SE331: Software Design &
Architecture
Lecture # 2
Use Case Modeling
Outline
What is a Use Case?
What is Use Case Actor?
Type of Actors
Primary Actor
Supporting Actor
Off-Stage Actor
Guidelines to find use cases
Relationships in use cases
Include Relationship
Extend Relationships
Generalization Relationships
Example Case Study
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Outline
Case Study
Activity: find use cases, Actors and System boundary
Tool Description
Enterprise Architecture (EA)
Installation
Creating New Project
Drawing Use Case Diagram from Case study
Assignment Task
Make a group of two and propose a project
Describe the project in at least 500 words
There must be at least 5 use cases in the project
These must be at least 3 actors of the system
Use EA to draw use case diagram
Prepare a PDF document where you place: Actors and their
responsibilities, Use Case Diagram and justification of each use case
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What is a Use Case?
They are stories or scenarios of how people
use the system
Use Cases describes sequence of action and
interaction between user and the system
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What is Use Case Diagram?
A graphical representation of use case, such
that
It describe the use case
It describe the actor and use case relation
It describes the boundary of the system
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Actor
Actors
Something with behavior such as person, computer system, or
organization
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Kinds of Actors
Primary actor
has user goals fulfilled through using services of the SuD
why identify? To find user goals, which drive use cases
Supporting actor
provides a service (for example, information) to the SuD
why identify? To clarify external interfaces and protocols
Offstage actor
has an interest in the behavior of the use case
why identify? To ensure that all necessary interests are
identified and satisfied
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Kind of Actors
For a use case context Show computer system actors
diagram, limit the use cases to with an alternate notation to
user-goal level use cases. human actors.
NextGen
«actor»
Process Sale Payment
Authorization
Service
Cashier
...
primary actors on supporting actors
the left on the right
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Use Case Diagram
system boundary NextGen POS communication
Process Sale alternate
notation for
Customer a computer
Payment system actor
Authorization
Service
Handle Returns
«actor»
actor Tax Calculator
Cashier
«actor»
Cash In Accounting
System
Manager
«actor»
«actor» Analyze Activity
HR System
Sales Activity
System
Manage Security
System Manage Users
Administrator use case
...
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Common Use Case Issues
What Tests Can Help Find Useful Use Cases?
The Boss Test
The EBP (Elementary Business Process) Test: A task
performed by 1 user in 1 place at 1 time in response to a
business event, that adds measurable value to the business
and leaves data in a consistent state.
The Size Test
Writing Style
Essential (keep the UI out)
Concrete (UI decisions embedded in the UC text)
Guideline: Write use cases in an essential style; keep the user
interface out and focus on actor intent
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Library Information System
(Problem Statement)
A computerized library system for a university keeps track of
all books and periodicals in the library and their check-out
status
Checkout and return are automated through a bar code
reader (an external device)
The library system also interfaces with an external relational
database which stores information about the library users
(students, faculty, and staff), including whether they have any
library items checked out
Library users can access the catalog and recall books and
periodicals
Library employees have the same access as well as
additional capabilities (e.g., listing the status of an item) 11
Library Information System
(Use Case Diagram)
Login
CheckIn
LibEmployee
BarCodeReader
CheckOut
LibUser CheckAvailability
UsersDB
Recall
Note: the library catalog is part of the library computer system so it is not shown
as an actor 12
Library Information System
(Use Case Text: Login)
1. Employee initiates use case by entering user
name and password
2. If user name and password is valid, employee is
logged on and now has access to employee
commands
Starting and ending conditions?
Extensions? e.g., cannot find the employee
login
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Library Information System
(Use Case Text: CheckAvailability)
User/Employee initiates use case by selecting the check
book availability option
System prompts for choice of search by title, author, or
call number
User makes selection and enters title, author or call
number
System performs search through the library catalog
database
If a match is found, system displays item status (not
checked out, checked out and due date, overdue)
Starting and ending conditions?
Extensions?
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Use Case Associations
Use case association = relationship between
use cases
Important types:
Include
A use case uses another use case (functional
decomposition and reuse of existing functionality)
Extends
A use case extends another use case
Generalization
A use case has different specializations
≪include≫: Functional Decomposition
Problem:
A function in the original problem statement is too complex to be
solvable immediately
Solution:
Describe the function as the aggregation of a set of simpler
functions. The associated use case is decomposed into smaller
use cases
CreateDocument
≪include≫
≪include≫
≪include≫
Scan OCR Check
≪include≫: Reuse of Existing Functionality
Problem:
There are already existing functions. How can we reuse them?
Solution:
The include association from Use Case A to Use Case B
indicates that an instance of A performs all the behavior
described in B (“A delegates to B”)
Example:
The use case “ViewMap” describes behavior that can be used by
the use case “OpenIncident” (“ViewMap” is factored out)
Note: The base use case cannot exist alone. It is always called with
the supplier use case
≪include≫
OpenIncident
ViewMap
Base Use ≪include≫
Case Supplier
AllocateResources Use Case
When to Use Include Relationship?
Use include when you are repeating yourself in
two or more separate use cases and you want to
avoid repetition.
A use case is very complex and long, and
separating it into subunits aids comprehension.
≪extend≫ Association for Use Cases
Problem:
The functionality in the original problem statement needs to be
extended.
Solution:
An extend association from Use Case B to Use Case A indicates
that B is an extension of A.
Example:
The use case “ReportEmergency” is complete by itself , but can
be extended by the use case “Help” for a specific scenario in
which the user requires help
Note: In an extend association, the base use case can be executed
without the use case extension
Base Use
Case B
Help
FieldOfficer
A ≪extend≫
ReportEmergency
Generalization Association in Use Cases
Problem
You have common behavior among use cases and want to factor
this out.
Solution
The generalization association among use cases factors out
common behavior. The child use cases inherit the behavior and
meaning of the parent use case and add or override some
behavior.
Example
Consider the use case “ValidateUser”, responsible for verifying
the identity of the user. The customer might require two
realizations: “CheckPassword” and “CheckFingerprint”
CheckPassword
Parent ValidateUser
Child
Case
CheckFingerprint Use Case
Use-Case Experts advise to Keep Things Simple
and Prefer the include Relationship
NextGen POS
Process Sale
Cashier
«include» «include» «actor»
Accounting
«include» System
Handle Check Handle Cash Handle Credit
Payment Payment Payment
Customer «actor»
«include» Credit
«include» «include» Authorization
Service
UML notation:
the base use
Process Rental
case points to
the included use
case
Handle Returns
Manage Users
...
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Case Study
Read the case study from attached document
and identify
Use Cases
Primary Actors
Supporting Actors
System Boundary
Walkthrough Task
From use cases and actors identified from
the case study, the EA tool shall be used to
draw use cases.
Walkthrough task
Open EA tool on your local machine
Walkthrough task
Click on the file and choose new project
Walkthrough task
Name your project as Point of Sale System
and press save button
Walkthrough task
Close the wizard
windlw
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Walkthrough task
Click on the new Package option
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Walkthrough task
Write down package name as Point of Sale
UC and choose Package only
Press ok
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Walkthrough task
Choose Add
Diagram option
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Walkthrough task
Choose use case from UML behavioral
Diagrams
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Walkthrough task
The Final window appears as following
Drag and drop use case icon to the white
space
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Walkthrough task
Double click on use case icon to update the
name of use case
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Walkthrough task
The use case appears as following
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Walkthrough task
Now drag and drop actor icon
Double click on actor1 to update the name
Stretch the arrow from the actor to use case
and make association relation
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Walkthrough task
Create association relation between actor
and use case
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Walkthrough task
Drag and drop the boundary icon and name it
as Point of Sale
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Walkthrough task
The system boundary appears as following
Repeat steps to add other use cases
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Lab Tasks
Repeat the steps to add other actors,
supporting actors in use case model
Make use of include, extend and
generalization operation
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Unseen task
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