USE CASES: An introduction By: Robert Smith Stick figure jokes from

Topics:  What?  Why?  How?

USE CASES: What? How can we visualize and begin to analyze the problem from the user’s point of view? Example: Typical coding exercise Where can we improve? Why do we care?

USE CASES: Why? Remember: as a project progresses, the cost of design change increases Typical coding example revisited

USE CASES: How? Differs depending on who you ask SOME BASICS:  Name  Summary  Preconditions  Course of events  Alternative paths  Postconditions KEEP IN MIND! The point => explain what (not how) your system will do for specific users doing specific things

USE CASES: How? (cont’d) Name / Summary / Preconditions Course of events:  “Student enters login name and password via UC1234 and clicks ‘enter’”  System verifies username exists  System verifies password  …

USE CASES: How?: Events Careful of the details! What are some things that you might want to include here?  Happy Path  Alternate Paths (All possibilities)  References to other Use Cases