If you would like to get a better grasp on doing some high-level software design, UML Distilled turns out to be a much better book than I had anticipated. I expected a dry tutorial of the UML notation, but it is thankfully much more than this. UML Distilled (3rd Ed.) does indeed cover the UML 2.0 notation, but while you are learning one of the most flexible and widely accepted ways to represent a design graphically, you will learn something far more important: the types of things you MIGHT WANT to represent and design. This aspect of how to design is far more of a sticking point than learning a notation, and we can be grateful that Fowler has managed to get the more important issues regarding how to go about designing a project while simultaneously telling us all we NEED to know (but not everything) about the UML 2.0 specification.

With Fowler making comments such as, "Fortunately, if you get it wrong, only serious UML weenies will notice -- or care", we get the feeling that while Fowler knows his subject and appreciates the UML notation, he also realizes that there are more important things than perfect diagrams to worry about when designing and building software. Fowler skips long-winded explanations by telling you where you can get more detailed explanations of certain topics and replaces sections that would normally be filled with unnecessary justifications for the notation with alternative approaches and personal experience. Quite often, these sections result in Fowler admitting that he finds certain aspects of the notation unnecessary or cumbersome, and almost always lightens the text, making it very readable.

This book is great for anyone needing a solid introduction to UML or basic software engineering principles. It is also short, which is a relief to anyone used to trudging through most technical tomes. Most people could easily get through this book in a weekend, and confidently put "familiar with UML" on their resume.

My only complaint with this book is that some parts of the notation are discussed without providing much of a hint on exactly *where* on a diagram you would place it. This information is available elsewhere (and most likely not particularly important in Fowler's opinion), and it aids in the book's brevity and the readability of the diagrams, so I can't really fault the author for not including it. These omissions and the occasional requirement for the reader to fill in the blanks don't quite warrant the loss of a star. The book provides exactly what it claims -- "a brief guide" to UML -- and also manages to act as an excellent quick reference for basic concepts.

In short, UML Distilled is an excellent addition to any software developer's library, and a must have for anyone involved in a serious software design process. Definitely pick up the 3rd edition if you have a choice, and check out the author's recommendations for finding more specific and detailed information when you need it.

Again very briefly. The book is needed for all the people who design in UML. It is a reality that every architect has its own design style and thus it is good to have the same basics. Martin Fowler, author of the book, he is more than warranty of this need. Besides that everybody sometimes needs to look into the master reference.

This book is not the ideal UML book for the business analyst (and I now work as one). There is reference to OO programming concepts that will probably always be lost on me. However, it is the ideal overview of the UML for starters, and I suspect I will be using it as a reference for quite some time to come. Enough detail to do some serious work with, concise enough to allow me to find what I need. After reading this book I was curious for more and ordered four more books from the Object Technology series. Hope they are equally good.

This is a handy reference book for UML diagrams. I like the quick summary on the inside covers, useful when you want to a quick reminder of which UML diagram is the one you want to use. I find it helpful that instead of spending pages and pages describing some of the hardly used notations, it actually concentrates on describing the essentials and the typical. If I then find I need more information on a certain diagram, I just go find it in the internet. It is not an in-depth explanation of object modeling.

With just about 200 pages, this little big book covers the most common features of UML in a clear, crisp and fun way. No other book has given so much to so many in so few pages.