Generalizable Element Namespace Model Element name visibility isSpecification Classifier isRoot Constraint Body Use Cases CS/SWE 421 Introduction to Software Engineering Dan Fleck (Slides adapted from Dr. Stephen Clyde with permission) 1Coming up: Introduction

Introduction n 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 n Use cases can capture and document the user-visible functionality of a system n Use cases capture how the system will benefit the user n Each use case achieves a discrete goal for the user 2 Coming up: Example Use Case Diagram

Example Use Case Diagram Coming up: Goals 3

Goals n Use cases help everyone come to a common understanding of what the system should do –Developers –End-users –Domain Experts n Use-cases are a communication tool for the design (not the implementation) n Use cases represent a functional requirement of your system (as a whole) 4 Coming up: Use Case Diagrams

Use Case Diagrams n Use Case Diagrams provide a visual way to document user goals and explore possible functionality n Three primary modeling components: –Actors –Use Cases Authorized Staff Worker Teacher Student Record class grades –Relationships between use cases Review Transcripts 5 Coming up: Actors

Actors n Actors are things outside the system that need to interact with the system n Actors carry out use cases n Actors are represented as stick figures n Although users are actors, not all actors are users –Actors can be external software systems –External hardware (sensors, actuators, etc.) –Actors can be people that need the functionality of the system, but may not be the ones who actually invoke the software commands 6 Coming up: Hints for Finding Actors

Hints for Finding Actors n Who or what will use the main functionality of the system? n Who or what will provide input to this system? n Who or what will use output from this system? n Who will need support from the system to do their work? n Are there any other software systems with which this one needs to interact n Are there any hardware devices used or controlled by this system? 7 Coming up: Hints for Modeling Actors

Hints for Modeling Actors n An actor can be a role that a user plays with respect to the system n A single person may play different roles n A single actor may perform many use cases n A use case may be performed by many actors n Show external systems as actors only when they are the ones who need a use case 8 Coming up: Relationships Between Actors

Relationships Between Actors n Actors cam be related by generalization/specialization n Actors are classifiers (not individual users) Student Graduate Student 9 Coming up: Use Cases Do this when very obvious

Use Cases n Each use case represents something the user needs to do with the system – a goal n A use cases is given a short name and textual description n Use cases can be large or small from a conceptual perspective n Use cases can relate to each other via dependencies, such as – > –Generalization or > (“is a”) 10 Coming up: Use Case Relationships

Use Case Relationships Includes Extends Generalization 11 Coming up: Use-Case Relationships 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)

Use-Case Relationships n Includes Dependency: Defines how one use case can invoke behavior defined by another use case Teacher Alter Student Grade Record Grades for a Section > 12 Coming up: Use-Case Relationships

Use-Case Relationships n Extends dependency: defines a use-case that is a variation of another, usually for handling an abnormal situation Authorized Staff Worker Alter Student Grade Alter student grade for a class taken more than a year ago > 13 Coming up: Use-Case Relations

Use-Case Relations n Generalization: Defines one use case as a generalization of another. Teacher Alter Student Grade Alter Student Grade for a Graduate Course 14 Coming up: Hints for Finding Use Cases

Hints for Finding Use Cases n Try listing actors first and then look at the activities each needs to perform and then try to express the goal that represent these activities –although this will uncover many valuable use cases, it will not find them all n Try listing external events and then look at what the system needs to do in response to each one. –This technique will find some additional use cases, but not all n Be patient, allow the use cases to unfold n Don’t over do it – Use Case Diagram should be broad-brush characterizations of user goals 15 Coming up: Hints for Modeling Use Cases

Hints for Modeling Use Cases n Establish the context of a user goal by identifying the actors n For each actor, consider the behavior that it expects or requires the system to provide n Name these common behaviors as use cases n Factor common behavior into new use cases n Relate the use cases using the extend, includes, and refines dependencies n Adorn uses cases with notes 16 Coming up: Benefits of Use Cases

Benefits of Use Cases n Use cases diagrams capture user-visible functions n Identifying actors help capture who needs the system functionality n Relationships between use cases document opportunities for reuse n Use cases provide a basis planning and scheduling incremental development n Use cases can provide a basis for system testing 17 Coming up: In Class Exercise

In Class Exercise n Lets create a use case diagram for –iPod –Television set –Elevator –ATM –Online Scrabble game –Word Processor Coming up: Use cases for CS421 18

Use cases for CS421 Show system boundary Show Actors outside boundary Use extend, include, generalization/spe cialization where appropriate Typically one diagram for your project is sufficient 19 Coming up: Use cases for CS421

Use cases for CS421 Show system boundary (Warning: skip this if not supported by the tool – like Netbeans!) Show system boundary (Warning: skip this if not supported by the tool – like Netbeans!) 20 Coming up: Use cases for CS421

Use cases for CS421 n For each use-case (oval) in your diagram include the use-description text described in the slide for Chapter 5, titled: n Use Case Description –about slide #14 21 Coming up: Questions

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

n Backup Slides n The following slides were removed over time. Coming up: Extends vs. Includes vs. Generalization 23

Extends vs. Includes vs. Generalization n 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 24 Coming up: User Goals

User Goals n User Goals are statements that represent what the users need to accomplish, independent of specific software features n Examples of user goals for a Student Records Management System –Ensure that a student’s 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 25 Coming up: System Interactions

System Interactions n Represent expected interacts between users and the computer-based system n Suggest how the system fulfills a user goal n 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 26 Coming up: User Goals vs. System Interactions

User Goals vs. System Interactions n In some cases, system interactions and user goals can be very similar n 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 27 Coming up: User Goals vs. System Interactions 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 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 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

User Goals vs. System Interactions n User goals help answer “What” and “Why” questions n System interactions help answer “How” questions (from a user’s perspective) n We will model user goals with Uses Cases n Later, we will model system interactions with interaction diagrams or activity diagrams 28 End of presentation