Use-case template

The following template is a sample from an industry standard source and can be used to document use cases.

Table 1. Use case template
Use-case field Description
Use case name An active verb phrase that describes a particular task.
Subject area A use role or other grouping mechanism that can be used to group use cases.
Business event A trigger that stimulates activity within the business. Many business events occur at the interface point between the business and one of the external entities with which it interacts. Business events must be observable.
Actors The actor that initiates this use case and all users who participate in this use case.
Use case overview A description of the overall scope and content of the use case.
Preconditions Constraints that must be met for the use case to be taken by the solution developer and used to create a workflow. This might include a required sequencing of use cases. For example, one or more other use cases might need to be performed successfully for this use case to begin.
Termination outcome A list of the successful and unsuccessful ways this use case might end. What are the possible ending results?
Condition affecting termination outcome A list of the conditions under which the corresponding termination outcome occurs.
Use case description A brief description of events for the most likely termination outcome. List the actions the actor does and how the system responds.
Use case associations A list of other use cases that are associated with this use case.
Traceability to A list of other related documents, models, and products that are associated with this use case.
Input summary A brief summary that lists the data input by the actor.
Output summary A brief summary that lists the data output by the system.
Usability index A number based on how this use case ranked in terms of satisfaction, importance, and frequency.
Use case notes Information that is not directly part of this use case but that the solution developer needs to be aware of while working on the workflow.