Text-Based Use Case Template

 I promised a text based use case template some time ago, and now I'm posting it.  This template is loosely based on the work by Alistair Couckburn.

 Use Case Description

Use Case:
Version:	1.0
Description:
Scope:
Level:
Primary Actor(s):
Trigger:

Assumptions:

Preconditions:
Success End Condition:
Failed End Condition:
Assumptions:

Main Scenario:

Exception Scenarios:

Extensions:

Other Information:

The first thing you will want to do is make it your own by customizing the template to meet your organization.  For example, I found that the version number was not valuable because we used a configuration management system to maintain the documents.  Therefore, the most recent copy was at the tip of the archive -- a much simpler solution.

Next, you need to create some "Use Case Standards."  In my organizations, we number the main flow steps.  When an exception occurs, we put , where x is the number of the exception, at the end of the main flow step.  Each item in the Exception Scenario part begins with EXCEPTION x.  We keep the exception conditions and main flows together by following this practice.


Next time, using Activity Diagrams to Describe Use Cases