Precise Specification of Use Case Scenarios

Despite attempts to formalize the semantics of use cases, they remain an informal notation. The informality of use cases is both a blessing and a curse. Whilst it admits an easy learning curve and enables communication between software stakeholders, it is also a barrier to the application of automated methods for test case generation, validation or simulation. This paper presents a precise way of specifying use cases based on a three-level modeling paradigm strongly influenced by UML. The formal syntax and semantics of use case charts are given, along with an example that illustrates how they can be used in practice.

[1]  Nikolai Mansurov,et al.  Automatic synthesis of SDL from MSC and its applications in forward and reverse engineering , 2001, Comput. Lang..

[2]  Ivar Jacobson,et al.  Unified Modeling Language User Guide, The (2nd Edition) (Addison-Wesley Object Technology Series) , 2005 .

[3]  Ketil Stølen,et al.  STAIRS towards formal design with sequence diagrams , 2005, Software & Systems Modeling.

[4]  Ivar Jacobson,et al.  The Unified Modeling Language User Guide , 1998, J. Database Manag..

[5]  Peter Fettke.  Unified modeling language 2.0 , 2007 .

[6]  Sadahiro Isoda,et al.  On UML2.0's Abandonment of the Actors-Call-Use-Cases Conjecture , 2005, J. Object Technol..

[7]  Stephen J. Mellor,et al.  Executable UML - A Foundation for Model-Driven Architecture , 2002, Addison Wesley object technology series.

[8]  Perdita Stevens,et al.  Modelling Recursive Calls with UML State Diagrams , 2003, FASE.

[9]  Gunnar Övergaard,et al.  A Formal Approach to Use Cases and Their Relationships , 1998, UML.

[10]  Ivar Jacobson,et al.  Unified Modeling Language , 2020, Definitions.

[11]  Alistair Cockburn,et al.  Writing Effective Use Cases , 2000 .

[12]  Michal Smialek,et al.  Accommodating Informality with Necessary Precision in Use Case Scenarios , 2005, J. Object Technol..

[13]  Perdita Stevens.  On Use Cases and Their Relationships in the Unified Modelling Language , 2001, FASE.

[14]  Amit M. Paradkar,et al.  Toward Engineered, Useful Use Cases , 2005, J. Object Technol..