Maintaining a shared vocabulary of terms used across all descriptions and models.
Throughout the use case-driven workflow in Visual Paradigm’s AI-Powered Use Case Modeling Studio, consistent terminology is essential for clear communication among stakeholders, analysts, developers, and testers. The Project Glossary Management feature provides a centralized, shared repository for defining, maintaining, and referencing domain-specific terms. This ensures that key concepts—such as actors, business entities, actions, or system-specific jargon—are used uniformly across system scope descriptions, use case specifications, diagrams, decision tables, test cases, and the final Software Design Document (SDD).
The glossary acts as a single source of truth, reducing ambiguity, preventing misunderstandings, and promoting traceability. Terms defined in the glossary can be automatically highlighted or linked in descriptions and models, and they are included in generated reports for easy reference.
Key Features and Benefits
- Automated Term Extraction: AI assists in identifying potential glossary terms from scope descriptions, use case flows, and problem statements.
- Centralized Grid View: A dedicated Glossary Grid lists all terms with definitions, aliases, and categories for quick editing and searching.
- Cross-Artifact Consistency: Terms are referenced consistently; updates to a term propagate across the project where applicable.
- Integration with Reporting: The glossary is automatically appended to the SDD (PDF or Markdown) and PlantUML-based textual reports.
- Collaboration Support: Team members can view, edit, or comment on terms in real-time (in team editions).
Practical Example: ATM System Glossary Management
As you progress through the ATM system modeling in the Use Case Modeling Studio:
- During initial scope definition (Section 1), the AI-generated problem description might include phrases like “card insertion,” “PIN validation,” and “account balance.”
- In use case specification (Section 4), flows reference terms such as “Insufficient Funds” or “Transaction Receipt.”
- The platform automatically suggests candidate terms for the glossary based on recurring nouns or domain-specific phrases.
To manage the glossary:
- Navigate to the Project Glossary panel (typically in the sidebar or under Modeling > Glossary > Glossary Grid).
- Review AI-suggested terms or manually add new ones.
Example Glossary Entries for the ATM System (displayed in the Glossary Grid):
| Term | Definition | Aliases | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer | The primary user of the ATM who initiates banking transactions using a debit or credit card. | Cardholder, User | Actor |
| PIN | Personal Identification Number – a secret numeric code used to authenticate the customer. | Personal Code | Security |
| Withdraw Cash | The primary use case allowing the customer to dispense physical currency from their account. | Cash Withdrawal | Use Case |
| Insufficient Funds | An exception condition where the requested withdrawal amount exceeds the available account balance. | Overdraft Attempt | Exception |
| Transaction Receipt | A printed or digital record confirming the details of a completed banking operation. | Receipt | Artifact |
| Bank System | The backend secondary actor responsible for account validation, balance checks, and transaction processing. | Core Banking System | Actor |
Once defined:
- In a use case description (e.g., “Withdraw Cash”), terms like PIN or Insufficient Funds are automatically bolded or hyperlinked to their definitions.
- When generating the SDD (Section 8.2), a dedicated Glossary section is appended, listing all terms alphabetically with definitions.
- In PlantUML textual reports (Section 8.1), the glossary ensures consistent naming in actor and use case labels.
By maintaining this shared vocabulary, the ATM project’s artifacts remain precise and professional. Any term update (e.g., changing “Cardholder” alias to “Account Holder”) instantly reflects across models and documentation, saving time and ensuring alignment as the project evolves.
Answers to Related Questions
What key outputs are included in an AI-generated analysis report? In tools like the AI PlantUML Use Case Diagram Report Generator, key outputs include: Problem Domain Title, Diagram Overview, Actors Identified (with descriptions), Use Cases Summary (often in table format), Relationships Analysis (e.g., include/extend details), and AI-powered Recommendations for further improvements.
Which patterns does the AI use to identify diagram refinements? The AI primarily identifies two key patterns in Use Case Diagrams:
- Shared Functionality: Common sub-flows repeated across multiple use cases (e.g., authentication), suggesting an <<include>> relationship for reusability.
- Optional/Conditional Behavior: Situations where a use case extends another under specific conditions (e.g., overdraft protection during withdrawal), suggesting an <<extend>> relationship.
What are the four steps of the activity diagram generator? The AI-Powered Use Case to Activity Diagram Generator follows this guided four-step process:
- Define the Use Case: Provide the use case name, system, actors, and a brief summary.
- Detail the Flows: Describe the Main (Basic) Flow, Alternative Flows, and Exception Flows in structured, numbered steps.
- Generate Activity Diagram: Click to let the AI convert the textual flows into a visual UML Activity Diagram.
- Review and Refine: Edit the generated diagram (e.g., adjust partitions, add swimlanes) and export or integrate it into the project.