[Sigia-l] RE: Use Case Document

[Pradyot Rai]

> --- Frank wrote:
> Lately we've been having to write use case documents
> for user =
> scenarios/interaction flow. We cobbled one together
> using Excel, but I'm =
> wondering if there is a standard format...

There is a standard for narative USe Cases. And so far the best one that I
have came across and have followed, is by Larry Constantine & Lockwood
(foruse.com) -

"Structure and Style in Use Cases for User Interface Design"
http://www.foruse.com/articles/structurestyle2.pdf

Lockwood and Constantine's work is great if you look at task analysis from
User's perspective. He is critical of the earlier work by Rational folks
who drive and constrain the UI fron system centric perspective. He
mentions some of the points in this articles to beware against the system
perspective.

Besides user advocacy, he suggests in great details the style and
structures for the use cases. I hope you will enjoy reading it.

I am sure, you will have interesting debate when you take the use cases to
development and for that I would suggest you read his proposals carefully.
There are minute but significant difference in approach the way Use Cases
are interpreted from Engineering Vs. Designer/IA perspectives. So wish you
all the best.

Pradyot Rai