Modeling is a central activity in the software development process. Today’s software engineers need to be able to express their ideas in one or more formal visual languages, and they also need to understand models created by others.

The foundation for good modeling abilities can be built in an early phase of the studies, but it requires adequate tools.