UML Profile and Extensions for Complex Approval Systems with Complementary Levels of Abstraction

Abstract

Extending the Unified Modelling Language (UML) version 2.0 with a profile and stereotypes that allow the modelling of an approval system with multiple levels, each with inherently dualistic complementarity, allows the high-fidelity characterization of the stacked levels of a real world approval hierarchy. The objective was to extend UML to model the complex, emergent and multi-level decision making which occurs within modern multi- disciplinary projects. At any level of abstraction, the logical and concrete processes of that level allow a consideration of local factors and decisions, generating and establishing a qualitative conclusion as the result. The high degree of certainly in the result creates the absoluteness of the qualitative conclusion, which can then be fed up or down one level of abstraction in order to take part in the local decision making at that level. The profile was applied to ground-breaking and ongoing engineering investigation concerning the expansion of a student busing system as it is proposed to be integrated into a city-wide busing system, where the student busing system can be considered to be a sub-system to the city-wide busing system, but in reality it is a self-standing, independent and complete system in its own right.