Writing and Using Effective Use Cases - A 2-Day Course

 Closed In-House Course

This practical course shows how to write effective Use Cases and how they can be used to manage the progress of the project. Clear techniques for defining Actors are presented together with a consistent method of collecting and managing Business Rules. Use Case-based implementation, estimation and test strategies are used throughout to ensure that delegates appreciate the many benefits of this technology. Tools for developing and managing Use Cases are shown. The course is based on UML 2.1

Course Objectives

• Explain how Use Cases are written and used
• Explain the use of Use Cases to capture requirements
• Present successful Requirements capture techniques
• Explain how Functional and non-Functional requirements are related to Use cases
• Show how Business Rules can be captured within Use Cases and directly used by Developers
• Present techniques for the identification of all Actors and their associated Use Cases
• Show the standard UML notations for Use Cases and Use Case Diagrams
• Show how Use Cases are used for Project Estimation and with EVA (Earned Value Analysis)
• Show how Use Cases can be used to govern the development and testing processes

Audience

• Management wanting to familiarize themselves with Use Case technology
• Analysts needing to define Use Cases or Use Case processes
• Technical staff needing to understand Use Cases

Prerequisites

• Some knowledge of product specification and requirements capture
• Some experience of software development processes

Timetable

• Register at 09:00 for 09:30 start.
• Finish at 17:00.

Presentation Style

• Lectures, demonstrations and group discussions.

Outline Course Content

Introduction to the UML

• Use Cases in Context
• The Surrounding Business Process
• What comes after Use Cases?
• What is UML 2.0?
• Is there a UML Method?
• Project Management and Use Cases
• Use-case driven testing

What is Not in Use Cases

• Limitations of Use Cases
• Non-functional Requirements
• GUI Design
• Aspect-oriented Programming

Requirements Capture

• Methods of capture and management
• Prototyping
• Relationships of Requirements to Use Cases
• The Use Case ToC

The Use Case Templates

• Use Case Lite
• Use Case Heavy
• Use Case Glossary
• How to choose your template
• What are Alternates?
• What are Exceptions?
• How many paths?

Capturing Business Rules

• Structured English and Pseudo-code
• Decision Tables
• Rule-based systems
• Closing the gap between Developers and Analysts

Estimation with Use Cases

• Function Points
• Use Case Points
• Effort Estimation
• Earned Value Analysis and Use Case Points

Writing Powerful Use Cases

• Identifying ALL Actors
• Finding their functionality
• Testers as Actors
• The Use Case audience
• Guidelines for Use Cases
• Use Case Verification Process
• Common Use Case patterns
• Use Case Anti-patterns
• The use of Pre and Post-requisite conditions
• Inheritance, <<extends>> and <<include>>

Support for Use Cases

• Enterprise Architect
• Rational Tools
• Dedicated UC products vs. Word

Summary

• Next Steps
• Summary
• Conclusion