3C Clear Clean Concise UML
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communityUML 2torial
A purpose is a model element used to express the practical advantage or intended effect of something represented by another model element.
Q: What is the purpose of this concept?
A: Twofold:
1) A model can't mean much, unless we know the purpose of the model. It may be a description of an existing system. It may be define set of concepts for use in some domain. It may be a specification of a system to be built.
2) A stated purpose helps greatly to understand the intended meaning of an element of a model.
Q: OK, but everyone knows that. Why include purpose as a concept in the modelling language?
A: A goal of the 3C kernel submission is to establish a very small set of primitive concepts that is adequate for the purpose of specifying the rest of UML 2, as is required by the RFP. We feel purpose is one of the necessary concepts.
Q: That's it? No other reason?
A: The RFP requires that proposals be compatible with the architecture for system distribution defined in ISO/IEC 10746, Reference Model of Open Distributed Processing (ODP). The ODP Enterprise Language includes the concept, purpose. For example, a community is a configuration of objects with a purpose. our understanding of the requirement in the RFP is that submitters are expected to make an effort to ensure compatibility with ODP.
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