JOVELYN CUIZON, MSIT

• represent the dynamics of the

system.
• used to show the workflow of
a system
• flow of control from activity
to activity in the system,
• What activities can be done
in parallel
• Alternate paths through the
flow.
Action Node
– rectangle with rounded
corners and a
meaningful name

Action Edge
(Control Flow)
initial node (black circle)
decision node (diamond)
merge node (diamond)
guard condition (in square
brackets)

final node (black circle in

white circle)
Fork Node (thick bar)

Join Node (thick bar)

“When we receive an order, we check each line item
on the order to see if we have the goods in stock. If
we do, we assign the goods to the order. If this
assignment sends the quantity of those goods inn
stock below the reorder level, we reorder the goods.
While we are doing this, we check to see if the
payment is OK. If the payment is OK and we have the
goods in stock, we dispatch the order. If the payment
is OK but we don’t have the goods, we leave the order
waiting. If the payment isn’t OK, we cancel the order.”
Activity Partitions
(Swimlanes)
– vertical columns
– labelled with the
person, organisation,
department or
system responsible
for the activities in
that column
shows an interaction between
objects arranged in a time
sequence

typically used to represent the

detailed object interaction that
occurs for one use case or for
one operation.
Objects involved in interaction appear horizontally
across the page and are represented by lifelines.

Execution or activation of an operation is shown by

a rectangle on the relevant lifeline

Messages are usually shown by a solid horizontal

arrow
Objects involved in interaction appear horizontally
across the page and are represented by lifelines.

Execution or activation of an operation is shown by

a rectangle on the relevant lifeline

Messages are usually shown by a solid horizontal

arrow
synchronous message or procedural call
full arrowhead, causes the invoking operation to
suspend execution until the focus of control has
been returned to it
reply messages
dashed arrows, control is returned to the
originating object
reflexive message
arrow that starts and finishes at the same object
lifeline
Graph whose nodes are states and whose directed
arcs are transitions labeled by event names.

A state chart diagram relates events and states

for one class
State chart diagram for Order object
State chart diagrams help to identify:
• Changes to an individual object over time

Sequence diagrams help to identify

• The temporal relationship of between
objects over time
• Sequence of operations as a response to
one ore more events
State chart diagrams help to identify:
• Changes to an individual object over time

Sequence diagrams help to identify

• The temporal relationship of between
objects over time
• Sequence of operations as a response to
one ore more events