Artifacts > Requirements Artifact Set > {More Requirements Artifacts} > Boundary Class


Boundary Class		 A boundary class models the interaction between one or more actors and the system.
UML representation: Class, stereotyped as «boundary».
Role: User-Interface Designer
Sample Reports: Report: Class <class name>
More information:

Input to Activities: Output from Activities:

Purpose To top of page

A boundary class represents an interface between the system and some entity outside the system: a person or another system. Its role is to mediate the exchange of information with the outside world, and to insulate the system from changes in its surroundings.

Properties To top of page

Property Name

Brief Description

UML Representation
Name The name of the class. The attribute "Name" on model element.
Brief Description A brief description of the role and purpose of the class. Tagged value, of type "short text".
Responsibilities The responsibilities defined by the class. A (predefined) tagged value on the superclass "Type".
Relationships The relationships, such as generalizations, associations, and aggregations, in which the class participates. Owned by an enclosing package, via the aggregation "owns".
Attributes The attributes defined by the class. - " -
Special Requirements A textual description that collects all requirements (such as usability requirements and non-functional requirements) on the boundary class that are not considered in the analysis model, but that need to be taken care of during prototyping, design and implementation. Tagged value, of type "short text".
Diagrams Any diagrams local to the class, such as class diagrams depicting its attributes and responsibilities. Owned by an enclosing package, via the aggregation "owns".

Timing To top of page

Boundary classes relevant to the usability of the system are identified and described during the inception and/or elaboration phase before the user interface is prototyped, designed, and implemented.

Responsibility To top of page

A user-interface designer or an object analyst is responsible for the integrity of the boundary class, ensuring that:

  • The class fulfills the requirements made on it from the use-case realizations and use-case storyboards in which it participates.
  • The class is as independent as possible of other classes.
  • The properties of the class, including its responsibilities, uni-directional relationships, and attributes, are justified and kept consistent with each other.
  • The role of the class in bi-directional relationships in which it is involved is clear and intuitive.
  • The visibilities of its members, primarily attributes, are correct. A visibility can be "public," "private," and so on.
  • The scope of its members, primarily operations and attributes, are correct. A scope is "true" for a type/class scope, and "false" for an object/instance scope.
  • The Special Requirements are readable and suit their purpose.
  • The diagrams describing the class are readable and consistent with the other properties.

Tailoring To top of page

Decide which properties to use and how to use them.  See tailoring of Artifact: Analysis Class for related tailoring recommendations.  Document tailoring decisions in the Artifact: Design Guidelines.

 

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