Use Case Methodology Overview

Edmonton Chapter Presentation

James Lin, P.Eng.
jameslin@linisus.com Oct 19, 2006

The Next 60 Minutes

Why use case is integral to a business analysts health Use case the UML way

Use case keeping your users awake

Secret of becoming most sought after use case modeler in your company
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Key Roles of a Business Analyst

An HR job description perspective Understand a business requirements Elicit and communicate requirements Recommend changes to improve business operation Solution assessment and validation
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Analyst - The Real Value-Add

Business community perspective Bridge between business and technology
Business Analyst Business IT

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Successful Bridging
Business Needs Technology Solution

Successful bridging means ...

Technical people understand business needs

Business understand technology capability The right technology used to solve the right business problem in the right way Proper requirements communication is key
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Use Case: A BAs Health Key

Proven to work

Have requirements gathering pay off the meaningful way

Significantly improves success rate of your IT projects Do it right for a successful and more satisfying career as Business Analyst
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What are Use Cases?

Each use case depicts how user interacts with system to accomplish a functionality Manifest system functional requirements A systems use case model comprised of all its use cases partial functional spec Written in plain English

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Why are Use Cases Important?

Form basis of subsequent work in system design and implementation Provides traceability during coding Basis for acceptance testing Poor use cases system design problems First UML artifacts produced in software development project
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Use Case Diagram Example

Approve Restocking Order Access Inventory Report

Analyze Stock Levels

Warehouse Supervisor

Warehouse Analyst

Issue Restocking Order

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UML Use Case Elements

use case

Describes how user interacts with system User who interacts with a use case

actor

Shows which user uses association which use case

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Example Use Case Writeup

Main success scenario describes normal sequence of events (basic flow) Branching to handle extension scenarios
1. Customer inserts bank card in ATM 2. System reads bank card and requests PIN 3. Customer enters PIN 4. System verifies PIN and displays Options Menu

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Use Case Strengths

Visual diagram facilitates understanding of systems functionalities Helps identify missed functionalities Requires minimal business user training (simple symbols, text focused) Great abstraction flexibility focus on pertinent details; hide irrelevant ones
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Use Case Challenges

Requires writing skills: clear, concise Good judgment in abstraction How many use cases, and which? Not designed for non-functional specs

Discipline to refrain from technical hows

More art than science

Scenarios often factual and dry

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Use Case Making it Interesting

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User logs on to SFTP server with password and private key Uploads files using his choice of SFTP client installed on local computer

App moves uploaded files from Dropbox into application repository

App deletes files from Dropbox
App1

7
External Stakeholder

3 4 5

SFTP Server virus checks uploaded files Moves files to Dropbox Deletes files from Server

Internet SFTP Server Dropbox

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Secret of a Use Case Star

Write from the perspective of your user rather than IT

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