Chapter 3
User stories
User Story - a one-sentence description of a work-related task done by a user to achieve some goal
or result
The template for a user story description is:
“As a <role> I want to <goal> so that <benefit>”
Acceptance Criteria - identify features that must be present at the completion of the task (system)
for user satisfaction
Use cases
Use case - an activity that the system performs, usually in response to a request by a user
Use cases define functional requirements
Analysts decompose the system into a set of use cases (functional decomposition)
Two techniques for Identifying use cases
User goal technique
Event decomposition technique
Name each use case using Verb-Noun
User goal technique
User goal technique - a technique to identify use cases by determining what specific goals or
objectives must be completed by the system for the user.
This technique is the most common in industry (Simple and effective)
User Goal Technique: Specific Steps
, 1. Identify all the potential users for the new system
2. Classify the potential users in terms of their functional role
(shipping, marketing, sales)
3. Further classify potential users by organizational level
(operational, management, executive)
4. For each type of user, interview them to find a list of specific goals they will have when using the
new system
(current goals and innovative functions to add value)
5. Create a list of preliminary use cases organized by type of user
6. Look for duplicates with similar use case names and resolve inconsistencies
7. Identify where different types of users need the same use cases
8. Review the completed list with each type of user and then with interested stakeholders
Event Decomposition Technique
Event decomposition technique – a technique to identify use cases by determining the business
events to which the system must respond
Elementary business processes (EBP) - most fundamental task in business process, which leaves
the system and data in an inactive state; usually performed by one person in response to business
event
Event - something that occurs at specific time and place, can be identified / described, must be
remembered by system
Actor - external agent; a person, group or external system that interacts with the system by
supplying or receiving data
Types of events
External Event
an event that occurs outside the system, usually initiated by an external agent or actor
Temporal Event
an event that occurs as a result of reaching a point in time
State Event
User stories
User Story - a one-sentence description of a work-related task done by a user to achieve some goal
or result
The template for a user story description is:
“As a <role> I want to <goal> so that <benefit>”
Acceptance Criteria - identify features that must be present at the completion of the task (system)
for user satisfaction
Use cases
Use case - an activity that the system performs, usually in response to a request by a user
Use cases define functional requirements
Analysts decompose the system into a set of use cases (functional decomposition)
Two techniques for Identifying use cases
User goal technique
Event decomposition technique
Name each use case using Verb-Noun
User goal technique
User goal technique - a technique to identify use cases by determining what specific goals or
objectives must be completed by the system for the user.
This technique is the most common in industry (Simple and effective)
User Goal Technique: Specific Steps
, 1. Identify all the potential users for the new system
2. Classify the potential users in terms of their functional role
(shipping, marketing, sales)
3. Further classify potential users by organizational level
(operational, management, executive)
4. For each type of user, interview them to find a list of specific goals they will have when using the
new system
(current goals and innovative functions to add value)
5. Create a list of preliminary use cases organized by type of user
6. Look for duplicates with similar use case names and resolve inconsistencies
7. Identify where different types of users need the same use cases
8. Review the completed list with each type of user and then with interested stakeholders
Event Decomposition Technique
Event decomposition technique – a technique to identify use cases by determining the business
events to which the system must respond
Elementary business processes (EBP) - most fundamental task in business process, which leaves
the system and data in an inactive state; usually performed by one person in response to business
event
Event - something that occurs at specific time and place, can be identified / described, must be
remembered by system
Actor - external agent; a person, group or external system that interacts with the system by
supplying or receiving data
Types of events
External Event
an event that occurs outside the system, usually initiated by an external agent or actor
Temporal Event
an event that occurs as a result of reaching a point in time
State Event
