Simple Use Cases

Google “use case format” and you’ll get lots of templates. Which one to use? Here’s my really simple template that people around me have started using:

• Who I am (role)
• What I’m doing (current task)
• What I want (current goal)
• What I type (into the system being defined)
• What I expect to get (out of the system being defined)

True, it doesn’t address pre-conditions, post-conditions, extensions, and more. But it serves well for high-level discussions, and gives a clear understanding of what use cases are for. After using this template for a while, go to Google and get one of those fancier ones if you want.