Software use case sample

In the mean time, review the table below to get a basic understanding of what is in the use case and then we will review each element as we progress through our use case example. Now that you have a general understanding of what a use case consists of, we are ready to start creating our use case. Typically, while the name of your use case is being discussed, people will start briefly describing the use case. Use plain english and keep it simple. Getting back to our use case example, I will begin with use case 1 from step number four.

For a consumer to play a successful bid, what is the primary flow when everything goes as planned. An effective use cases needs to have the basic flow before moving forward with writing the alternate flows. It really depends on the level of detail you wish to achieve. However, providing more detail to the consumers of your use case is always a good thing. While a customer uses an ATM machine, the machine runs out of receipts and needs to warn the customer.

Recently at a new project assignment, I introduced a mid level developer to the concept of use cases which was totally foreign to him. Once walking him through the basic concepts and showing him the use case example, the lightbulb went off in his head on how convenient and simple it was to grasp the project. The purpose of the use cases is for effective knowledge transfer from the domain expert to the software developer — these use cases will serve as the software requirement specifications.

There are several sources on the web for writing effective use cases including the book by Alistair Cockburn. You can use the Gatherspace. See the image below for a sample of the use case model. The purpose of the use cases is for effective knowledge transfer from the domain expert to the software developer — these use cases will serve as software requirements. With so many engineering teams making the paradigm shift from waterfall to Agile Software Development , people often get caught up in having a pure Agile process which would include the use of User Stories.

What are they, how are they different from use cases, do I need them, and where do they fit in the process? What is a User Story? Simply put, written from the context of the user as a simple statement about their feature need. They should generally have this format. How is a User Story different than a Use Case?

While a use case is highly structured and tells a story, the User Story sets the stage by stating the need. I have argued — both successfully and un successfully on projects that you should either do process flows or use cases, but not both. The difference is that use cases bias towards a focus on what the user is trying to accomplish and why, whereas process flows bias towards documenting how the process works.

So, the main things the use cases would provide are 1 the goals that the users are trying to achieve by exercising the given process, and 2 the decoupling between the existing processes and current user goals. Many thanks for such a clear explanation of use case text.

I am working on a degree course and have got use case diagrams OK in my head but wanted another view of the text versions. I will put this page in my bibliography on my current assignment! This provide me clear description of how to write a use case.

Thanks for this good enough article. Hey Ann, thanks for commenting. Not every use case is complicated enough that drawing out the DFD adds any value, or even adds enough value to justify the costs of a drawing the DFD, and b maintaining the DFD as things change. Your example is wonderful and made my day to do wonders. Here is my gratitude token for the shared information. I really appreciate your help. In my new project I have to design a retail reporting system for a mid sized company.

Do you think writing use cases would be helpful for such projects? I would argue yes. Someone asks for a report. What decision are they making, or action are they taking; directly in response to whatever it is they see in the report? The account manager must be able to view the due-date. This then allows the people building the solution to decide if a report is the most appropriate way to solve the problem trying to be solved.

Maybe a dashboard is appropriate. Hello Scott, When I read the use-case sample, I found some striking similarities with my own observation of a real-world queue system. I am posting its URL below for your kind perusal.

I wrote it from scratch, actually, one thing leading to another. Your email address will not be published. Hey - let me know when someone else chimes in on the discussion! Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Sample Use Case Example The first step in defining a use case is to define the name , using the verb-noun naming convention. Formal Use Case Example You can clarify the use case further by refining the use case into a formal use case or informal use case format free template.

Use Case Name: Place Order Actors: Registered Shopper Has an existing account, possibly with billing and shipping information Non-registered Shopper Does not have an existing account Fulfillment System processes orders for delivery to customers Billing System bills customers for orders that have been placed Triggers: The user indicates that she wants to purchase items that she has selected.

Preconditions: User has selected the items to be purchased. Post-conditions: The order will be placed in the system. The user will have a tracking ID for the order. The user will know the estimated delivery date for the order. Normal Flow: The user will indicate that she wants to order the items that have already been selected. The system will present the billing and shipping information that the user previously stored.

The user will confirm that the existing billing and shipping information should be used for this order. The system will present the amount that the order will cost, including applicable taxes and shipping charges. The user will confirm that the order information is accurate. The system will provide the user with a tracking ID for the order.

The system will submit the order to the fulfillment system for evaluation. The fulfillment system will provide the system with an estimated delivery date. The system will present the estimated delivery date to the user.

The user will indicate that the order should be placed. The system will request that the billing system should charge the user for the order. The billing system will confirm that the charge has been placed for the order. The system will submit the order to the fulfillment system for processing. The fulfillment system will confirm that the order is being processed. The system will indicate to the user that the user has been charged for the order.

The system will indicate to the user that the order has been placed. The user will exit the system. Alternate Flows: 3A1: The user enters billing and shipping information for the order. The user will indicate that this order should use alternate billing or shipping information. The user will enter billing and shipping information for this order. The system will validate the billing and shipping information. The use case continues 5A1: The user will discover an error in the billing or shipping information associated with their account, and will change it.

The user will indicate that the billing and shipping information is incorrect. The user will edit the billing and shipping information associated with their account. The use case returns to step 2 and continues. The user will edit the billing and shipping information for this order. The use case returns to step 3A1 step 3. The user will request that the order be cancelled. The system will confirm that the order has been cancelled.

You need to develop a social networking website with the following functionalities; First of all, the user should create his account. After that, the user can log in to the system and can change his profile picture. The Registered user should also be able to search for a friend. After searching a friend user can add friend.

The user should register. After register user can log in to the system. So it means that register is a must to get a login included. So we also draw a direct arrow from the user to login extend. When the user gets a login, now there is a choice for the user, that user can upload a profile picture or not.

It totally depends on the choice of the user extend. When the user gets a login, now there is a choice for the user, that the user can search a friend or not extend. When a user searches a friend, then there is an option that the user adds a friend or not extend.