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Subject:Re: Use Cases, up front From:"Lorraine Kiewiet" <Lorraine -dot- Kiewiet -at- mullinconsulting -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 20 Nov 2003 07:54:40 -0800
What a coincidence that this thread is here in the digest today! We use
Use Cases, and since I have not used them at another company before this
one, I am learning (or hoping to learn) how to do it right.
I have purchased Alistar Cockburn's (pronounced Co-Burn, the Scottish
way) "Writing Effective Use Cases". This takes me a little beyond what
I have to do in this job (as I am also writing online Help and a few
other chores). But I have found some good information there.
This week, I am writing use cases for automating what was formerly a
manual process. So the goal is to capture all of the error-checking that
went on in people's brains and somehow get it down on paper so that it
can be programmed efficiently.
We are speccing enhancements to existing in-house software as well as
new developments. QA loves the Use Cases because it gives them something
to write test plans against. And our in-house clients, who are too busy
making money so that we all get paid, can be interviewed for the use
cases and are happy to make "touch ups" at short meetings. I am familiar
enough with the GUI to fill in some of the blanks, and the programmers
who know what's going on under the hood will question any omissions they
see in the use cases. It all makes for a great cooperative effort.
Good luck!
Lorraine Kiewiet
lorraine -dot- kiewiet -at- mullinconsulting -dot- com
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