Home > Store

Use Cases: Requirements in Context, 2nd Edition

Register your product to gain access to bonus material or receive a coupon.

Use Cases: Requirements in Context, 2nd Edition

Book

  • Sorry, this book is no longer in print.
Not for Sale

eBook (Watermarked)

  • Your Price: $31.99
  • List Price: $39.99
  • Includes EPUB and PDF
  • About eBook Formats
  • This eBook includes the following formats, accessible from your Account page after purchase:

    ePub EPUB The open industry format known for its reflowable content and usability on supported mobile devices.

    Adobe Reader PDF The popular standard, used most often with the free Adobe® Reader® software.

    This eBook requires no passwords or activation to read. We customize your eBook by discreetly watermarking it with your name, making it uniquely yours.

About

Features

Thoroughly updated and revised, the second edition of a popular tutorial on how to apply use cases effectively in determining requirements.

° An excellent introduction to this increasingly popular topic that assumes no prior knowledge of uses cases or requirements

° Shows how use cases can be applied to solve the most challenging requirements issues faced daily in industry

° Expanded coverage, including thorough treatment of iterative/incremental use case driven project management

Description

  • Copyright 2004
  • Dimensions: 7" x 9-1/4"
  • Pages: 272
  • Edition: 2nd
  • Book
  • ISBN-10: 0-321-15498-3
  • ISBN-13: 978-0-321-15498-9

This book describes how to gather and define software requirements using a process based on use cases. It shows systems analysts and designers how use cases can provide solutions to the most challenging requirements issues, resulting in effective, quality systems that meet the needs of users.

Use Cases, Second Edition: Requirements in Context describes a three-step method for establishing requirements—an iterative process that produces increasingly refined requirements. Drawing on their extensive, real-world experience, the authors offer a wealth of advice on use-case driven lifecycles, planning for change, and keeping on track. In addition, they include numerous detailed examples to illustrate practical applications.

This second edition incorporates the many advancements in use case methodology that have occurred over the past few years. Specifically, this new edition features major changes to the methodology's iterations, and the section on management reflects the faster-paced, more "chaordic" software lifecycles prominent today. In addition, the authors have included a new chapter on use case traceability issues and have revised the appendixes to show more clearly how use cases evolve.

The book opens with a brief introduction to use cases and the Unified Modeling Language (UML). It explains how use cases reduce the incidence of duplicate and inconsistent requirements, and how they facilitate the documentation process and communication among stakeholders.

The book shows you how to:

  • Describe the context of relationships and interactions between actors and applications using use case diagrams and scenarios
  • Specify functional and nonfunctional requirements
  • Create the candidate use case list
  • Break out detailed use cases and add detail to use case diagrams
  • Add triggers, preconditions, basic course of events, and exceptions to use cases
  • Manage the iterative/incremental use case driven project lifecycle
  • Trace back to use cases, nonfunctionals, and business rules
  • Avoid classic mistakes and pitfalls

The book also highlights numerous currently available tools, including use case name filters, the context matrix, user interface requirements, and the authors' own "hierarchy killer."

Sample Content

Downloadable Sample Chapter

Download the Sample Chapter related to this title.

Table of Contents



Preface.


Preface to the First Edition.


1. The Trouble with Requirements.

First and Least of All.

What Is a Requirement?

Functional Requirements.

Nonfunctional Requirements.

Requirements Gathering, Definition, and Specification.

The Challenges of Requirements Gathering.

Finding Out What the Users Need.

Documenting Users' Needs.

Avoiding Premature Design Assumptions.

Resolving Conflicting Requirements.

Eliminating Redundant Requirements.

Reducing Overwhelming Volume.

Ensuring Requirements Traceability.

Issues with the Standard Approaches.

User Interviews.

Joint Requirements Planning Sessions.

Contract-Style Requirements Lists.

Prototypes.

Those Troublesome Requirements.



2. Moving to Use Cases.

It's All About Interactions.

The Unified Modeling Language.

Nine Diagrams.

Extending the UML with Stereotyping.

Introducing Use Cases, Use Case Diagrams, and Scenarios.

The Goals of Use Cases.

How Use Case Diagrams Show Relationships.

The Use Case Template.

Paths and Scenarios.

Use Cases Apply Here.

Use Cases for Inquiry-Only Systems.

Use Cases for Requests for Proposals.

Use Cases for Software Package Evaluation.

Use Cases for Non-Object-Oriented Systems.

Applying Use Cases to the Requirements Problem.



3. A Use-Case-Driven Approach to Requirements Gathering.

Requirements Specification Tools.

Principles for Requirements Success.

Three Steps for Gathering Requirements.

The Role of the Mission, Vision, Values.

The Role of the Statement of Work.

The Role of the Risk Analysis.

The Role of the Prototype.

The Roles of Use Cases.

Use Cases Are Effective Communication Vehicles.

Use Cases Can Be Used for Functional and Nonfunctional Requirements.

Use Cases Help Ensure Requirements Traceability.

Use Cases Discourage Premature Design.

The Role of the Business Rules Catalog.

Managing Success.



4. The Facade Iteration.

Objectives.

Users.

Project Team.

Industry Experts.

IT Management Group.

User Management Personnel.

Owners of the Data.

Steps in the Facade Iteration.

Create the Mission, Vision, Values.

Identify and Review Existing Documentation and Intellectual Capital.

Get the Executive Sponsor's Unique Viewpoint.

Review the Business Process Definitions.

Identify the Users, Customers, and Related Groups.

Interview the Stakeholders.

Create a Stakeholders List.

Find the Actors.

Create the Use Case Survey (A List of Facade Use Cases).

Collect and Document Nonfunctional Requirements.

Start the Business Rules Catalog.

Create a Risk Analysis.

Create a Statement of Work.

Begin Experimenting with User Interface Metaphors.

Begin User Interface Storyboards.

Get Informal Approval from the Executive Sponsor.

Tools.

The Use Case Diagram.

The Hierarchy Killer.

Use Case Name Filters.

Actor Filter.

Verb Filter.

Noun Filters.

Packages as Placeholders for Functionality.

Facade Filter.

Peer Review.

User Review.

Deliverables.

Roles.

Context.

Summary.



5. The Filled Iteration.

Objectives.

Steps.

Break Out Detailed Use Cases.

Create Filled Use Cases.

Add Business Rules.

Test the Filled Use Cases.

Put Some Things Off.

Tools.

The Stakeholder Interview.

IPA Filter.

White Space Analysis Filter.

Abstraction Filter.

Testing Use Cases with Scenarios.

Review.

Additional Use Cases.

Deliverables.

Roles.

Context.

Summary.



6. Focused Iteration.

Objectives.

What Are Focused Use Cases?

Steps.

Merge Duplicate Processes.

Bring Focus to Each Use Case.

Manage Scope Changes During This Iteration.

Manage Risks and Assumptions.

Review.

Tools.

Surplus Functionality Filter.

Narrow the Focus of the System.

Identify Surplus Functionality Inside the Use Case.

Vocabulary Filter.

Deliverables.

Roles.

Context.

Summary.



7. Managing Requirements and People.

Introduction.

Waterfall Lifecycle Management.

Nell and the Coffee Shop.

Disadvantages of Waterfall.

Alternatives to Waterfall.

Rapid Application Development (RAD).

Spiral.

Staged Delivery.

Holistic Iterative/Incremental (HI/I).

Introducing the Holistic Iterative/Incremental Use-Case-Driven Project Lifecycle.

The Meaning of Iterative.

The Meaning of Incremental.

The Meaning of Holistic.

The Meaning of Adaptivity.

Complex Adaptive Systems.

Process.

Principles of the Holistic Iterative/Incremental Software Lifecycle.

Manage Requirements Not Tasks.

The Important Goals Are the Business Goals--Dates and Budgets.

Think Like a Businessperson--What Have You Done for Me Lately?

Divide and Conquer.

Cut the Job into Programs and Projects.

Tie Everything Back to the Business.

Create Demonstrable Deliverables.

Learn the Art of "Good Enough" Quality.

The Pieces Will Be Smaller Than You Think.

Expect Negotiation, Not Specification.

Forget about Baselines and Sign-offs.

Estimate by Doing.

Calculate Return-on-Investment in a New Way Using Portfolios.



8. Requirements Traceability.

Tracing Back to Use Cases.

Analysis Model Traceability.

Design Model Traceability.

CRC Card Session Traceability.

Test Model Traceability.

User Interface Design Traceability.

Application Architecture Traceability.

Project Management Traceability.

Documentation and Training Traceability.

Product Marketing Traceability.

Security Traceability.

Release Planning.

Tracing Back to Nonfunctionals.

Tracing Back to Business Rules.

Structural Facts.

Action-Restricting and Action-Triggering Rules.

Calculations and Inferences.



9. Classic Mistakes.

Mistakes, Pitfalls, and Bruised Knees.

Classic Mistakes: Make Them and Move On.



10. The Case for Use Cases.

Why Did Use Cases Win?

Use Cases Are Sensible to Businesspeople.

Use Cases Are Traceable.

Use Cases Are an Excellent Scoping Tool.

Use Cases Don't Use a Special Language.

Use Cases Allow Us to Tell Stories.

The Alternatives Are Awful.

Use Cases Beyond Software.

Service Use Cases.

Business Use Cases.

Summary.



Appendix A. Real Estate Management System.

Overview.

The Use Cases.

The Actors.

Technical Requirements and Business Rules.

Scope Decisions.

List of Use Cases.

Refining the Requirements.

Investment Returns Calculation.

Tightening Requirements.



Appendix B. Integrated Systems.

Overview.

Background.

Problem Description.

Solution Analysis.



Appendix C. Instant Messaging Encryption.

Overview.

The Use Cases.



Appendix D. Order a Product from a Catalog.


Bibliography.


Index.

Preface

It has been an interesting three years since the first edition of this book was published. At that time, use cases were still an "interesting technique" but had not been widely adopted. Today, we see a software development marketplace where use cases are the standard practice for gathering requirements and have even migrated to other applications, including business processes, service offerings. We would not have predicted this wave of popularity in our happiest visions.

Of course, our book was not the only one in the last few years to proselytize use cases. But it has been gratifying to be part of this new technique's recognition in the software world. Given this trend, we've decided to publish a second edition of Use Cases: Requirements in Context, putting together the lessons we've learned since our original thoughts. And the lessons have been many. Our approach in the first edition was something we had created after several use case driven project efforts, but it was still a young process. Using it on many more projects since the book was published, we have had a chance to collaborate with the many of best minds in the software business and fine tune the process into something much workable, practical and scaleable. We have also taken ideas from other emerging fields, including the ideas of chaordic organizations (Dee Hock, Margaret Wheatley and others) as well as Drs. Theodore Williams and Hong Li of Purdue University and their Purdue Enterprise Reference Architecture. Both bodies of work have had a tremendous impact on how we've applied use cases on our projects and how we've recast our ideas in this new edition.

In our second edition, you can expect these changes. First and most noticeably, we have only three "F" iterations this time - Facade, Filled and Focused. The last F (Finished) has proven troublesome on one project after another. First of all, in an iterative approach, nothing is every truly finished. It is always evolving. Also, as an iteration, it really contained only the mesh between use cases and the user interface design. We have moved the user interface ideas into the Facade iteration, because the evolution of the user interface should proceed in parallel with the early use case creation, not following.

Another big change is our approach to our Management chapter. Although we are not directly contradicting anything from before, we have expanded our explanation of iterative/incremental use case driven project management greatly in this edition. We call it holistic iterative/incremental, or HI/I (hi-eye). We believe this area of the lifecycle requires the most work of anything, since the waterfall project management processes from years past are not keeping up with the faster pace, more "chaordic" software lifecycles of today. We present our chapter on management here, but we eagerly look forward to other authors expanding on these ideas and inventing new ways of tackling this big problem. Also, the Project Management Institute (PMI) have made some gestures toward embracing some of the new software lifecycle ideas.

The appendixes in our first edition were regarded by many readers we heard from as the best and the worst parts of the book. We were the first to try to show partially complete use cases in our examples, which is a crucial step to understanding the iterative nature of use case creation. However, the presentation was quite confusing, because we repeated use cases through the four iterations, sometimes they changed, sometimes they didn't, and it was hard to tell what changed when it did. This time we're taking a very different approach. We still want to tell the story of how use cases are applied to software requirements gathering, but we're doing it in a much less formal way. In each appendix, we've picked a style of application (large business application, technical subsystem, package evaluation, etc.) and show how the use cases and other artifacts evolve through the story. We hope this will retain the good aspects of the first edition, but add some coherence to the evolution of use case versions.

We've found on many, many projects that the idea of use case hierarchies does nothing but add confusion. Creating use cases that are "high level" and then "detailed" use cases later is hurting the requirements process. Hierarchies that are taller and more complex (some books advocate four-level hierarchies or more) create more and more distance from the original business requirements. Even though our original process had only two levels of hierarchy (system context-level use case and one level below) we always had trouble with teams who wanted to add levels and confuse themselves. Similarly, using <> and <> stereotypes on use case associations adds an unnecessary level of problems, which has caused us to eliminate their usage except in very specific circumstances. To this end, we've added a new tool to our familiar set of tools and filters: the hierarchy killer. We hope you have fun killing hierarchies everywhere.

Use cases are different from other types of requirements techniques in many ways, but one particular difference is in the realm of traceability. Use cases are much more traceable back to the business needs, and also traceable into the software development artifacts, to everything from UML analysis and design artifacts to testing, documentation, training, security and even parts of the architecture. We've decided to dedicate a chapter to this traceability phenomenon of use cases, to show opportunities for making sure the team is "working on the right thing."

Finally, in the interests of keeping up-to-date with the technological tools of requirements gathering, we've listed the tools available at this writing and given some ideas as to their best use. Since these tools change so quickly (and books get written so slowly, especially by us!) we decided to keep this brief.We hope you enjoy this second edition of Use Cases: Requirements in Context. We've enjoyed creating the updates and going through the publishing cycle again with our publishers at Pearson Education. Please feel free to contact us with your ideas, experiences and comments anytime. Our e-mail addresses are listed at the end of the last chapter in the book.

Daryl Kulak
Eamonn Guiney


0321154983P04012003

Index

Download the Index file related to this title.

Updates

Submit Errata

More Information

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020