Diagram that illustrates specific points of a class model
Introduction to the notion
The object diagram is a complement to illustrate the model. It is used each time it is necessary to illustrate particular points in the class diagram. In particular, the sophistications and subtleties of notation call for this type of clarification, for example: associative classes, n-ary associations, networks…
Two types of use:
- In the files, object diagrams are inserted to increase readability. It is a technique to restitute the vocabulary or the user representations, especially when the model moves away from them (see the example below).
- The modeler may feel the need to carry out object diagrams as a rough draft, to help clarify ideas or test representation choices. Such diagrams are not necessarily conserved; in any event, they will not be included in the final documentation.
