Applying UML and Patterns - An Introduction to Object-Oriented Analysis

[Book Review Team]

<pre>
Author/s : Craig Larman
Publisher : Prentice Hall
Category : Design & Refactoring
Review by : Junilu Lacar
Rating : 9 horseshoes</pre>
Craig Larman has outdone himself. This edition, with its many changes and new sections, is really almost a rewrite rather than an enhancement.
This edition uses the Unified Process (UP) as a sample iterative process, replacing the first edition�s generic set of Recommended Process and Methods (RPM). Many of the changes in the text and diagrams revolve around this shift. If you don�t use UP, don�t worry: the material is still very relevant since the basic ideas can apply to any iterative development process.
Java programmers will also feel right at home since the code examples are in Java. If you use another object-oriented language, you should still be able to follow the discussion. Larman expands his discussion of object-oriented design principles and the General Responsibility Assignment Software Patterns (GRASP) introduced in the first edition, particularly the "Don�t Talk to Strangers" pattern which has been incorporated into the more general "Protected Variations" pattern.
Other changes include updating use cases to follow the approach popularized by Alistair Cockburn and including a third iteration in the POS System case study. My favorite addition was the new "You Know You Didn�t Understand..." sections. They listed common misconceptions about various UP concepts-" a useful aid to quickly review your understanding of the preceding sections.
If you read the first edition, you�ll probably want to read this one, too. Highly recommended for anybody who wants to learn the basics of UML and iterative OOAD.
More info at Amazon.com
More info at Amazon.co.uk

[Matthew Phillips]

I am in the process of reading this book and I must say that I am impressed. I don't think that it will be the only book I read on topics such as design patterns and UML, but it is certainly a good introduction to OOAD using UP, UML, and patterns.

[Jose Botella]

The book is excellent. It really explains the stuff clearly and in natural sequence intermixing concepts from UML, patterns and OOAD principles as needed; in the context of a unique development example throughout the book. That is the title describes the content perfectly.
For an absolute beginner to OOAD, though, maybe it is a bit dense. And it would be better understood after UML Distilled and a book about Patterns.