From the outset, the UML was designed to be a public resource. It grew out of a long list of competing notations and methods and continues to be extended and refined.

The UML standard is open for review and change by anyone who wishes to contribute to it.
The OMG is coordinating feedback and incorporating changes into each new release.

The OMG Web site can be reached at the following Link OMG.

The UML standard will change over time, resulting in occasional inconsistencies between the most recent changes and the current course content. Also, the interpretation of the notation can vary from author to author. If you find such a discrepancy, please post a message in the Discussion area by clicking the Discuss button in the toolbar.

In addition, the language itself provides some built-in tools for extending the models. One such tool is the concept of stereotypes. A stereotype is a way of describing an element without specifying its implementation. Job titles provide a similar function for people. For example, the job title "Developer" is a general description for a broad range of jobs. An individual with that title may be a Java, C++, or Visual Basic programmer on a specific project with specific duties that make that job completely unique, and yet the title still provides a meaningful understanding of the general function.

Likewise, classes and other modeling elements may be stereotyped according to the type of entity they describe. For example, when referring to classes, user interfaces, device drivers, schedulers, and error handlers all have unique types of behavior. Using stereotypes helps people grasp the role of each modeling element without having to investigate the implementation details. This form of extension provides customized interpretation of the models without changing the UML standard.
In the next lesson, you will learn how the diagrams in the UML are organized to facilitate their use.

Click the Quiz link below to take a short quiz about the material we have just covered.
UML Overview - Quiz