When to Use Package Diagrams and Collaborations
Packages are a vital tool for large projects. Use packages whenever a class diagram that encompasses the whole system is no longer legible on a single letter-size (or A4) sheet of paper.
Packages are particularly useful for testing. Although I do write some tests on a class-by-class basis, I prefer to do my unit testing on a package-by-package basis. Each package should have one or more test classes that test the behavior of the package.
I find collaborations useful whenever you want to refer to a particular interaction. Parameterized collaborations are useful when you have several similar collaborations in your system.
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