Re: "use-case based documentation"

[Julie Stickler <jstickler -at- gmail -dot- com>]

See, if we weren't Agile and actually HAD requirements documents with Use
Cases, I don't think I'd be having so much trouble figuring out what the
heck she wants.

But we don't even have proper user stories, so when I'm writing task based
documentation, and she says she needs use-case based doc, I have no idea
what exactly I'm supposed to provide that I'm not already doing.

On Tue, Feb 3, 2015 at 2:58 PM, Mike Starr <mike -at- writestarr -dot- com> wrote:

> I don't think the terms are precisely synonymous but they're pretty much
> two terms for the same concept. Use cases are factors in the requirements
> documents. There should probably be a use case for each feature of the
> application. They are then sources for the tasks to be documented in
> task-based documentation. They may not be the only tasks to be documented
> but they're the minimum set of tasks to be documented.
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Mike
> --
> Mike Starr, Writer
> Technical Writer   -    Online Help Developer   -   WordPress Websites
> Graphic Designer - Desktop Publisher - Custom Microsoft Word templates
> (262) 694-1028   -  mike -at- writestarr -dot- com   -  http://www.writestarr.com
> President - Working Writers of Wisconsin http://www.workingwriters.org/
>
> On 2/3/2015 1:43 PM, Mike McCallister wrote:
>
>> Robert is right in his explanation here (as is Mike), but in
>> programmer/manager-speak, how does a "use case" differ from what we think
>> of as a "task"?
>>
>> Mike
>>
>>
>> Mike McCallister
>> Senior Document Architect
>>
>> PKWARE, Inc.
>> 201 E. Pittsburgh Ave.
>> Suite 400
>> Milwaukee, WI 53204
>> www.pkware.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: techwr-l-bounces+mike -dot- mccallister=pkware -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+mike -dot- mccallister=pkware -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com]
>> On Behalf Of Robert Lauriston
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2015 12:19 PM
>> To: Mike Starr
>> Cc: TECHWR-L Writing
>> Subject: Re: "use-case based documentation"
>>
>> Use cases are sometimes formally defined, true. Often they're not. In an
>> agile environment, if you're doing it right, the use cases should be clear
>> from the user story and acceptance criteria.
>>
>> Without a use case, a feature is useless. If nobody can come up with a
>> use case for something, probably it shouldn't be documented or exposed to
>> the customer.
>>
>> On Tue, Feb 3, 2015 at 10:11 AM, Mike Starr <mike -at- writestarr -dot- com> wrote:
>>
>>> Many development processes are based on use cases... the use cases are
>>> developed before coding is started and guide the programmers in how
>>> the software should enable the user to use it. The product manager
>>> must provide you access to the use cases in order for you to develop
>>> documentation based on them.
>>>
>> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>> Doc-To-Help: The Quickest Way to Author and Publish Online Help, Policy &
>> Procedure Guides, eBooks, and more using Microsoft Word |
>> http://bit.ly/doctohelp2015
>>
>> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>
>> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as mike -dot- mccallister -at- pkware -dot- com -dot- 
>>
>> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
>> techwr-l-leave -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>>
>>
>> Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
>> http://www.techwhirl.com/email-discussion-groups/ for more resources and
>> info.
>>
>> Looking for articles on Technical Communications?  Head over to our
>> online magazine at http://techwhirl.com
>>
>> Looking for the archived Techwr-l email discussions?  Search our public
>> email archives @ http://techwr-l.com/archives
>>
>>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Doc-To-Help: The Quickest Way to Author and Publish Online Help, Policy &
> Procedure Guides, eBooks, and more using Microsoft Word |
> http://bit.ly/doctohelp2015
>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as jstickler -at- gmail -dot- com -dot- 
>
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
> techwr-l-leave -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>
>
> Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
> http://www.techwhirl.com/email-discussion-groups/ for more resources and
> info.
>
> Looking for articles on Technical Communications?  Head over to our online
> magazine at http://techwhirl.com
>
> Looking for the archived Techwr-l email discussions?  Search our public
> email archives @ http://techwr-l.com/archives
>



-- 
Julie Stickler
http://heratech.wordpress.com/
Blogging about Agile and technical writing
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Doc-To-Help: The Quickest Way to Author and Publish Online Help, Policy & Procedure Guides, eBooks, and more using Microsoft Word | http://bit.ly/doctohelp2015

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-leave -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com


Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwhirl.com/email-discussion-groups/ for more resources and info.

Looking for articles on Technical Communications?  Head over to our online magazine at http://techwhirl.com

Looking for the archived Techwr-l email discussions?  Search our public email archives @ http://techwr-l.com/archives