In business analysis, effective communication is everything. Clear requirements ensure that development teams understand what the stakeholders truly need, reducing miscommunication and preventing costly rework. Use cases play a crucial role here. They simplify complex requirements and provide a structured way to describe how a system should behave. Business analysts (BAs) rely on use cases because they bridge the gap between business objectives and technical execution. Whether you're managing a straightforward software feature or a complex system, use cases bring clarity to your projects and ensure everyone—from stakeholders to developers—is on the same page.

What Exactly Is a Use Case? Breaking Down the Basic

A use case is a way of documenting how users interact with a system to achieve their goals. According to Ivar Jacobson, the creator of use cases, a use case describes all possible ways a system is used to achieve a specific goal for a particular user. Key components of a use case include actors (users or other systems that interact with the software), the system itself, and the user’s goal.

Think of a use case as storytelling for software development. It outlines the typical and alternative paths a user might take to reach their goal. For example, when a customer wants to "Pay a Credit Card Bill," the use case documents both the basic steps they follow, as well as any exceptions (like what happens if the system fails to process the payment).

Why Use Cases Are Essential for Business Analysts

Use cases streamline the communication process between stakeholders and developers by providing a common language. They help ensure that both sides understand the business goals and how the software should meet those goals. BAs use this tool to bridge the gap between what the business wants and what the developers need to build.

For example, a stakeholder might say they need a way for users to register for an event. Through the use case, the BA can break down the user goals (registering for an event) and the system’s response (providing confirmation, handling errors, etc.). This way, everyone has a shared understanding of the system's role in achieving that goal, reducing the risk of misunderstandings.

Use Cases vs. User Stories: Understanding the Differences

In Agile projects, user stories are often favored because they are concise and fit well with iterative development. However, use cases serve a different purpose. While user stories capture specific features from the user's perspective, use cases provide a broader view of the system’s behavior over an entire session or interaction.

For example, a user story might be, “As a user, I want to add items to my shopping cart, so I can purchase them later.” A use case, on the other hand, will capture not just the action of adding items, but the whole flow, including what happens if an item is out of stock, how the cart is updated, and how to manage exceptions. Both can coexist, with use cases providing deeper context where needed.

How to Create a Use Case: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating a use case involves several steps, but the process is straightforward. First, identify the actors—who will be using the system? These can be users or other systems that interact with the software. For example, in a banking application, an actor could be a customer or a payment processing system.

Next, define the goal—what is the user trying to achieve? This should be clear and action-oriented, like “Withdraw Money from ATM” or “Reset Password.” After defining the goal, outline the scenarios—the step-by-step interactions between the user and the system, which could include both the primary flow (the usual path) and alternative flows (such as edge cases or errors).

Finally, consider the exceptions—what could go wrong? For instance, if a user enters incorrect login details multiple times, how should the system respond? Preparing for exceptions ensures the system behaves as expected even under less common conditions.

Documenting Use Cases: Best Practices for Clear Communication

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to documenting use cases. For some projects, a casual use case might be sufficient, where the steps are outlined in a simple, high-level format. For more complex projects, a fully dressed use case is needed, with detailed steps, alternative flows, and exceptions.

Use case diagrams can help supplement text descriptions. Unified Modeling Language (UML) diagrams, activity diagrams, and flowcharts are valuable tools to visually represent the relationships between actors and the system. These diagrams are especially useful for complex systems or where clear communication is critical.

Using a use case template ensures consistency across all your use cases. It guides you through all necessary sections, including preconditions, postconditions, and assumptions, making sure nothing is overlooked.

How Use Cases Aid in Requirements Elicitation

One of the most important aspects of creating software is understanding what the user needs to do with the product. Use cases help BAs focus on usage scenarios—what actions users want to accomplish—rather than just on the system’s features. By starting with the user’s goals, use cases allow for more meaningful and actionable requirements.

For example, instead of asking stakeholders, “What features do you need?”, ask, “What do you need to do with the system?” This way, you avoid creating unnecessary features that don’t contribute to the user’s main objectives, preventing scope creep and ensuring that the project stays on track.

Use Cases and Testing: A Natural Partnership

Use cases naturally align with testing. Since they describe the various ways a system should behave, they make it easy to define tests that ensure the system works as expected. Every use case scenario can be turned into a test case, covering the basic flow as well as the alternative flows and exceptions.

For example, if your use case describes “Resetting a Password,” you can create test cases to check if the system behaves correctly when the user inputs a valid email, handles an invalid email, or deals with missing information. Use cases help testers cover all potential scenarios, ensuring a robust and complete testing process.

When to Use Use Cases: Best Situations for This Tool

Use cases are particularly useful for high-risk and complex systems, where understanding the full context of user interactions is critical. For instance, industries like pharmaceuticals, defense, or telecom often require use cases to ensure safety and compliance. In these projects, having a clear understanding of how the system should behave under all conditions is essential.

Use cases are also beneficial for systems with multiple user types and pathways. For example, an e-commerce platform may have different user types, like buyers, sellers, and administrators, each with distinct goals and interactions with the system. Use cases provide a framework to organize these diverse interactions.

Common Pitfalls When Creating Use Cases (And How to Avoid Them)

While use cases are incredibly useful, they can become cumbersome if not handled correctly. One common pitfall is overcomplicating the process. Keep use cases simple and focused on the user’s goals. Avoid creating overly detailed scenarios that add little value.

Another mistake is ignoring edge cases. Make sure to document not only the typical user flow but also the alternative paths and exceptions. If edge cases are not considered, the system could fail when faced with unexpected inputs or errors.

Lastly, don’t forget about the end user. The user’s goal should always remain front and center. A use case should describe how the user interacts with the system, not just what the system does.

Conclusion: Why Every Business Analyst Should Embrace Use Cases

Use cases are a versatile tool that can be used in both traditional and Agile environments. They provide clarity, improve stakeholder communication, and help teams align their work with business goals. By incorporating use cases into their toolkit, business analysts can ensure better project outcomes and more successful implementations.

Whether you're working on a complex system or a simple feature, use cases offer a clear, structured way to gather requirements and understand user needs. If you’re looking to enhance your skills or improve project clarity, use cases are an invaluable asset to any business analyst.

If you're keen to learn more, why not check out our certification courses at TheAgileCoach.com? Whether you're just starting out or looking to level up your Agile skills, we've got courses that can help you get where you want to be.

Thanks for sticking with me through this guide. Here's to making your projects run a little smoother!