What is a Use Case?
A Use Case provides a detailed description of how a user interacts with a system to achieve a specific goal. It outlines the sequence of steps, conditions, and interactions involved in completing a task, helping to define functional requirements and design solutions that meet user needs.
A comprehensive use case includes:
- Actor: The user or external system that initiates the interaction. Actors can be end-users, administrators, or other systems.
- Goal: The specific outcome the actor wants to achieve through their interaction with the system.
- Preconditions: The state of the system before the use case begins, including any necessary setup or requirements.
- Main Flow: The primary sequence of steps the actor takes to achieve the goal, including interactions with the system and responses from the system.
- Alternate Flows: Variations or exceptions that might occur during the interaction, such as error handling or alternative pathways.
Use cases help in understanding user needs, designing workflows, and validating that the system fulfills its intended purpose.