Use Cases

Classifier Generalizable Element isRoot Model Element name visibility isSpecification Namespace Constraint

Body

CS/SWE 421 Introduction to Software Engineering

Dan Fleck
(Slides adapted from Dr. Stephen Clyde with permission)

Coming up: Introduction

Introduction

Use Case: ... a typical interaction between a user and a computer system, Booch
Here, user is anything that needs or invokes the functionality of the system Computer system is the system being modeled

Use cases capture and document the uservisible functionality of a system (functional requirements) Use cases capture how the system will benefit the user Each use case represents a discrete goal for the user
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Coming up: Example Use Case Diagram

Example Use Case Diagram

3 Coming up: Use Case Diagrams

Use Case Diagrams

Use Case Diagrams provide a visual way to document user goals and explore possible functionality Three primary modeling components:
Actors Use Cases

Relationships between use cases

Review Transcripts

Record class grades

Teacher Authorized Staff Worker

Coming up: Actors

Student
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User Goals

User Goals are statements that represent what the users need to accomplish, independent of specific software features Examples of user goals for a Student Records Management System
Ensure that a students records reflects courses taken and grades received in those courses Allow only authorized faculty and staff to update student records Ensure that students can obtain copies of their own (and only their) records in a timely manner
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Coming up: System Interactions

System Interactions

Represent expected interacts between users and the computer-based system Suggest how the system fulfills a user goal Examples:
A teacher alters a course grade for a student by
selecting a semester selecting a course selecting a student reviewing the previous grade entering a new grade confirming the change

A process for an administrator to create a new user A process for granting a user access rights
Coming up: User Goals vs. System Interactions

User Goals vs. System Interactions

In some cases, system interactions and user goals can be very similar However, confusing system interactions with user goals or neglecting to identify user goals can
obscure the reasons why a system should have certain features result in lost opportunities for creativity

Example showing interactions: User wants to spell check document. Basic Flow 1.User clicks Spell Check button 2.System checks each word 3.New dialog box appears with results

Example showing goals: User wants to spell check document. Basic Flow 1. User starts spell check process 2. System checks each word 3. System presents results to the user
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Coming up: User Goals vs. System Interactions

User Goals vs. System Interactions

User goals help answer What and Why questions System interactions help answer How questions (from a users perspective) We will model user goals with Uses Cases Later, we will model system interactions with interaction diagrams or activity diagrams
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Coming up: Actors

Actors

Actors are people or external systems that need to interact with our system
Finding Actors

Who or what will use the main functionality of the system? Who or what will provide input to this system? Who or what will use output from this system? Who will need support from the system to do their work? Are there any other software systems with which this one needs to interact Are there any hardware devices used or controlled by this system?

Answer these questions to find actors for an iPod

9 Coming up: Relationships Between Actors

Relationships Between Actors

Actors can be related by generalization/specialization Actors are classifiers (not individual users)

Student Graduate Student

10 Coming up: Use Case Relationships

Hints for Modeling Actors

An actor can be a role that a user plays with respect to the system A single person may play different roles A single actor may perform many use cases A use case may be performed by many actors Show external systems as actors only when they are the ones who need a use case

11 End of presentation

Use Case Relationships

Includes Extends

Generalization

After a while you realize extends and generalization are not too different. Just know generalization and includes forget about extends (the difference is only in intent)
12 Coming up: Use-Case Relationships

Extends vs. Includes vs. Generalization

Extends, includes, and generalization may appear similar, but differ in intent
Extend dependencies model variations from normal workflows Specializations are refinements of a general use cases Include uses case (or sub-use cases), unlike specializations, can represent different goals or processes Include dependencies are a form of aggregation The actors for a general use case are also actors for the use cases that specialize it Often there are no actors for sub-use cases

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Coming up: User Goals

Use-Case Relationships

Includes Dependency: Defines how one use case can invoke behavior defined by another use case
Alter Student Grade

<<includes>>
Record Grades for a Section

Teacher

14 Coming up: Use-Case Relationships

Use-Case Relationships

Extends dependency: defines a use-case that is a variation of another, usually for handling an abnormal situation
Alter Student Grade

<<extends>>

Alter student grade for a class taken more than a year ago

Authorized Staff Worker

15 Coming up: Use-Case Relations

Use-Case Relations

Generalization: Defines one use case as a generalization of another. Replaces generic functionality with alternate implementation
Alter Student Grade

Teacher

Alter Student Grade for a Graduate Course

16 Coming up: Documenting Use Cases

Documenting Use Cases

List Actors
What is system response to external event? What is the users goal?

List External Events

Determine expected behavior

Name behaviors as use cases Add relations (includes, extends, generalization) Be Patient let them unfold Document use case (basic flow, alternate, exception)

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Coming up: Benefits of Use Cases

Benefits of Use Cases

Use cases diagrams capture uservisible functions Identifying actors help capture who needs the system functionality Relationships between use cases document opportunities for reuse

Use cases provide a basis planning and scheduling incremental development

Use cases can provide a basis for system testing
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Coming up: In Class Exercise

In Class Exercise

Lets create a use case diagram for

iPod Television set Elevator ATM Online Scrabble game Word Processor

19 Coming up: Use cases for CS421

Use cases for CS421

Show system boundary

Show Actors outside boundary

Use extend, include, generalization/spe cialization where appropriate

Coming up: Use cases for CS421

Typically one diagram for your project 20 is sufficient

Use cases for CS421

For each use-case (oval) in your diagram include the use-case description text described in the slide for Chapter 5, titled:

Use

Case Description about slide #17

21 Coming up: Questions

Questions

Coming up:

Who might be interested in reviewing or using use case diagrams? When in the development life cycle should we employ use cases? What do use cases have to do with object-orientation? What level of use-case granularity is best? How many use cases are enough? Can other modeling activities help in discovering use cases? When in the development life cycle do we stop referring to or refining the use cases? 22 What should the text description of use case contain?