Software Engineering

Lecture-17, 18

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 Today’s Agenda

UML Activity Diagram

UML Sequence Diagram

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 Activity Diagram
• Activity diagram is another important diagram
in UML to describe the dynamic aspects of the
system
• Activity diagram is basically a flowchart to
represent the flow from one activity to
another activity.
• The activity can be described as an operation
of the system.

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 Activity Diagram Flow
• The control flow is drawn from one operation
to another.
• This flow can be :
– Sequential
– Branched
– Concurrent
• Activity diagrams deal with all types of flow
control by using different elements such as
fork, join, et

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 Purpose of Activity Diagrams
• The purpose of an activity diagram is:
– To draw the activity flow of a system.
– To describe the sequence from one activity to
another.
– To describe the parallel, branched and concurrent
flow of the system.

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 Where to Use Activity Diagrams?
• Activity diagram can be used for −
– Modeling work flow by using activities.
– Modeling business requirements.
– High level understanding of the system's
functionalities.
– Investigating business requirements at a later
stage

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How to Draw an Activity Diagram?
• Activity diagrams are mainly used as a
flowchart
• Activity diagrams are not exactly flowcharts as
they have some additional capabilities.
• These additional capabilities include
branching, parallel flow, swimlane, etc

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How to Draw an Activity Diagram?
• Before drawing an activity diagram, we should
identify the following elements −
– Activities
– Association
– Conditions
– Constraints

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Activity Diagram of Online Shopping

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 Case:
An automated ticket-issuing system sells rail tickets. Users
select their destination and input a credit card and a
personal identification number. The rail ticket is issued
and their credit card account charged.
When the user presses the start button, a menu display
of potential destinations is activated, along with a
message to the user to select a destination. Once a
destination has been selected, users are requested to
input their credit card. Its validity is checked and the user
is then requested to input a personal identifier. When the
credit transaction has been validated, the ticket is issued.

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 Sequence diagrams
• To model the interactions between the actors and
the objects in a system (or classes in a code).

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 Sequence diagrams contd.
• Shows the sequence of interactions that take place
during a particular use case

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 Sequence diagrams Notations
• The objects and actors involved in a use case are listed along
the top of the diagram, with a dotted line drawn vertically
from these.

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 Sequence diagrams Notations
• Interactions between
objects are indicated by
annotated arrows.
• You read the sequence of
interactions from top to
bottom.
• The annotations on the
arrows indicate the calls to
the objects, their
parameters, and the return
values.

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 Sequence diagrams Notations
• The rectangle on the dotted lines indicates the
lifeline of the object concerned

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 Sequence diagram Example
Interaction at an ATM
• A person goes to the ATM. ATM connects with
the Bank Server to access the Bank Account of
that person.
• Objects: ATM, Bank Server, Bank Account
• Actor: Customer
• Place the actor first on top left.
• Place the objects in sequential order from left to
right.

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Sequence diagram Example contd.
• Now think of all the steps that happen when
customer goes to get cash from ATM:
1. Insert card

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Sequence diagram Example contd.
2. ATM checks with the Bank Server to make sure it’s a
valid card.

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Sequence diagram Example contd.
3. The Bank Server verifies and send the message back
to the ATM. (Return message)

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Sequence diagram Example contd.
4. The ATM will now ask the Customer to enter PIN.
(Not a return message)

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Sequence diagram Example contd.
5. If the card is invalid: Alternative frame. A choice
between two or more sequences.

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Sequence diagram Example contd.
6. If the card was valid and PIN is requested, the user
will input the PIN. (Response message)

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Sequence diagram Example contd.
7. ATM asks the Bank Server if the PIN is correct.

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Sequence diagram Example contd.
8. PIN is valid. ATM asks the Customer the amount to
withdraw.

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Sequence diagram Example contd.
9. If the PIN is invalid, alternative frame is added.

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 Sequence diagram Example contd.
10. The user will input the amount. ATM will start a transaction
with the server. The Bank Server asks the Bank Account if the
funds are sufficient to carry out the transaction.

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Sequence diagram Example contd.
11. If the funds are sufficient the server will withdraw the
amount and tell the ATM to dispense the cash.

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Sequence diagram Example contd.
12. If the funds are not successful:

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Sequence diagram Example contd.
13. In the end, the card is ejected.

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Sequence
diagram
Example
contd.
• Now add
activation
boxes.

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 References
Chapter-8
Software Engineering, a practitioners approach
by Roger S. Pressman, 7th Edition

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