Generalizations

The generalization relationship indicates that one of the two related Classes is a more general form of the other (an "is a" relationship).

For example, a doctor "is a" person, and a patient "is a" person. As such a doctor inherits the attributes and relationships of the general Class (person). In the Business Object Modeler, a Generalization is represented by a hollow triangle connected to the general form.

For example:

In object-oriented terminology, this means that Doctor and Patient are Derived Classes of the Super Class Person. This relationship is also known as inheritance. In other words, the Doctor and Patient Classes inherit the attributes of the general Class Person.