This article gives an example of how we develop and deliver in-house UML workshops to give your people the training they need when they need it.

Recently we were approached by a large company in the motor industry who needed to train a team of systems testers to become proficient in testing UML-based systems. The requirement was for a tailored in-house workshop that had to be delivered within two months - quite a challenge.

In an initial meeting we agreed a workshop syllabus based on the UML modules that included; introductory training in OO and UML, followed by skills training in Reviewing UML and Systems Testing, a total of seven days. Although we have various UML exercises based on real-life systems the client was keen to use UML based on their application domain. Unfortunately no project UML had been written.

From requirements documents supplied by the client and from testers' own descriptions we developed a series of models that could be used in exercises; use case diagram and use cases, sequence, activity and state diagrams, class diagrams.

The workshop was run in three parts and in the gaps we refined the models in response to the students needs. This degree of inter-active course development is impossible in most IT learning environments. It was facilitated by both the enthusiastic participation of the client's staff and a tutor with development capabilities.

The goal was to give the students the confidence to start model-based testing immediately, and by the final day all agreed this had been achieved. However the workshop does not finish there. We learnt that their architects are going to use robustness analysis to model the bridge between requirements and design models. Consequently we developed a post-workshop sub-module for the students discussing in detail the role of Robustness Diagrams and how testers can use them. The final stage will be a day on-site that gives the client chance to raise post-workshop issues relating to the projects they are working on.

The success factors in this training were the undoubted committmenf of the client towards their testing staff. Also the training modules made it easy for them to specify the course content and for us to build it with minimum additional effort. Course tailoring, UML model development and all follow-up work is included in a highly competiive fixed price that can work out at less than £150 per student day.

As for the clients' comments they include:

'...... I would have no hesitation in recommending you to anyone should they require UML testing training ...... keep up the good work ........... from the general feedback I have obtained the courses were well received by all .... I am myself impressed with the course content and structure.' the senior UML architect on the project.