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INTERACTION
DIAGRAM
Lecture - 13
 Contents
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 Interaction diagram
 What is a Sequence Diagram?

 Why not just code it?

 Sequence Diagram Notations

 Purpose of Sequence Diagrams

 Sequence diagram example

 Contents
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 Benefits of a Sequence Diagram

 The drawback of a Sequence Diagram

 How to Draw a Sequence Diagram?

 Sequence Diagram Common Mistakes

 Summary
 Interaction diagram
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 Establish communication between objects.

 It does not manipulate the data associated with the
particular communication path.
 Mostly focus on message passing and how these
messages make up one functionality of a system.
 Display how the objects will realize the particular
requirements of a system.
 The critical component in an interaction diagram is
lifeline and messages
 Interaction diagram
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• Sequence diagrams
• Communication diagrams
• Timing diagrams
 Interaction diagrams are used to illustrate interactions
of parts within a system.
 Out of these 3 types, sequence diagrams are preferred
by both developers and readers alike for their
simplicity.
Sequence Diagram
 Describe the flow of messages, events, actions
between objects
 Show concurrent processes and activations
 Show time sequences that are not easily depicted in
other diagrams
 Typically used during analysis and design to
document and understand the logical flow of your
system

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 What is Sequence diagram?
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Sequence diagram is interaction diagram that

shows the set of objects and messages send and
receive by those object.
It mainly emphases on time ordering and

messages.
It is used to illustrate the dynamic view of

system.
 What is Sequence diagram?
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 Commonly used by developers, model the

interactions between objects in a single use case.
 They illustrate how the different parts of a system
interact with each other to carry out a function, and
the order in which the interactions occur when a
particular use case is executed.
 Why not just code it?
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 Sequence diagrams can be somewhat close to the code

level.
 So why not just code up that algorithm rather than drawing
it as a sequence diagram?
– a good sequence diagram is still a bit above the level of the real code
(not all code is drawn on diagram)
– sequence diagrams are language-agnostic (can be implemented in
many different languages
– non-coders can do sequence diagrams
– easier to do sequence diagrams as a team
– can see many objects/classes at a time on same page (visual
bandwidth)
 Sequence Diagram Notations
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 Objects or Participants
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 It is made up of collection of participants or objects.

 Participants are system parts that interact each other
during sequence diagram.
 The participants interact with each other by sending
and receiving message
 Actor
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 A lifeline notation with an actor element symbol is

used when the particular sequence diagram is
owned by a use case.
 Shows entities that interact with or are external to
the system.
 Lifeline Notation
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 A sequence diagram is made up of several of these

lifeline notations
 They should be arranged horizontally across the top of
the diagram
 No two lifeline notations should overlap each other
 They represent the different objects that interact with
each other in the system
 A lifeline notation with an actor element symbol is used
when the sequence diagram is owned by a use case
 Lifeline
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 Lifeline represents the existence of an object over a

period of time.
 It is represented by vertical dashed line.
 Activation bar
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 It is also called as focus of

control.
 It shows the period of time during
which an object is performing an
action.
 Activation bar is the box placed
on the lifeline
 Activation bar
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 Activation bar is the box placed on the lifeline.  

 It is used to indicate that an object is active during
an interaction between two objects.
 The length of the rectangle indicates the duration
of the objects staying active.
 Messages
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 The interaction in a sequence diagram between the

objects can be shown by using messages.
 An arrow from the Message Caller to the Message
Receiver specifies a message
 The message can flow in any direction; from left to
right, right to left and back to the caller itself
 The description of the message should go on the arrow
 Arrow heads may change according to different
message types
 Messages
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 Send Message
 Synchronous messages

 Asynchronous messages

 Receive message

 Self Message

 Destroy messages
 Send message
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 It is used to create object during interaction.

 The object can be created by using
<<create>> to indicate the timing of creation.
 Synchronous messages
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 A synchronous message is used when the sender

waits for the receiver to process the message and
return before carrying on with another message
 It is represented by solid line with solid arrowhead.
 Asynchronous messages
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 An asynchronous message is used when the

message caller does not wait for the receiver to
process the message and return before sending
other messages to other objects within the system
 It is represent by solid line with a lined arrowhead.
 Reply or Return message
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 Reply messages are used to show the message

being sent from the receiver to the sender
 We represent a return/reply message using an

open arrowhead with a dotted line

 Self Message
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 If the object sends the message to itself then it

is called as self message or reflexive message.
 It is indicated with a message arrow that starts

and ends at the same lifeline.

 Destroy messages
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 It is used to destroy the objects during

interaction.
 Participants when no longer needed can also be
deleted from a sequence diagram.
 This is done by adding an ‘X’ at the end of the
lifeline of the said participant.
 Comments
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 UML generally permits the annotation of

comments in all UML diagram types.
 The comment object is a rectangle with a folded-
over corner as shown below.
 The comment can be linked to the related object
with a dashed line.
 Purpose of Sequence Diagrams
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 To capture the dynamic behaviour of a system.

 To describe the message flow in the system.
 To describe the structural organization of the objects.
 To describe the interaction among objects.
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 Benefits of a Sequence Diagram
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 Used to explore any real application or a system.

 Represent message flow from one object to another
object.
 Easier to maintain.
 Easier to generate.
 Easily updated according to the changes within a
system.
 Allows reverse as well as forward engineering.
 The drawback of a Sequence Diagram
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 In the case of too many lifelines, the sequence

diagram can get more complex.
 The incorrect result may be produced, if the
order of the flow of messages changes.
 Since each sequence needs distinct notations for its
representation, it may make the diagram more
complex.
 The type of sequence is decided by the type of
message.
 How to Draw a Sequence Diagram?
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 Objects taking part in the interaction.

 Message flows among the objects.

 The sequence in which the messages are

flowing.
 Object organization.
 How to Draw a Sequence Diagram
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 A sequence diagram represents the scenario or flow

of events in one single use case.
 The message flow of the sequence diagram is
based on the narrative of the particular use case.
 Before you start drawing the sequence diagram or
decide what interactions should be included in it,
you need to ready a comprehensive description of
the particular use case.
 Example
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Use case example

– Create new
online library
account
 Step -1
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 Identify the objects or participants in the use case

‘Create New User Account’

Librarian

Online Library Management system

User credentials database

Email system
 Step - 2
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 List down the steps involved in the execution of the use

case
 The librarian request the system to create a new online library
account
 The librarian then selects the library user account type
 The librarian enters the user’s details
 The user’s details are checked using the user Credentials
Database
 The new library user account is created
 A summary of the of the new account’s details are then
emailed to the user
 Step -3
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 Sequence Diagram Common Mistakes
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 Adding too much detail that makes it difficult to

read the diagram.
 Obsolete sequence diagrams that are irrelevant
when compared to the interfaces, actual
architectures of the system
 Leaving no blank space between the use case text
and the message arrow
 Not considering the origins of message arrows
carefully
 Summary
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 The critical elements in an interaction diagram

are lifeline and messages.
 Mostly focus on message passing.

 Capture the dynamic behavior of any system.

 Contains sequence diagram, timing diagram,

communication/collaboration diagram.
 To visualize the sequence of a message flow

in the system.