1. .Net Software Architects UG Meeting Methodology for Use case development Arnon Rotem-Gal-Oz Product Line Architect arnon@rgoarchitects.com

2. The kings Ship Wasa - 1628 No Architecture description Changes done on the fly, often under market/customer pressure Testing ignored Didnt know how to tell the clients No The system last longer than was ever imagined Maintenance costs far exceed ordinary development No Specification !

3. Agenda Vocabulary Why Use Cases? Why should we care? The challenges of UC modeling in large projects The Methodology Summary

4. Vocabulary Actor – Role(s) external parties that interact with the system Use Case – A sequence of actions that the system performs that yields an observable result of value to an actor. [Booch 1999] Use Case Model - Bag that contains –Actors list, packages, diagrams, use cases, views

5. Use Cases benefits Promote customer involvement Help manage complexity –Layers –Focus on real user needs Groundwork for user manual, test cases Help us work in iterations

6. Use cases arent everything Non-behavioral requirements –Performance –Design constrains –Etc. Sometimes – an overkill

7. Use cases & Architects ?! Requirements drive the design !!! Help force designers focus on concrete issues Help identifying technical and business risks Can be used to help validate the architecture

8. Use cases & Architects ?! (cont.) Architects should be involved in (if not responsible for) - UC prioritization ! Architectural design workflow (Kruchten 2003): –Select scenarios : criticality and risk –Identify main classes/components and their responsibility –Distribute behavior –Structure into subsystems, layers and define interfaces –Define distribution and concurrency –Implement architectural prototype –Derive tests from use cases –Evaluate architecture

9. Overview Use case modeling for large projects is problematic Most literature is lacking (too simplistic / not practical) A practical reasonable process is needed! prioritie s Tea m Validate UC Verify Refactor PDO M Vision Diagram

10. Naïve approach Find Actors Find Use Cases Describe Use Cases

11. Challenges Model –Duplicates –Explosion –Making sure the requirements are good Team –Efficiency –Fragmentation Process –Details too early –Quitting Time –Waterfall

12. The Methodology To resolve the challenges we need a process that is: –Ordered –Controlled –Not too complicated –Not too demanding –Flexible

13. Methodology – Initialization Steps Define System Boundary Organize the Team Build a Problem Domain Object Model

14. Methodology - Process Find Actors Find Use Cases Organize the Model Prioritize Use Cases Describe Use Cases Refactor the Model

15. Methodology – Supporting Steps Verify and Validate Add Future Requierments

16. Methodology – End Game Knowing when to stop !

17. Step 1: Define System Boundary Vision and Scope –What problems are solved –Who are the stakeholders –Clients Organization main goals –System main goals –Boundaries of the solution –Future Directions

18. Step 2: Organize the Team Small teams Heterogeneous Multi-tier reviews Requirements manager

19. Step 3: Build a PDOM Terms and relations Iterative development

20. Step 4: Find Actors Identify –Ask the End-Users –Documentation Issues –Roles Vs. Job Titles –The Clock

21. Actor Hierarchy

22. Step 5: Find Use Cases Scenario Driven –Find measurable value –Business events –Services actor needs / supplies –Information needed –Recurring Actor/Responsibility Unstructured aggregation Mission decomposition Misuse cases

23. Step 5: Find Use Cases../2 Initial Description –Unique ID –Scope –Pre conditions –Success Guarantee –Trigger

24. Example : Initial description Use Case: Run Special Op. ID: UC4 Scope: The Watch Commander chooses a Special operation to manage. The task team chosen for the operation is briefed The watch commander then monitors the operation as it unfolds (sending out orders as needed) The task team is debriefed for the results and a final report is made. Primary Actor: Watch Commander Preconditions: A Special Op. Plan is saved in the system. Success Guarantees: The Special Op. recordings (Forces movement, Voice recordings etc.) are saved in the system. The operation's statistics are saved in the system. Operation Final Report is saved and printed. Trigger: The Watch Commander chooses a Special Op.

25. Step 6: Organize the Model Ever Unfolding story Category sets –Status, scope, stakeholders, sub-systems Subject Category hierarchy Views –Architectural view (i.e. SAD - Use Case View)

26. Step 7: Prioritize Use Cases Risk Classes –Business Risks –Architectural Risks –Logistical Risks Iterative development –Small vs. Large projects

27. Step 8: Describe Use Cases Template –Main success Scenario –Variations – Exception – Assumptions – Status – Priority – Stakeholders and concerns – Issues – Non-behavioral reqs. – Extension points.

28. Step 8 : Describe Use Cases../2 Focus Technology neutral Activity diagrams

29. Step 9: Refactor the Model Relations –Trace (decomposition) –Include (common sub-behavior) –Extend (promoted alternatives) –Generalize Merge droplets

30. Step 10: Verify & Validate Verification – Making sure we build the product right Validation – Making sure we build the right product Traceability Inspection Reviews Walkthroughs Prototypes

31. Step 10 : V&V../2 Actors –Are all the actors abstractions of specific roles? –Are all the actors clearly described, and do you agree with the descriptions? –Is it clear which actors are involved in which use cases, and can this be clearly seen from the use case diagram and textual descriptions

32. Step 10: V&V../3 Use Cases –Does the use case make sense? –For each iteration: Are all the use cases described at the same level of detail? –Are there any superfluous use cases, that is, use cases that are outside the boundary of the system, do not lead to the fulfillment of a goal for an actor or duplicate functionality described in other use cases? –Do all the use cases lead to the fulfillment of exactly one goal for an actor, and is it clear from the use case name what is the goal

33. Step 10: V&V../4 The Scenarios –Are there any variants to the normal flow of events that have not been identified in the use cases, that is, are there any missing variations? (happy days scenarios, exceptions, variation, soup-opera scenarios) –Are the triggers, starting conditions, for each use case described at the correct level of detail? –Does the behavior of a use case conflict with the behavior of other use cases? –Is the number of steps in the complex scenarios excessive (12 to 15 is getting borderline)?

34. Step 10: V&V../5 Organization & Prioritization –Are all the use cases organized in an appropriate manner (e.g. by functional area, by dependency, by actor etc)? –Are all the use cases within a package consistent with the theme of the package? –Is the priority mechanism documented? –Are the use cases prioritized correctly?

35. Step 11: Add Future Requirements Capture Change cases –Preparing for change –Impact analysis

36. Example: Future Requierments

37. Step 12: Knowing When to Stop Project Level –Complete list of actors and goals –Customer approval –Design ready Iteration Level –Covered all currently prioritized use cases –Level of detail

38. Summary What we have seen… Additional Issues –Project Management –Requirements Management –Configuration Management

39. Further Reading… Writing Effective Use Cases (Cockburn) Patterns for Effective Use Cases (Adolph & Bramble) Advanced Use Case Modeling (Armour & Miller)

40. The End… Questions/Full Article? arnonrgo@cool.as

41. CHAOS Chronicles III - Jan. 2003 Success Factors Executive-management support User involvement Clear business objectives Minimizing scope –Time is the enemy of all projects –Scope equals time Firm basic requirements –Balance between "Paralysis through Analysis" and what happens if requirements are not specified CHAOS research is dedicated to solving the mystery of project success and failure http://standishgroup.com

42. Example: Finding Use Cases What measurable value is needed by the actor? –Plan Special Op. –Monitor Special Op. –Analyze Crime Patterns. What business event might this actor initiate (based on her role)? –Handle Emergency Call –Call Car for Service What services does the actor need from the system? –Find Navigation Route –Get Unit Status –Map Incidents What services does the actor provide? –Dispatch Units –Issue Tickets What information does the actor need from the system? –Get Car Registration History –List Duties What are the activities that are recurring and triggered by time? –Get Updated Situation Awareness Map –Generate Emergency Center Statistics Report –Generate Crime Trends Report.

43. Example : Mis-Use Cases

44. Example : Use Case Use Case: Handle Emergency Call ID: UC24 Scope: The Operator accepts an incoming call, enters the incident information and dispatch a unit to the location of the incident Stakeholders and Concerns: Victim - wants the police to arrive as soon as possible Beat Team – don't want to be dispatched to handle false incidents. Primary Actor: Emergency Center Operator Preconditions: Operator logged in. Success Guarantees: The Call has been recorded A unit has been dispatch to investigate the incident The incident details are saved in the system Trigger: A Citizen's incoming call has been directed by the Call Center system to an Operator.

45. Example : Use Case../2 Main Success Scenario: 1.The system begins recording the call. 2.The system traces the caller address. 3.The Operator takes the incidents location 4.The system calculates available police units. 5.The Operator takes the incidents detail 6.The system presents a list of available teams and their distance from the incidents estimated location. 7.The Operator chooses a unit to handle the incident 8.The system dispatches the incident details to the chosen team. 9.The Operator takes the caller details 10.The system saves the incidents details including call statistics 11.The system ends recording. Variations: 1.step 2 - when the caller uses a mobile phone a. Locate the callers current location 2.step 2 - when the caller is on the black list (known to call for no reason) a.The Operator is presented with additional questions to ask the caller b.The system marks the incident as low-priority on count of possible false alarm. 3.step 7 - when the incident does not require police intervention. a.The Operator closes the incident b.The system saves the termination reasons and continues from step 10 4.step 7 - if the incident requires a fire truck/ambulance a. The Operator chooses which authority to notify (fire / ambulance etc) b.The system dispatches the incident details to the appropriate authority's system

46. Example: Use Case../3 Main Success Scenario: 1.The system begins recording the call. 2.The system traces the caller address. 3.The Operator takes the incidents location 4.The system calculates available police units. 5.The Operator takes the incidents detail 6.The system presents a list of available teams and their distance from the incidents estimated location. 7.The Operator chooses a unit to handle the incident 8.The system dispatches the incident details to the chosen team. 9.The Operator takes the caller details 10.The system saves the incidents details including call statistics 11.The system ends recording. Exceptions: 1.step 2 - when the call cannot be traced a.The system suggests lowering the priority of the call on the count of an unknown caller b.The operator decides what priority to allocate for the incident. 2.step 6 – when there is no available free force a.The system presents the operator with low-priority incidents (along with the reason for low-priority 3.step 8 – communication problem with the unit dispatched a.The system performs step 6 and 7 again. 4.step 8 – communication problem with all the units. a.The system presents the operator the incidents details to allow dispatching by radio/mobile phone. Non Behavioral Requirements: The system should present as few screen as possible to the operator Locating a free unit should take less than 30seconds Communications to and from the unit should be secure (encrypted) to prevent eavesdropping by offenders/media

47. Example: Use Case Levels Why ? How ?

48. Example : Refactoring Common Sub-behavior

49. Use Case View Concerns –Whats the conceptual framework in which the system operates –What are the key processes and events that must be presented in the system –Why the architecture is the way it is Stakeholders –Users –Designers & Developers Integrate the other views