I was recently asked to prepare a handout giving the basics of use cases for an upcoming training session. It struck me as odd that I needed to start from square one for a model that seemed standard. Use cases, once ubiquitous, have largely been replaced by process flows and other less text-heavy models. As […]
Tag: use case
Techno-BDDs: What Daft Punk Can Teach Us About Requirements
I listen to a lot of Daft Punk lately—especially while I’m running. On one of my recent runs, my mind’s reflections upon the day’s work merged with my mental impressions of the music blaring from my earbuds, which happened to be the Daft Punk song, “Technologic.” For those of you unfamiliar with the song, […]
Don’t Forget the Forgotten Use Cases: Use Case template download
I’ve noticed over the last 5 years or so that Use Cases are much less prevalent in business analysis requirements approaches. However, some organizations still use them, so we did give them a chapter in Visual Models for Software Requirements. If you want to jump ahead, you can download our Use Case template here for […]
Use Case Assumption vs Pre-Condition – Continuing the Conversation
In response to this post, Bruce Melendy asked: “I have a use case in which a user requests access to a restricted form. As part of the flow they must either a) create an account; or b) log into an existing account. “I am assuming that most users do not already have an account (or […]
Business Analyst Tip for Making Sure the Short Cut You’re Taking Is Valid
I was recently in a situation where I had to create some use cases for enhancements to an existing product very quickly. The existing use cases were missing a lot of information. My project sponsor would have preferred I not spend any time on the use cases. On the other hand, I knew the QA […]
Use Cases Are An Essential Tool In Software Requirements Gathering
Software requirements gathering projects almost always use use cases or some form of them to understand what a user hopes to accomplish in the new system. Video Thirteen, describes use cases and how we use them on projects. Send us an email if you’d like to learn more about business analyst training. If you’d like […]
Are There Functional Requirements in Assumptions of Use Cases?
Classical training in deriving requirements from Use Cases directs the Business Analyst to go through each line in the Normal Flow or Alternate Flows of a Use Case and see if there are Functional Requirements at each step. Chances are that if the Use Case is well written and the Business Analyst is thorough, a […]
Use Case Assumption vs Pre-Condition
When I read use cases, the assumptions I see listed are almost always pre-conditions. In Use Case – Preconditions vs Assumptions, Debbie Siah does a good job of providing definitions and tests to determine if something is a precondition or assumption. Yet, even with the definitions, it seems people still get confused. I think a […]
Acceptance Testing: Cross-tracing to Avoid Crossed Fingers
It is the end of your project and your tests are passing. Are you ready to confidently release your project? Or, are you secretly crossing your fingers like a young child, hoping that your tests were adequate to confirm the product is of sufficient quality to release? Why not leverage the work that you put […]
Don’t forget to join us at IIBA tomorrow!
James Hulgan at ArgonDigital will be presenting: ‘How to use Business Data Diagrams to Derive Use Cases & UAT Scenarios’ You don’t want to miss this! Summary: Most Business Analysts have at least a passing familiarity with Entity Relationship Diagrams, or ERD’s, and their use by DBAs and Data Architects to model logical and physical data […]
Don’t Use Models
Number 3 in the series, “How to Shoot Yourself in the Foot: 7 ways to do software requirements poorly to set your project up for failure and what to do instead.” Short-change Time Spent on Software Requirements or Don’t do Them at All Don’t Listen to Your Customer’s Needs Don’t use models Use weasel words […]
How To Choose A Software Requirements Model
Do you find that you’re always trying to use process flows on your projects, but they just don’t seem to fit your needs? Do you need to start modeling requirements, but can’t quite decide what models to use? There are quite a few requirements models out there to choose from, ranging from the mundane (process […]