Guideline: Packaging Use Cases |
Package portions of a use-case model into semi-independent collections of closely related use cases.
Main Description
### Explanation A model structured into smaller units is easier to understand. It is easier to show relationships among the model's main parts if you can express them in terms of packages. A package is either the top-level package of the model, or stereotyped as a use-case package. You can also let the customer decide how to structure the main parts of the model. If there are many use cases or actors, you can use use-case packages to further structure the use-case model. A use-case package contains a number of actors, use cases, their relationships, and other packages; thus, you can have multiple levels of use-case packages (packages within packages). The top-level package contains all top-level use-case packages, all top-level actors, and all top-level use cases. ### Use You can partition a use-case model into use-case packages for many reasons: You can use use-case packages to reflect order, configuration, or delivery units in the finished system. Allocation of resources and the competence of different development teams can require that the project be divided among different groups at different sites. Some use-case packages are suitable for a group, and some for one person, which makes packages a naturally efficient way to proceed with development. You must be sure, however, to define distinct responsibilities for each package so that development can be performed in parallel. You can use use-case packages to structure the use-case model in a way that reflects the user types. Many change requirements originate from users. Use-case packages ensure that changes from a particular user type will affect only the parts of the system that correspond to that user type. In some applications, certain information must be accessible to only a few people. Use-case packages let you preserve secrecy in areas where it is needed.
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