UML som stöd vid småskalig utveckling av ett inbyggt system

Sammanfattning

This project aims at investigating if the use of UML as a support to small-scale development of

an embedded system is relevant. The investigation is conducted by using UML during the initial

phase of the development of

Telfafill, a filling machine by the company ”Telfafill AB”. The aim

of the development of Telfafill is to separate the user interface from the control unit. In addition

to this main objective, Telfafill AB would like possible changes to, and additions of,

functionality of the filling machine to be investigated.

Within the boundaries of this project, the development of Telfafill reached a full requirement

specification of the proposed system, and contact was made with potential external developers.

No prototype construction had been started when the project ended. The report includes the

requirement specification, and also accounts for the work of functionality development,

communications evaluation and product design that has led to the specification. Account is also

given for the choice of not designing the prototype in-house.

For using UML, the tools

ArgoUML and Rhapsody in J have been used. Initially, ArgoUML was

used, but abandoned because of the greater potential for simulation in Rhapsody. Even though

simulation did not take place, Rhapsody continued to be used, since it had shown to be easier to

use from most perspectives. Foremost, UML has been a support to the verification of

requirements. Conflicts and pitfalls in requirement design have been avoided and it is believed

that the use of modelling has aided comprehension and understanding to a greater extend than

would have been possible without similar methods. However, the time required to learn UML

and the chosen tool has been long, longer than can be deemed efficient for the scale of the

project.

In conclusion, this example of UML-supported development has shown that the use of UML can

be well motivated in small-scale development. However this holds under the assumption that

those who perform the development have enough knowledge of UML to limit the cost and time

for learning to an acceptable level. Also, it is necessary for the developers of small-scale systems

to adjust the ”level of model completeness” to the current project size and requirement.