The widespread use of object-oriented (OO) methods for analysing and designing complex software systems has put greater and increasingly diverse demands on training providers that offer courses in such methodologies.
Mike Eccles at Faculty Training Institute (FTI) says the company has responded by repackaging and, in cases, modularising its OOAD (Object-Oriented Analysis and Design) courses.
"The OO phenomenon was first fuelled by the popularity of Java, C++ and the .Net framework in the early 2000s," he says. "To answer this need, we introduced a Diploma in OOAD in 2004, following this up with a five-day introduction to OOAD in the same year."
Today, he says, FTI sees a growing need to vary its offering, to meet ever-wider requirements within the IT industry and enterprise user community, due to OOAD's growing popularity and differing needs among its users. One aspect requiring special attention is the Unified Modelling Language (UML), he says.
"UML is the most widely used 'notational' language (for specifying, visualising, analysing and designing complex computer systems). It has become increasingly popular as a means to extract user requirements for computer systems, and is especially well suited to the OO approach."
Why is UML so popular? "Documenting and communicating user requirements is important but hard," Eccles continues. "In the early 1990s there were many modelling notations, but in time a common language was established, in the form of UML."
He adds that the language excludes very little, as it supports all phases of the software development life cycle, is language- and platform-independent, and models batch as well as interactive processes.
Eccles says UML rose to prominence because most modern 'user requirements documentation techniques' are too technical to be useful.
According to Ian Alexander, a leading methodologist, there is no end to the madness. "I saw [an invented modelling notation] once in a gadget at a trade fair. It had no fewer than 26 symbols that somebody believed were necessary for requirements analysis."
Eccles says UML, a means of communication from one person to another, often among people with no special training, surpasses traditional process modelling techniques with its use of 'use cases'. "UML's use case approach has made it popular in both procedural and object-oriented development methodologies."
FTI's OOAD menu
* Diploma in OOAD
The OOAD Diploma gives comprehensive exposure to the tools, techniques and issues surrounding OOAD. It assumes no prior knowledge and covers concepts as well as iterative and agile methodologies. The course runs over four months to allow time for delegates to apply course material to a real world application in their organisation. The diploma can be delivered as two separate programmes (analysis and design). It is aimed at analysts, architects and developers requiring a formal, in-depth understanding of OO development.
* OOAD (five days)
This short course covers the diploma content in less depth, with more focus on the analysis phase, and is ideal for delegates wanting a broad overview of the body of knowledge rather than embedded skills.
* Use case-driven requirements (two days)
This course provides delegates with an in-depth understanding of the role of use case diagrams and narratives, and how they can be introduced into the lifecycle.
* Introduction to UML (one day)
This course covers the breadth rather than depth of UML and focuses on the purpose and integration of various modelling techniques to provide a clear, concise system specification.
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Faculty Training Institute (FTI) is a private training company that specialises in offering world-class career-oriented training courses for professional knowledge workers, mainly in the corporate world. Focussing on mid-career rather than entry-level training, FTI specialises in project management, business analysis, systems analysis, software engineering, IT management and e-business training. It offers a variety of training options including public or in-house, part-time or full-time courses.
FTI was founded in 1989 by five experienced lecturers from the Department of Information Systems at the University of Cape Town, who perceived a gap between the technical or entry-level training offered by most private training companies, and the longer degree programmes offered by tertiary institutions. During the past 17 years, FTI has expanded its successful product offerings from the initial two diploma courses into growing range of diplomas and short courses that serve the career needs of corporate South Africa.
In October 2006, FTI was awarded Charter Endorsed Education Provider status with the International Institute for Business Analysis (IIBA). It is one of a handful of training organisations worldwide that have achieved this status.
For more information please visit www.fti.co.za
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