Displaying items by tag: modeling tools

Diagram Layers

As I'm sure we all know by now EA 15.1 is available for registered users to get to grips with. Like a kid in a candy store I went & grabbed it right away so that I could play with one of the new features in particular...diagram layers.

I was particularly keen to get to grips with this feature as recently I have been building up some beefy BPMN 2.0 Collaboration diagrams for some of our internal processes here at Dunstan Thomas. The challenge I was facing was how do I communicate a large process to a stakeholder that does not understand the notation (or any notation) without making their brain explode? Up until now I had resorted to explaining the process one logical path (and the branches therein) at time and walking through step by step. This works but it's not ideal...luckily some of our favorite Australian developers have had an absolutely great idea of being able to add layers to our diagrams (of our own specification) that will then allow us to toggle said layers on and off, thereby hiding any elements not contained by the layer we are focussing on.

I have found this invaluable already in communicating with non-technical stakeholders larger diagrams as I can temporarily hide anything I am not currently presenting and thus removing the risk of an overwhelmed stakeholder losing interest. 

I have put together a short clip on how easy it is to apply layers to your diagrams with EA 15.1: https://youtu.be/cFQ0-ecSsTg

Go and download EA 15.1 and try it yourself, it is so easy to do and we are already finding client interest in this feature.

Enterprise Architect has recently been given the Bronze award in the Visual Studio Magazine 2015 Reader's Choice Awards.

The Sparx Systems design and build platform was recognised as an outstanding solution in the 'Software Design, Frameworks, and Modeling Tools' category.

In a recent Press Release (attached), Editor in Chief of Visual Studio Magazine stated that "The Visual Studio Magazine Reader’s Choice Awards offers a chance for readers to participate in giving public praise to those companies deserving of the recognition.”

More than 400 products across 31 categories were included in an online ballot run by Visual Studio Magazine, with hundreds of magazine subscribers responding over a 3 week period in late September.