Re: "use-case based documentation"

Subject: Re: "use-case based documentation"
From: Mike Starr <mike -at- writestarr -dot- com>
To: TECHWR-L Writing <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 03 Feb 2015 13:58:10 -0600

I don't think the terms are precisely synonymous but they're pretty much two terms for the same concept. Use cases are factors in the requirements documents. There should probably be a use case for each feature of the application. They are then sources for the tasks to be documented in task-based documentation. They may not be the only tasks to be documented but they're the minimum set of tasks to be documented.

Best Regards,

Mike
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Mike Starr, Writer
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On 2/3/2015 1:43 PM, Mike McCallister wrote:

Robert is right in his explanation here (as is Mike), but in programmer/manager-speak, how does a "use case" differ from what we think of as a "task"?

Mike


Mike McCallister
Senior Document Architect

PKWARE, Inc.
201 E. Pittsburgh Ave.
Suite 400
Milwaukee, WI 53204
www.pkware.com




-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+mike -dot- mccallister=pkware -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+mike -dot- mccallister=pkware -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Robert Lauriston
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2015 12:19 PM
To: Mike Starr
Cc: TECHWR-L Writing
Subject: Re: "use-case based documentation"

Use cases are sometimes formally defined, true. Often they're not. In an agile environment, if you're doing it right, the use cases should be clear from the user story and acceptance criteria.

Without a use case, a feature is useless. If nobody can come up with a use case for something, probably it shouldn't be documented or exposed to the customer.

On Tue, Feb 3, 2015 at 10:11 AM, Mike Starr <mike -at- writestarr -dot- com> wrote:
Many development processes are based on use cases... the use cases are
developed before coding is started and guide the programmers in how
the software should enable the user to use it. The product manager
must provide you access to the use cases in order for you to develop
documentation based on them.
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Follow-Ups:

References:
"use-case based documentation": From: Julie Stickler
Re: "use-case based documentation": From: Mike Starr
Re: "use-case based documentation": From: Robert Lauriston
RE: "use-case based documentation": From: Mike McCallister

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