Just starting out in UML Modeling?

This content is for people just starting out with Sparx Enterprise Architect (EA) and Unified Modeling Language (UML). We will progress from Basics to Advanced subjects. Most or all of this content is in the Sparx Enterprise (EA) Getting Started Playlist and cataloged as Episodes (E) for this learning page, ordered by the date they were created.

TIP: I speak slowly in this videos for users just starting out. As you re-watch these videos, you may wish to increase the "Playback Speed" to 1.5 or 2 and use the "Chapters" to interesting topics.

TIP: Another tip is "Recap". You will notice I try to put a Recap link to allow you to skip to recap before diving into long content sessions. This will help you see what the content is before launching a session. This, coupled with Playback Speed increased can help quickly get to subjects important to you.

In this episode, we kick off the channel showing you how to get Sparx and how to start playing with this modeling platform. I created this video to get the channel started with the content we will soon provide. Sparx allows you to get a Trial edition, and I recommend that you watch a few of our videos first before kicking off you Trial timer.

(e2) The next episode, "Launching Sparx EA First Time" will Launch Sparx EA and step through the tools. We will cover the Quick Access Toolbar, touch on Tabs, and the basic windows we start with (Browser, Properties, Notes, and Work Area). We take you through the Sparx Default Layout, starting with Quick Access, which is a must know/have! We also introduce the "Toolbox" needed to start modeling. You will see how you can quickly get to your "Workspaces". This is beneficial when you mess your workspace up and want to quickly return back to a fixed workspace. The remainder of this video is a summary of the other features in Sparx to get your started. For a summary of this video, click here.

(e3) In "Sparx EA Default Layout and Tooling" we dive down deeper into understand the User Interface. We start with the Start Page, create a simple Project, learn how to access our work, talk about having Teams in our project working together, how to manage our projects, and create a simple package and diagram. We will touch on the Spart Page and how to set this page up for all the work you need to get to on a regular basis. We introduce the "Team Repository" where you build you Sparx SQL data on a Database which can be exposed through Sparx Cloud Services. You want to go to the "Recap" time marker (chapter) first, sometimes called "Outro" in my videos.

(e4) In the "The Navigator Toolbar" episode, which is one of my favorite tools in Sparx, and helps you to navigate the hierarchy of Packages in the repository using a textual breadcrumb control, showing you the current Package location. We show you how to turn this feature on or off. You projects may get very large and users can get lost very quickly. Drilling down or rolling up is very easy when using the Navigator Toolbar. Be sure to understand the use and configuration of "Show Favorites" around the 2:37 time marker. Later I will demo how to set up Favorites for other stakeholders. Another feature is the "Find Package" capability which I believe stakeholders will use often. As usual you can select "Recap" in our videos to understand the content in that video.

(e5) In "How To UML Boxes and Lines in Sparx EA" we touch on simple boxes and lines before we get further in these series. Here we create a Project, use the Toolbox, and drop some elements (boxes) and connectors (lines); Recap.

(e6) In the "Sparx EA Customizing Default Workspace" episode, we will start customizing our Sparx Enterprise Architect (EA) workspace. In this episode we will add a Toolbox and save our Customer Workspace Layout. You can extend factory layouts and customize your version, or build from scratch. We should you a couple ways to access your favorite workspaces. This is very import for your productivity and most effective modeling exercise(s) - Recap.

(e7) In episode "Sparx Enterprise Architect (EA) Layout Tooling and Features" we took our Customer Default Workspace Layout and introduce some more feature rich tooling to help us be more productive. We then save our new Custom Workspace. We talk about "Tooling" vs "Features" in order to separate our focus on various "capabilities" in Sparx EA. We created this video to talk about the "tooling" you use and/or configure for your customer workspaces (Recap).

(e8) In this episode, "Set Your Sparx EA Appearance Visual Style" we will configure our Sparx EA User Interface to the appearance we want. We will start with Visual Style to get things basically set for our user experience. We will cover Preferences in the following video, but wanted to start with Visual Style first. This is very important for multiple reasons, where number one is comfort to you and the work you are doing. You may wish to have a visual configuration that is bright and motivating, but later in the day/night, you want something comfortable for your tired eyes...and you want to be able to switch between various styles/themes. The second reason is to create a visual style or theme that is exciting/motivating for your audience. NOTE that you may need something that represents consistency across your organization or shop as well as your audience. This could range from something that is "professional" to something less "offensive" (Wrap-up).

(e9) In "Setting Your Sparx EA Appearance  Preferences" we will configure our Sparx EA User Interface to the appearance we want. WARNING: This is a long video and you may wish to watch the "Recap" first to see if this is the subject you you need or are interested in. We started in the last video (e8) with Visual Style to get things basically set for our user experience. Now we will touch on Preferences at a high level. We probably should have produced this video earlier, as this is one of the most important things you learn when starting with Sparx EA. NOTE that your organization or shop may configure most (or all) of these preferences for you so that there is consistency. So just be aware of this as you move forward. For example I will cover a few points where you must be consistent if working with multiple modelers and stakeholders (e.g., Versioning, Author Name convention, Source Paths, Tooling, and more.

(e10) In "Sparx EA Start Tab Version 16" we start explaining the Tabs across the top of Sparx tooling starting with..."Start". The Start tab will be your most used during starting and working through projects. We will touch on All Windows pop-ups that quickly get you to the areas and tooling in Sparx EA. NOTE: We are showing Sparx Version 16 and Sparx has changed their Tabs, Navigation, and Ribbons over the major releases. I will attempt to cover each major vision as Sparx Enterprise Architect progresses (Recap).

(e11) The "Sparx EA Design Tab Version 16" tab we look at tooling for managing our Unified Modeling Language (UML) and Computer Aided System Engineering (CASE) model packages, diagrams, and elements. As you become more proficient with Sparx, this set of tooling and features will be very important to your deliver (Recap).

(e12) Most modelers starting out in Sparx EA, ask about the "Sparx EA Layout Tab Version 16" quite a bit. For managing how your Models appear, the "Layout" tab may be the most used set of tooling until you learn shortcuts and other tooling (e.g., popup menus). Outside of the Start Tab, when you first start using Sparx Enterprise Architect (EA), you will use the Layout Tab probably the most. You can manage your diagram and model layouts to support various stakeholder perspectives. Whether you are doing SAFe (Scaled Agile), TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework), BPMN/BPEL, or other technology approaches, you can quickly manage and present those perspectives in Sparx Enterprise Architect (EA) (Recap).

(e13) As for "Sparx EA Develop Tab Version 16" tab, in this session we will touch on the Sparx Enterprise Architect (EA) Develop Tab. We are working the tabs from left to right, starting with the Start Tab. This is the fourth tab out of ten in this series, but important to understand if you are doing OOD (Object Oriented Development),  Unified Modeling Language (UML), and MDD (Model Driven Development). As we advance in Software Engineering, there is an abundance of tooling here beneficial to know and use (Recap).

(e14) I get asked, quite a bit, how or where to find the Sparx "EAExample" project file is located. So I created "Where Sparx EAExample Project is Located". Less that 3 minutes long, you may want to watch and reference from  your Sparx application. I usually make a copy of this file where I can demonstrate, train others, and reuse for my own purposes.

(e15) The "Sparx EA Simulate Tab Version 16" may be for more advanced modelers, but an important watch as you progress. In this session we touch on the Simulate Tab. I will spend only a shot time covering this large subject, which is usually an 8-12 hour class. However, I felt it important to touch on the power of Sparx Enterprise Architect (EA) around Simulation. In this session, I will touch on configurating your workspace. Later in this channel, I will create content which dives deeper and demonstrate simulating your models, architecture, and requirements, in greater detail (Recap).

(e16) Next we get to "Sparx EA Execute Tab Version 16". In this session we will touch on the Sparx Enterprise Architect (EA) Execute Tab. The 'Execute' ribbon provides a comprehensive set of facilities for running units of code and analyzing how the code executes, checking system use and data use and whether there are errors. If there are errors in the code, you can isolate them and correct them, testing those corrections as well. NOTE: I do not teach you how to code, but rather how to use Sparx EA for whichever code, technology, or language you have chosen (Recap).

(e17) In "Sparx EA Construct Tab Version 16", which is one of my favorite tabs, we will touch on the Sparx Enterprise Architect (EA) Construct Tab. The 'Construct' ribbon presents the tools and facilities for visualizing and managing the tasks and the resources needed to construct a system, from the allocation of human resources to tasks, to the Kanban boards and Gantt chart for visualizing the progress of work done. Teams can collaborate directly in the tool and manage a wide range of variations to model elements - including Issues and Defects - and tests can be defined and results recorded. This is critical, especially for Agile Delivery! (Recap)

(e18) In "Sparx EA Specialize Tab Version 16", we continue with our introduction to Sparx Tabs. The 'Specialize' ribbon provides facilities to enable and access Add-Ins (extensions written in COM) and MDG Technologies that interact with the Enterprise Architect user interface to extend and specialize the product's capabilities. However, I will try to simplify this outside of MDG Technologies. For me, the Specialize Tab is where I can specialize my use of Sparx EA for my own automation, use, and reusable patterns (Recap).

(e19) With the "Sparx EA Settings Tab Version 16" we introduce Sparx EA Modelers that are just getting started. The Settings Tab is where Sparx Security and Model Administration starts and is managed. The 'Settings' ribbon is used for managing the way a repository is used, from setting up reference data, security and Version Control to audits and integrity checks. Enterprise Architect is a flexible platform and can be configured to suit any enterprise, business or technical team. Our focus, in this session, will be on Model Data Transfer, Settings, Model Types, Resources (Document Publishing and Patterns), Images, Package Control, and User Tools (Recap).

(e20) The "Sparx EA Publish Tab Version 16" video is probably the most used tab in Sparx. The 'Publish' ribbon brings together all the tools for publishing, documenting and importing and exporting valuable model assets in a wide range of formats and styles, ranging from publications for corporate audiences to spreadsheets, XML schemas, Patterns, Reusable Assets and much more. The model is the repository of valuable organizational information and knowledge, and people who don't access the model directly can still get access to this knowledge through this panel of tools (Recap).

(e21) With all of the knowledge you have gleaned so far, it's time for "Creating or Opening a Sparx EA Project". In this session, and based on what we have learned so far, we are going to start creating and opening our first Sparx Enterprise Architect (EA) Project. We will create a project, then set a Default Model when we load the Sparx EA Project. We will create and change Diagram Types. And then we will prepare for effective access and navigation in our project. This last step will be beneficial when we deploy our models to our Web Server, including Sparx Prolaborate (Recap).

I will continue to add content to this Playlist as we progress. To see what's coming next, visit the Home Page and "In the Pipeline...".