Semantic abstraction of class diagram using logical approach

Abstract

Unified Modeling Language (UML) is the most famous modeling language use for software design in software development industries with the class diagram being the most use diagram by UML practitioners. As software development progress, the UML model became complicated. Thus, difficult for human being to trace back previously known relationship(s) between classes of the previous class diagram(s) in the present complex class diagram. Tracing back previous relationship(s) is accomplished by abstracting relationships among three related classes to semantic equivalent relationship between two of the classes. Abstracting class diagram aid in checking consistency, reverse engineering and facilitate model understanding. This article presented abstraction rules of a class diagram using a logical approach. The result was evaluated using a case study of hotel management system, and the rules were found to be reliable and useful.