A use case diagram is a graphic depiction of the interactions among the elements of a system. A use case is a methodology used in system analysis to identify, clarify, and organize system requirements. In this context, the term "system" refers to something being developed or operated, such as a mail-order product sales and service Web site. Use case diagrams are employed in UML (Unified Modeling Language), a standard notation for the modeling of real-world objects and systems.

System objectives can include planning overall requirements, validating a hardware design, testing and debugging a software product under development, creating an online help reference, or performing a consumer-service-oriented task. For example, use cases in a product sales environment would include item ordering, catalog updating, payment processing, and customer relations. A use case diagram contains four components.

• The boundary, which defines the system of interest in relation to the world around it.
• The actors, usually individuals involved with the system defined according to their roles.
• The use cases, which are the specific roles played by the actors within and around the system.
• The relationships between and among the actors and the use cases.

A use case diagram looks something like a flowchart. Intuitive symbols represent the system elements. Here's a simple example:

25 Mar 2013