Editing Use case (section)

=== Fowler style ===

[[Martin Fowler (software engineer)|Martin Fowler]] states "There is no standard way to write the content of a use case, and different formats work well in different cases."<ref name=Fowler>Fowler, 2004.</ref>{{rp|100}} He describes "a common style to use" as follows:<ref name=Fowler/>{{rp|101}}
* Title: "goal the use case is trying to satisfy"<ref name=Fowler/>{{rp|101}}
* Main Success Scenario: numbered list of steps<ref name=Fowler/>{{rp|101}}
** Step: "a simple statement of the interaction between the actor and a system"<ref name=Fowler/>{{rp|101}}
* Extensions: separately numbered lists, one per Extension<ref name=Fowler/>{{rp|101}}
** Extension: "a condition that results in different interactions from .. the main success scenario". An extension from main step 3 is numbered 3a, etc.<ref name=Fowler/>{{rp|101}}

The Fowler style can also be viewed as a simplified variant of the Cockburn template. This variant is called a [[user story]].

Alistair Cockburn stated:<ref name="wiki.c2.com">{{cite web |url=http://wiki.c2.com/?UserStoryAndUseCaseComparison | title=User Story And Use Case Comparison | access-date=2024-01-19}}</ref>

{{quote|Think of a User Story as a Use Case at 2 bits of precision. Bit 1 of precision names the goal of the use case, and Bit 2 adds the main scenario. Bit 3 adds the failure conditions, Bit 4 adds the failure actions. Bit 5 adds a data description of the in/out data. I would put Catalysis at the 6th bit of precision, as they include a model also of the recipient of the message. In the CrystalMethodology family, differently founded projects use cases at different levels of precision. A methodologically light project uses User Stories, a methodologically heavier project uses Use Cases to 4 bits of precision, and Catalysis uses 6 bits of precision.}}

Martin Fowler stated:<ref name="wiki.c2.com"/>

{{quote|It is all about how people use cases. I've seen many people use cases in a very formalized manner. Kent does his UserStories in a much more approachable manner. I do use cases the way Kent does User Stories. I call them to use cases to better communicate with other developers and to influence them to use a more lightweight approach.}}