Writing Use Cases

Oregon Health & Science University
Beaverton, Oregon, United States

Course Format: Classroom | E-learning | Virtual Class | Online | On-site | Blended | Self-paced

Course Description:

'' Use cases drive an object-oriented development process. They are part of the new Unified Modeling Language standard for developing object-oriented software. Together, with process descriptions and other requirements, they describe a software system from an external perspective. This 2 day hands-on course teaches practical techniques for writing clear, concise usage descriptions, capturing non-usage requirements, and relating the two. Each student will have their own computer to assist in building their competency through the completion of extensive course exercises.

We begin the course by introducing three forms of use cases: narratives, scenarios, and conversations. Depending on the audience and level of detail that you wish to convey, you choose the appropriate forms. We then elaborate these high-level descriptions with details of the dialogs between the users. We also introduce a use case template that you can modify to fit your own particular style of writing.

As we develop our descriptions, we identify and resolve conflicts among requirements, outline business policies our system should support, and explain how our software will respond to alternative or exceptional conditions. This course gives you the opportunity to write and revise your words in labs and writing clinics, and to discuss several different solutions to each exercise.

The Best Way to Learn

People learn by doing. This course includes many cycles of hands-on work, followed by instructor-led clinics that reinforce your critical writing and reading skills. Each learning cycle, which lasts between half an hour and two hours, consists of:

First, a lecture and demonstration of new concepts and techniques

Then, a challenging team-oriented exercise

Finally, we discuss and critique solutions in a group clinic. Teams present their work for review and comment. This discussion reinforces good writing style and explores acceptable alternative solutions.

Short in-class readings provoke stimulating discussions on the nature of software description and the value of clarity and conciseness.

Who should attend?

Analysts and developers who want to write detailed descriptions and relate them to high-level requirements

Any one who writes, reads or reviews software usage requirements: technical writers, software product marketers, business analysts, and end users

Software evaluators and testers, including quality assurance professionals and managers

Teams who want to collaboratively develop user-centered software

Production marketing managers

Process coaches

Course Objectives

At the end of this course you will be able to effectively communicate complex, evolving software usage requirements. In addition, the course will enable you to:

Improve your observation, writing and revision skills

Learn how to write Use Case descriptions at different levels of detail

Learn how to "tune" your descriptions to meet your project’s needs

Learn how to write precise descriptions that form a basis for detailed test cases

Course Outline

Day 1: Developing an Initial Use Case Model
USE CASE MODELS & FORMS

Communicating Different Points-of-View

Use Case Models

Identifying Actors

Finding Use Cases

Strategic, Task and Subfunction Level Use Cases

Use Case Templates

Three Use Case Forms

Writing High-Level Use Case Narratives

Defining Terms in a Glossary

Writing Clearly

Describing Rules and Policies

Day 2: Developing Detailed Descriptions
SCENARIOS, CONVERSATIONS & OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Writing Scenarios

Recording Issues

Good beginnings and endings

Use Case Conversations

Showing Parallel and Interactive Communications Between Actor and System

Maintaining a Consistent Level of Detail

Relating Use Cases to Other Requirements

Documenting Global and Local Constraints

Documenting Design Ideas

Removing Clutter

Adding Precision
ALTERNATIVES, VARIATIONS & EXCEPTIONS

Describing Alternatives

Refactoring Use Cases

Documenting Exceptional Conditions

Specifying Pre and Post-Conditions

Emphasizing important details

UML Use Case Diagrams

Defining Relationships Between Use Cases

Organizing Use Cases

Prerequisites

Students should be familiar with writing and reading software requirements and usage descriptions. Since Use Cases are part of the Unified Modeling Language (UML), students could benefit from an introduction to object concepts. However, an object background is not a pre-requisite! Students should be comfortable writing and revising textual descriptions, and presenting their work to the class. Experience analyzing and describing software is a benefit.
...''

Phone:(503) 748-1121

School Address:

Center for Professional Development
OGI School of Science & Engineering
20000 NW Walker Road
Beaverton, OR 97006 USA

Jobs & Resumes: Beaverton
Houses & Roommates: Beaverton

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