Use case diagram

Creating Use Case Diagram for describing the behavior of the target system from an external point of view. Besides drawing the diagram, Visual Paradigm allows you to detail document the requirements through the Use Case Description. All these information can be output into HTML//PDF//MS Word formats.
Use case diagram | Class diagram | Sequence diagram | Communication diagram | State machine diagram | Activity diagram | Component diagram | Deployment diagram | Package diagram | Object diagram | Composite structure diagram | Timing diagram | Interaction overview diagram

Use case diagram

Notation

 Actor Association
 Collaboration Constraint
 Dependency Extend
 Generalization Include
 Note Realization
 System Use Case

Definition

Creating Use Case Diagram for describing the behavior of the target system from an external point of view. Besides drawing the diagram, Visual Paradigm allows you to detail document the requirements through the Use Case Description. All these information can be output into HTML//PDF//MS Word formats.
 

Actor

Definition

An Actor models a type of role played by an entity that interacts with the subject (e.g., by exchanging signals and data), but which is external to the subject (i.e., in the sense that an instance of an actor is not a part of the instance of its corresponding subject). Actors may represent roles played by human users, external hardware, or other subjects. Note that an actor does not necessarily represent a specific physical entity but merely a particular facet (i.e., "role") of some entity that is relevant to the specification of its associated use cases. Thus, a single physical instance may play the role of several different actors and, conversely, a given actor may be played by multiple different instances.

Since an actor is external to the subject, it is typically defined in the same classifier or package that incorporates the subject classifier

Properties

NameThe name of actor.
IDA unique value for identifying the actor.
ComplexityA description of complexity of actor.
GoalsGoals to achieve by actor.
DocumentationDescription of actor.
AbstractIf true, the actor does not provide a complete declaration and can typically not be instantiated. An abstract actor is intended to be used by other actors.
LeafIndicates whether it is possible to further specialize an actor. If the value is true, then it is not possible to further specialize the actor.
RootIndicates whether the actor has no ancestors. (true for no ancestors)
Business modelSet it to make the actor become a "business actor"
AttributesRefers to all of the Properties that are direct (i.e., not inherited or imported) attributes of the actor.
OperationsAn operation is a behavioral feature of an actor that specifies the name, type, parameters, and constraints for invoking an associated behavior. Operations here refers to the operations owned by the actor.

Related Links

[User's Guide] Managing actors with actors grid
 

Association

Definition

An association specifies a semantic relationship that can occur between typed instances. It has at least two ends represented by properties, each of which is connected to the type of the end. More than one end of the association may have the same type.

An end property of an association that is owned by an end class or that is a navigable owned end of the association indicates that the association is navigable from the opposite ends; otherwise, the association is not navigable from the opposite ends.

Properties

NameThe name of association.
VisibilityDetermines where the association appears within different namespaces within the overall model, and its accessibility.
Association End FromThe source of association.
Association End ToThe target of association.
DocumentationDescription of association.
AbstractIf true, the association does not provide a complete declaration and can typically not be instantiated. An abstract association is intended to be used by other associations.
LeafIndicates whether it is possible to further specialize an association. If the value is true, then it is not possible to further specialize the association.
DerivedSpecifies whether the association is derived from other model elements such as other associations or constraints.
 

Collaboration

Definition

A collaboration is represented as a kind of classifier and defines a set of cooperating entities to be played by instances (its roles), as well as a set of connectors that define communication paths between the participating instances. The cooperating entities are the properties of the collaboration.

A collaboration specifies a view (or projection) of a set of cooperating classifiers. It describes the required links between instances that play the roles of the collaboration, as well as the features required of the classifiers that specify the participating instances. Several collaborations may describe different projections of the same set of classifiers.

Properties

NameThe name of collaboration.
VisibilityDetermines where the collaboration appears within different namespaces within the overall model, and its accessibility.
DocumentationDescription of collaboration.
AbstractIf true, the collaboration does not provide a complete declaration and can typically not be instantiated. An abstract collaboration is intended to be used by other collaborations.
LeafIndicates whether it is possible to further specialize a collaboration. If the value is true, then it is not possible to further specialize the collaboration.
RootIndicates whether the collaboration has no ancestors. (true for no ancestors)
ChildrenThe children of collaboration
 

Constraint

Definition

A condition or restriction expressed in natural language text or in a machine readable language for the purpose of declaring some of the semantics of an element.

Properties

NameThe name of constraint. It is optional and is commonly omitted.
ExpressionThe condition that must be true when evaluated in order for the constraint to be satisfied.
DocumentationDescription of constraint.
 

Dependency

Definition

A dependency is a relationship that signifies that a single or a set of model elements requires other model elements for their specification or implementation. This means that the complete semantics of the depending elements is either semantically or structurally dependent on the definition of the supplier element(s).

Properties

NameThe name of dependency.
SupplierThe element(s) independent of the client element(s), in the same respect and the same dependency relationship. In some directed dependency relationships (such as Refinement Abstractions), a common convention in the domain of class-based OO software is to put the more abstract element in this role. Despite this convention, users of UML may stipulate a sense of dependency suitable for their domain, which makes a more abstract element dependent on that which is more specific.
ClientThe element(s) dependent on the supplier element(s). In some cases (such as a Trace Abstraction) the assignment of direction (that is, the designation of the client element) is at the discretion of the modeler, and is a stipulation.
VisibilityDetermines where the dependency appears within different namespaces within the overall model, and its accessibility.
DocumentationDescription of dependency.
 

Extend

Definition

This relationship specifies that the behavior of a use case may be extended by the behavior of another (usually supplementary) use case. The extension takes place at one or more specific extension points defined in the extended use case. Note, however, that the extended use case is defined independently of the extending use case and is meaningful independently of the extending use case. On the other hand, the extending use case typically defines behavior that may not necessarily be meaningful by itself. Instead, the extending use case defines a set of modular behavior increments that augment an execution of the extended use case under specific conditions.

Note that the same extending use case can extend more than one use case. Furthermore, an extending use case may itself be extended.

Properties

NameThe name of extend.
ExtensionReferences the use case that represents the extension and owns the extend relationship.
Extended CaseReferences the use case that is being extended.
VisibilityDetermines where the extend relationship appears within different namespaces within the overall model, and its accessibility.
Extension pointAn ordered list of extension points belonging to the extended use case, specifying where the respective behavioral fragments of the extending use case are to be inserted. The first fragment in the extending use case is associated with the first extension point in the list, the second fragment with the second point, and so on. (Note that, in most practical cases, the extending use case has just a single behavior fragment, so that the list of extension points is trivial.)
ConditionReferences the condition that must hold when the first extension point is reached for the extension to take place. If no constraint is associated with the extend relationship, the extension is unconditional.
DocumentationDescription of extend relationship.
 

Generalization

Definition

A generalization is a taxonomic relationship between a more general classifier and a more specific classifier. Each instance of the specific classifier is also an indirect instance of the general classifier. Thus, the specific classifier inherits the features of the more general classifier.

Properties

NameThe name of generalization.
GeneralReferences the general classifier in the Generalization relationship.
SpecificReferences the specializing classifier in the Generalization relationship.
VisibilityDetermines where the generalization relationship appears within different namespaces within the overall model, and its accessibility.
DocumentationDescription of generalization relationship.
SubstitutableIndicates whether the specific classifier can be used wherever the general classifier can be used. If true, the execution traces of the specific classifier will be a superset of the execution traces of the general classifier.
 

Include

Definition

Include is a DirectedRelationship between two use cases, implying that the behavior of the included use case is inserted into the behavior of the including use case. It is also a kind of NamedElement so that it can have a name in the context of its owning use case. The including use case may only depend on the result (value) of the included use case. This value is obtained as a result of the execution of the included use case.

Note that the included use case is not optional, and is always required for the including use case to execute correctly.

Properties

NameThe name of include relationship.
Including CaseReferences the use case that will include the addition and owns the include relationship.
AdditionReferences the use case that is to be included.
VisibilityDetermines where the include relationship appears within different namespaces within the overall model, and its accessibility.
DocumentationDescription of include relationship.
 

Note

Definition

A note (comment) gives the ability to attach various remarks to elements. A comment carries no semantic force, but may contain information that is useful to a modeler.

Properties

NameThe name of note.
DocumentationSpecifies a string that is the comment.
 

Realization

Definition

Realization is a specialized abstraction relationship between two sets of model elements, one representing a specification (the supplier) and the other represents an implementation of the latter (the client). Realization can be used to model stepwise refinement, optimizations, transformations, templates, model synthesis, framework composition, etc.

Properties

NameThe name of realization relationship.
SupplierThe element(s) independent of the client element(s), in the same respect and the same dependency relationship. In some directed dependency relationships (such as Refinement Abstractions), a common convention in the domain of class-based OO software is to put the more abstract element in this role. Despite this convention, users of UML may stipulate a sense of dependency suitable for their domain, which makes a more abstract element dependent on that which is more specific.
ClientThe element(s) dependent on the supplier element(s). In some cases (such as a Trace Abstraction) the assignment of direction (that is, the designation of the client element) is at the discretion of the modeler, and is a stipulation.
VisibilityDetermines where the realization relationship appears within different namespaces within the overall model, and its accessibility.
MappingA composition of an Expression that states the abstraction relationship between the supplier and the client. In some cases, such as Derivation, it is usually formal and unidirectional. In other cases, such as Trace, it is usually informal and bidirectional. The mapping expression is optional and may be omitted if the precise relationship between the elements is not specified.
DocumentationDescription of realization relationship.
 

System

Definition

If a subject (or system boundary) is displayed, the use case ellipse is visually located inside the system boundary rectangle. Note that this does not necessarily mean that the subject classifier owns the contained use cases, but merely that the use case applies to that classifier

Properties

NameThe name of system.
DocumentationDescription of system.
AbstractIf true, the system does not provide a complete declaration and can typically not be instantiated. An abstract system is intended to be used by other systems.
LeafIndicates whether it is possible to further specialize a system. If the value is true, then it is not possible to further specialize the system.
RootIndicates whether the system has no ancestors. (true for no ancestors)
ChildrenThe use cases in the system.
 

Use Case

Definition

A use case is the specification of a set of actions performed by a system, which yields an observable result that is, typically, of value for one or more actors or other stakeholders of the system.

Properties

NameThe name of use case.
IDA unique value for identifying the use case.
RankDescribe the importance of the use case. The higher the ranking implies that more attention is needed.
DocumentationDescription of use case.
AbstractIf true, the use case does not provide a complete declaration and can typically not be instantiated. An abstract use case is intended to be used by other use cases.
LeafIndicates whether it is possible to further specialize an use case. If the value is true, then it is not possible to further specialize the use case.
RootIndicates whether the use case has no ancestors. (true for no ancestors)
Business modelSet it to make the actor become a "business use case"
Extension PointsReferences the ExtensionPoints owned by the use case.

Related Links

[User's Guide] Documenting use case details
[User's Guide] Documenting flow of events
[User's Guide] Elaborating use case
[User's Guide] Managing use cases with use cases grid
[Tutorial] Writing effective use cases with use case grid and flow of events editor
[Tutorial] Using glossary with use case detail
[Tutorial] Activity diagram generation by use case flow of events
[Tutorial] Identify use cases from business process
[VP Know-how] How to add field to use case details
 
Definition of notations is quoted from Object Management Group Unified Modeling Language (OMG UML) Superstructure Version 2.2 and former versions (for notations that do not exist anymore in latest specification).
 
Use case diagram | Class diagram | Sequence diagram | Communication diagram | State machine diagram | Activity diagram | Component diagram | Deployment diagram | Package diagram | Object diagram | Composite structure diagram | Timing diagram | Interaction overview diagram
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