Activity Diagrams

Activity diagrams are often used to model business processes. They simply and quite plainly show how things work, and so function as a good aid to discussions of aspects of the workflow with the domain experts. These are less abstract than the often used object-oriented state diagrams.

The following example shows an activity diagram that depicts the rules and the process of paying an order. In the following example, Softsale will not accept an order if you have overdue payments open, will only allow payment by invoice if your e-mail and home address have been verified, and a few other rules. Take a closer look for yourself in order to become more familiar with the notation.

Figure 9-12. An Activity Diagram.

Diagram Elements

Toolbar

Select

Action State

Object Flow State

Transition

Initial State

Final State

Synchronization State

Branch

Fork

Join

Note

Connect comment to element

Circle

Rectangle

Polygon

Polyline