Use Cases

Model Namespace
Element
Classifier Generalizable
Element Constraint
name
isRoot visibility
isSpecification Body

CS/SWE 421
Introduction to Software Engineering

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

Coming up: Introduction 1

 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 user-
visible 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

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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 – Relationships between
– Use Cases use cases
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Teacher
Authorized Student
Staff Worker
4
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

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Coming up: Relationships Between Actors
 Relationships Between Actors
 Actors can be related by
generalization/specialization
 Actors are classifiers (not individual users)

Student

Graduate
Student

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Coming up: Use Case Relationships
 Use-Case Relationships
 Includes Dependency: Defines how one
use case can invoke behavior defined by
another use case

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<<includes>>

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Section

7
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

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<<extends>>

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a class taken more Staff Worker
than a year ago

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Coming up: Use-Case Relations
 Benefits of Use Cases
 Use cases diagrams capture user-visible 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

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Coming up: Use cases for CS421
 Use cases for CS421 Show system
boundary

Show Actors
outside
boundary

Use extend,
include, Typically one
generalization/spe
cialization where diagram for
appropriate your project
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Coming up: Use cases for CS421
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 #14

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Coming up: Questions
 Questions
 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?
 How many use cases are enough?
 Can other modeling activities help in discovering use
cases?
 What should the text description of use case contain?

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Coming up:
 Actors
 Actors are people or external systems that
need to interact with our system
 Actors carry out use cases
 Actors are represented as stick figures
 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
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Coming up: Hints for Finding Actors
 Hints for 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?
Using these what are some actors for an iPod?
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Coming up: Hints for Modeling Actors
 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

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End of presentation