Why does UML seem so hard?

I wrote up the following in response to Why is UML So Hard? I have edited a few things, but the message is fairly timeless. The blog, called CRAIC PROPAGATION, that I am responding to was not just that UML seemed hard, that it also produced poor results. With that context, lets get into why UML 'seems' so hard.

I have been doing UML now for approximately forever... at least in software years.

I am also the chief architect at NoMagic, producers of MagicDraw UML. So I am a little biased, but only in this job for a few years, so not born into the religion of UML because of the signature on the paycheck.

Here's the problem: UML is a language. Just like you might experience with Java, if you don't get it, you don't have it.

Just because you know English does not mean you can write the great American Novel. You need to know how to model to create a great design. UML is just syntax for the model.

When you come to my class, I teach modeling. The syntax of the larger pieces of UML sort of disappear because of the approach which is to only model certain things at one time.

The biggest problem people have is levels of abstraction. Most people have verbal diarrhea when they model. This causes most of the problems.

Another issue is people seem to forget about requirements. Requirements have a bad name, so let me say that these are just simply statements about what the design 'must' do. The more you constrain your design to fulfilling the requirements, the fewer issues you will have with pointless models.

There are two new OMG standards that have been added. UPDM does enterprise architecture. I love it because it forces you to think about software in the context of its use.

The second is SysML. It was created for engineering. However its most useful and strangely simplistic feature is the ability to model requirements and relate them to your design and tests.

But why is UML so hard? Most people are allowed to simply do, not learn and perfect their modeling skills. There is not a silver bullet unless you have the skills to shoot the gun and hit the target.

I am working on changing this in our tool. We are adding wizards, helpers, and even a little artificial intelligence. It won't make you a world class modeler, but it will keep you from shooting yourself in the foot.