Understanding use case basics
These five essential use case components have been consistent over the years:
- Primary actor: Who is the person or type of person who will use this case?
- Preconditions: What has to have happened for this use case to be used?
- Triggers: Why does this use case happen now?
- The path: The steps in the process and the system response to those steps.
- Extensions: Exceptions and variations to the primary path should be considered and accounted for in the process.
How to pick the proper use cases
I suggested Alistair Cockburn’s book in Chapter 2, Conducting Effective User Research as the best primer on use cases because he explains how to write them effectively. We should also be sensitive when picking the proper use cases. It’s possible to write a well-formed use case that does not represent significant business value. Cockburn’s book covers the proper construction of use cases and provides examples. Consider...
