UAF 1.3 RTF Avatar
  1. OMG Issue

UAF13 — User Guide - The User Cannot Use the UAFML - they Use a Modelling Tool with Added Behaviours. Incorrect Claims for UAFML. UAFML benefits / features unclear

  • Key: UAF13-154
  • Status: open  
  • Source: Eclectica Systems Ltd ( Nic Plum)
  • Summary:

    1.1 Overview of the Unified Architecture Framework - Modelling Using the UAF. states:-
    'Modeling Using UAF. The UAF Modeling Language 1 (UAFML) is an implementation of the DMM that specifies how the UAF views can be modeled using the SysML notation and semantics. Even though the UAFML is based on SysML, there are some significant differences that should be noted. SysML is great for doing the following activities:
    (a) modeling systems and for doing systems engineering,
    (b) defining and tracing between levels of abstraction within a system,
    (c) defining the logical and physical attributes for a system and the mapping of requirements and functions to these attributes. The UAF Modeling Language provides all this, plus more:
    a) Capability and Enterprise Concepts: defines the “why” and “what” and “when” before the “how”
    b) Services Concepts: definition of enterprise services (producing and consuming) and traceability to capabilities, operations and implementing resources
    c) Human Factors: How people and systems interact, and their expected knowledge & skills
    d) Security: Identifying risk, its mitigation, and integrating security into the architecture
    e) Standards: definition of and compliance with standards in the architecture
    f) Project Deliveries: phased milestone approach to capability deployment
    g) System Configuration Over Time: deployment and changes in roadmaps and timelines
    h) Tie-in to Non-System Elements in the Architecture: Easy way to link the entire Architecture to Requirements
    i) Built-in Traceability Between Multiple Views: Between Layers and Across Layers'

    The problems with this are:-
    1) The title is modelling using the UAF but most of the subject matter seems to be the UAFML
    2) This is a user guide - the user will never use the UAFML directly. The UAFML, more correctly the UAF (UML) Profile XML (), contains only UML and SysML implementations of the DMM elements. It does not contain any UAF architecture views nor does it define what triples appear in each UAF architecture view. This is implemented by the respective tool vendor. If the user did load the profile they would see a large set of UML/SDysML elements and they'd have to figure out which to use to produce a conforming UAF architecture view. The UAFML does not 'specifies how the UAF views can be modeled' - it simply defines which UML and SysML elements are used to implement the DMM elements needed.
    3) The UAFML isn't a modelling language - it's a single use of a modelling language (UML and SysML). It cannot be used as a modelling language by the user. It is a UML profile so new terms shouldn't be created for well defined and understood concepts. Are the OMG now renaming UML profile to 'Modelling Language'? This just adds inconsistency and shows a lack of the importance of standardisation. The language being used is still the UMNL or the SysML not the UAFML.
    4) d), e), h) incorrectly use 'Architecture' which should be 'Architecture Description'
    5) h) is meaningless - what is a 'tie-in to Non System Elements'? The subject seems to be traceability / conformance to requirements which can be described. And what does 'entire architecture' mean? Do you mean 'any Architecture Description Element can be linked to one or more Requirements'? Why 'Non-System'? Don't you allow a System element to be linked to Requirements?
    6) f) is titled 'Project Deliveries' but then describes 'capability deployment' - projects always deliver tangible things, which may include Systems. The sentence should be modify to describe what the UAF can describe wrt project delivery [how this affects capability is the subject of a))
    7) c) Human Factors - 'expected competences and skills' should be 'competences' (the text needs to use the terms in the DMM so cross-comparison is possible)
    8 e) h) Standards - 'Requirement' isn't a UAFElement or indeed a DMM element (DMM Figure 9:134) - it doesn't exist within the UAF
    9) Built-in Traceability. What does this mean? What DMM elements are automatically linked to what other DMM elements? The UAF Grid doesn't define layers so what is a 'layer'? This could be a liability if the user has no control.

  • Reported: UAF 1.2 — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 11:17 GMT
  • Updated: Mon, 22 Apr 2024 15:53 GMT