Object oriented analysis and

design
Module 4: Interaction Diagrams
 Objectives
• Describe dynamic behavior and show how
to capture it in a model.
• Demonstrate how to read and interpret:
– A sequence diagram
– A communication diagram
• Explain the similarities and differences
between communication and sequence
diagrams.
 Objects Need to Collaborate
• Objects are useless unless they can
collaborate to solve a problem.
– Each object is responsible for its own
behavior and status.
– No one object can carry out every
responsibility on its own.
• How do objects interact with each other?
– They interact through messages.
Objects Interact with Messages
• A message shows how one object asks
another object to perform some activity.

Message

getCourseOfferings(forSemester)

: Car buyer
:RegistrationController :CourseCatalogSystem
What is an Interaction Diagram?
• Generic term that applies to several
diagrams that emphasize object
interactions
– Sequence Diagram
– Communication Diagram

• Specialized Variants
– Timing Diagram
– Interaction Overview Diagram
 Interaction Diagrams
• Sequence Diagram
– Time oriented view of object
interaction
Sequence Diagrams

• Communication Diagram
– Structural view of messaging Communication
objects Diagrams
 Interaction Diagrams
• Timing Diagram
– Time constraint view of
messages involved in an
interaction Timing Diagrams

• Interaction Overview Diagram

– High level view of interaction
sets combined into logic Interaction Overview
Diagrams
sequence
 Where Are We?

Sequence diagrams

Communication diagrams

Interaction diagram
comparison
 What Is a Sequence Diagram?
• A sequence diagram is an interaction
diagram that emphasizes the time ordering
of messages.
• The diagram shows:
– The objects participating in the interaction.
– The sequence of messages exchanged.

Sequence Diagram
 Example: Sequence Diagram

: Student :RegisterForCoursesForm :RegistrationController :CourseCatalogSystem : Course Catalog

1: create schedule( )
2: get course offerings( )
3: get course offerings(forSemester)
4: get course offerings( )

5: display course offerings( )

6: display blank schedule( )

ref
Select Offerings
Sequence Diagram Contents:
Objects
:RegisterForCoursesForm :RegistrationController SWTSU Catalog :
CourseCatalogSystem

Anonymous Objects Named Object

Lifelines
 Sequence Diagram Contents:
Actor
:RegisterForCoursesForm :RegistrationController SWTSU Catalog :
CourseCatalogSystem
: Student : Course Catalog

Actor instances
 Sequence Diagram Contents:
Messages
:RegisterForCoursesForm :RegistrationController SWTSU Catalog :
CourseCatalogSystem
: Student : Course Catalog

1: create schedule( )

2: get course offerings( )

3: get course offerings(for Semester)

4: get course offerings( )

5: display course offerings( )

6: display blank schedule( )

Message
Reflexive
Messages
 Sequence Diagram Contents:
Execution Occurrence
:RegisterForCoursesForm :RegistrationController SWTSU Catalog :
CourseCatalogSystem
: Student : Course Catalog

1: create schedule( )

2: get course offerings( )

3: get course offerings(for Semester)

4: get course offerings( )

5: display course offerings( )

6: display blank schedule( )

Execution
Occurrence
 Sequence Diagram Contents:
Event Occurrence
:RegisterForCoursesForm :RegistrationController SWTSU Catalog :
CourseCatalogSystem
: Student : Course Catalog

1: create schedule( )

2: get course offerings( )

3: get course offerings(for Semester)

4: get course offerings( )

5: display course offerings( )

6: display blank schedule( )

Event Occurrence
 Sequence Diagram Contents:
Interaction Occurrence
:RegisterForCoursesForm :RegistrationController SWTSU Catalog :
CourseCatalogSystem
: Student : Course Catalog

1: create schedule( )

2: get course offerings( )

3: get course offerings(for Semester)

4: get course offerings( )

5: display course offerings( ) Interaction
Occurrence
6: display blank schedule( )

ref
Select Offerings
 Where Are We?

Sequence diagrams

Communication diagrams

Interaction diagram
comparison
 What Is a Communication Diagram?
• A communication diagram emphasizes the
organization of the objects that participate in
an interaction.
• The communication diagram shows:
– The objects participating in the interaction.
– Links between the objects.
– Messages passed between the objects.

Communication Diagrams
 Example: Communication
Diagram
5: display course offerings( )
6: display blank schedule( )

1: create schedule( ) : Course Catalog

: RegisterForCoursesForm

: Student
2: get course offerings( )
4: get course offerings( )

3: get course offerings(forSemester)

: RegistrationController : CourseCatalogSystem
Communication Diagrams
Contents: Objects
: RegisterForCoursesForm

Objects

: RegistrationController SWTSU Catalog

: CourseCatalogSystem
Communication Diagram
Contents: Actors
: RegisterForCoursesForm

: Student : Course Catalog

Actors

: RegistrationController SWTSU Catalog

: CourseCatalogSystem
 Communication Diagram Contents: Links
and Messages
Messages 5: display course offerings( )
6: display blank schedule( )

1: create schedule( ) Links : Course Catalog

: RegisterForCoursesForm

: Student
2: get course offerings( )
4: get course offerings( )

3: get course offerings(forSemester)

: RegistrationController : CourseCatalogSystem
 Where Are We?

Sequence diagrams

Communication diagrams

Interaction diagram
comparison
 Sequence and Communication
Diagram Similarities
• Semantically equivalent
– Can convert one diagram to the other without
losing any information
• Model the dynamic aspects of a system
• Model a use-case scenario
 Sequence and Communication
Diagram Differences
Sequence Communication
diagrams diagrams
 Show the explicit  Show relationships in
sequence of messages addition to interactions
 Show execution  Better for visualizing
occurrence patterns of
 Better for visualizing communication
overall flow  Better for visualizing all
 Better for real-time of the effects on a given
specifications and for object
complex scenarios  Easier to use for
brainstorming sessions
 Review

What is the purpose of an interaction
diagram?

What is a sequence diagram? A
communication diagram?

What is a timing diagram? An
interaction overview diagram?

What are the similarities between
sequence and communication
diagrams?

What are the differences between
sequence and communication
diagrams?