A Use Case is a descriptive model that defines a specific interaction between actors (users or external systems) and a system to achieve a particular goal or outcome. It documents the sequence of steps, alternative paths, preconditions, and success criteria for a discrete unit of functionality from the user’s perspective, focusing on what the system must do rather than how it will do it.
In architectural practice, use cases serve as critical requirements artifacts that bridge business needs and technical implementations. They provide context for system design by illustrating how technology capabilities will be applied in real-world scenarios. For architects, well-crafted use cases reveal interaction patterns, integration points, and data requirements that inform architectural decisions without prescribing specific technical approaches.
The application of use cases has evolved significantly from their origins in object-oriented analysis. Contemporary approaches extend beyond functional requirements to incorporate experience dimensions, business outcomes, and value delivery. User stories in agile methodologies represent a lightweight evolution of use cases that emphasize business value and user needs while maintaining the essential structure of actor-system interactions. These complementary approaches help architects balance comprehensive system understanding with incremental delivery priorities.
Modern architectural frameworks increasingly recognize that use cases exist within broader business contexts. The concept of “jobs to be done” extends use case thinking by focusing on the underlying customer needs rather than specific system interactions. Business capability models provide organizational context for related use cases, helping architects identify opportunities for reusable services and shared data resources. These multi-dimensional perspectives enable architects to design systems that not only satisfy immediate functional requirements but also contribute to strategic business capabilities and positive customer experiences across multiple touchpoints.
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