Use Cases are a formal methodology (part of the UML) for capturing and
expressing the interaction between a system and its actors (users). Each
use case is generally a simple subject/predicate statement describing this
interaction, with an extended narrative explaining this interaction in
more detail. (I haven't read any of the books devoted entirely to Use
Cases, but a great introduction to UML in general is Martin Fowler's UML
Distilled.)
In the case of the OHS, we essentially have two levels of use
cases. First, we have the use cases of the system at a somewhat low
level, such as those listed in Eric's requirement documents. Second,
because we have decided to target our initial efforts on the software
development process, we have higher-level use cases, such as those listed
on Lee's web page.
I've gone through both Eric and Lee's documents and have compiled a list
of use cases -- one for the OHS in a software development context, and one
for the OHS for general collaborative knowledge work. I've also compiled
a list of use cases for licensing. I will send out these lists to this
list within the next day or so, and once our Zope server is up, I will
post there as well.
These are the things we need to do with these lists:
1. Critique the lists: add new use cases, reword or remove existing use
cases.
2. Flesh out the use cases. This will be the more difficult task, but the
process of doing this collaboratively will help us design the
OHS. (Indeed, one of the use cases for software development is, "Develop
Use Cases.") I will flesh out a few of the use cases and e-mail them out
so they can be used as a starting point for discussion, and so that we
can use them as models for fleshing out the other use cases.
I know that Jack and Eric tried doing this on the list before with
limited success. I hope the difference this time around -- even before we
have the Zope stuff set up -- will be that (a) we have a better intuitive
sense of the overall system, (b) the lists will serve as needed context
for these use cases, and (c) we'll be fleshing some of these out in
physical meetings, which should help move the process to the point where
it's more feasible for people to discuss them online (i.e. bootstrap).
-Eugene
-- +=== Eugene Eric Kim ===== eekim@eekim.com ===== http://www.eekim.com/ ===+ | "Writer's block is a fancy term made up by whiners so they | +===== can have an excuse to drink alcohol." --Steve Martin ===========+------------------------------------------------------------------------ Join Garden.com's affiliate program and enjoy numerous benefits. To learn more click here: http://click.egroups.com/1/2955/4/_/444287/_/958466685/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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