Use Case Template

Template 2
(Jacobson 1992)
Use Case Structure

Use case Name:

Description:
Precondition:
Postcondition:
Basic Flow:
Alternate flow:
Jacobson Use case template
Use case: Name of the use case
Use case Name:
Description: an overview of the use case
Description:
purpose and the actors participating in the use
Preconditions: case
Postconditions:
Precondition: The constraint that needs to be
Basic Flow: satisfy to start the use case.
Paragraph style sequential flow of the Postcondition: The constraint that needs to be
functionality satisfy to end the use case (success condition)
Alternative Flow:
[A1] Basic Flow: This section shows the normal
[A2] functionality of the use case.
[A3]
Alternate Flow: This shows the extension
conditions that may exists in the use cases or
the exceptional flows.
Jacobson Use case template
Use case: Name of the use case
Description: an overview of the use case
Use case Name purpose and the actors participating in the
Description use case
Precondition
Postcondition
Precondition: The constraint that needs to
be satisfy to start the use case.
Postcondition: The constraint that needs to
Basic Flow Descriptive
format be satisfy to end the use case (success
condition)

Alternate flow Numbering Basic Flow: This section shows the normal
format
functionality of the use case.

Alternate Flow: This shows the extension

conditions that may exists in the use cases
or the exceptional flows.
Rules to derive use case template

1. Use present tense only.

2. Use words in a consistent way.
3. Use simple sentences only.
4. Use active voice only. Sentences in Passive voice is not allowed.
5. Avoid pronouns if there is more than one actor.
6. No adverbs or adjectives.
7. Actor to Actor interaction is not allowed Examples
8. Avoid negatives.
9. There should be logical coherence throughout the description.
10. Precondition and postcondition: Use the form Subject + verb + object (if any)
while defining the precondition and postcondition.
11. Alternatives and exceptions should be described in a section below the main
description and the numbers should be correct and consistent with the basic
flows.
12. Language: Clearly written, unambiguous
13. Style should be consistent.
14. Alternatives: Viable Recoverable failures recorded
Rules to derive use case template cont

15. Main Success Scenario: (Describe the flows sequentially)

When writing the main flow of a use case, there are some simple rules to derive
Keep it short: Use cases must be understandable.
Keep it simple : Subject-verb-direct object-prepositional phrase
"The system deducts the amount from the account balance"
Keep it clear
Each step should be clearly understood to be made up of:
Interactions-passing information between the participants,
Validation-making sure something is ok before doing something else,
Internal changes-updating data, doing calculations, etc
Keep it positive
There is no ifs, but, what else are not to be used.

This is a success scenario that is showing how the success postconditions are being
satisfied.

16. Documenting the alternate flows:

What else could happen?
Jacobson Use case template

Use case:
Description:
Precondition:

Postcondition:

Basic Flow:
Alternate Flow: [A1]
[A2]
.
Example - Jacobson Use case template

Point-of-Sale system
Point of Sale system

A POS (Point-Of-Sale) system is a computer system typically used to manage

the sales in retail stores. It includes hardware components such as a
computer, a bar code scanner, a printer and also software to manage the
operation of the store. The most basic function of a POS system is to handle
sales.
Functional Requirements:
F1.a. When a customer arrives at a POS counter with goods to purchase, the
cashier will start a new sale transaction. When the barcode of a good is read
by the POS system, it will retrieve the name and price of this good from the
backend catalog system and interact with inventory system to deduce the
stock amount of this good. When the sale transaction is over, the
customer can pay in cash or credit card. After the payment is successful, a
receipt will be printed. Note that for promotion, the store frequently issue gift
coupons. The customer can use the coupons for a better price when
purchasing goods. Another function of a POS system is to handle returns

Use case for process sale