The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is an evolutionary general-purpose, tool-supported, and industry-standard (OMG) modeling language to specify, visualize, construct, and document the artifacts of the process-intensive system. "Guide to Applying the UML" offers a practical bridge between tutorials and reference works, showing how all the elements of UML fit together holistically and cohesively. The focus is on usage rules and principles of composition, style guidelines, practical real-world examples, and tool-, process and technology-independent roadmap for effectively and successfully applying the UML. Topics and features: * Essential Rules for using UML and UML modeling organized around important UML construction * Presents a broad introduction to applying the UML, without having to prematurely adopt a particular process * Provides detailed examples, allowing readers to make decisions when the model on the entire systems development life cycle * Demonstrate how UML elements related and how UML supports the search and scales to process life cycle * Clear, well-developed diagrams simplify learning and applying core concepts and techniques With that focus, but highly accessible approach, this guide strikes a balance that is integrated between UML rules and practices.