The UML Is a Language for Documenting
A healthy software organization produces all sorts of artifacts in addition to raw executable code. These artifacts include (but are not limited to)
Requirements
Architecture
Design
Source code
Project plans
Tests
Prototypes
Releases
Depending on the development culture, some of these artifacts are treated more or less formally than others. Such artifacts are not only the deliverables of a project, they are also critical in controlling, measuring, and communicating about a system during
its development and after its deployment.
The UML addresses the documentation of a system‘s architecture and all of its details. The UML also provides a language for expressing requiremens and for tests. Finally, the UML provides a language for modeling the activities of project planning and release
management.
一个良好的软件组织除了产出可执行的源代码以外，还会产生各种各样的产品．这些产品包括(但不限于)
软件需求
软件架构
软件设计
源代码
项目计划
软件测试
软件雏形
软件发布
依据开发的文化，这些产品中的一些或多或少会比另一些在态度上更认真对待．这类产品不仅仅是项目的可交付物，开发系统期间和系统部署之后，在可控性，量度性和沟通性上它们也是决定性的因素．
UML处理系统结构的文档和其它所有细节．ＵML也提供表达需求和测试所需的术语．最后，UML提供
项目计划活动和发行管理所需的术语
UML是文档化的语言