Title: Use Case Diagrams
Objective
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To understand the fundamentals of Use Case Diagrams in UML
To identify actors and use cases for different systems
To create Use Case Diagrams using StarUML
To analyze system requirements through behavioral modeling
Theory
Use Case Diagrams are behavioral UML diagrams that describe the functionality of a system from an
end-user's perspective. They capture the functional requirements of a system by showing how users
(actors) interact with the system to achieve specific goals (use cases). These diagrams serve as a
bridge between business requirements and technical implementation, providing a clear visual
representation of what the system should do rather than how it should do it.
Components of Use Case Diagrams
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Actors: External entities (users, systems) that interact with the system
Use Cases: Specific functionalities or services provided by the system (represented as ovals)
Associations: Lines connecting actors to use cases they participate in
System Boundary: Rectangle that defines the scope and limits of the system
Include Relationship: One use case includes the functionality of another
Extend Relationship: One use case extends another under certain conditions
Benefits
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Clear visualization of system functionality
Better communication with stakeholders
Requirements validation
System scope definition
Methodology
1. System Analysis: Identified different systems for modeling
2. Actor Identification: Determined external entities interacting with each system
3. Use Case Identification: Listed all functional requirements as use cases
4. Relationship Mapping: Connected actors with their respective use cases
5. Diagram Creation: Used StarUML to create professional diagrams
6. Validation: Reviewed diagrams for completeness and accuracy
Systems Analyzed
1. ATM System
System Description: An Automated Teller Machine system that allows customers to perform basic
banking operations with maintenance and administrative support.
Actors Identified:
 Customer: Primary user who performs banking transactions
 Bank Admin: Manages system operations and generates reports
 Maintenance: Responsible for servicing and maintaining the ATM machine
Use Cases:
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Service Machine
Generate Reports
Withdraw Cash
Check Balance
Key Relationships:
 Customer directly accesses transaction services (Withdraw Cash, Check Balance)
 Bank Admin generates system reports for monitoring
 Maintenance personnel service the physical machine
Diagram:
2. ElectroMart E-Commerce System
System Description: An online shopping platform that allows customers to browse and purchase
products, sellers to manage listings, and administrators to oversee operations.
Actors Identified:
 Customer: Browses products, places orders, and processes returns
 Seller: Manages product listings and inventory
 Admin: Generates sales reports and oversees system operations
Use Cases:
 Generate Sales Reports
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Manage Listings
Process Returns
Place Order
Browse Products
Key Relationships:
 Customer interacts with shopping functionalities (Browse Products, Place Order, Process
Returns)
 Process Returns extends Place Order functionality
 Place Order includes Browse Products functionality
 Seller manages product listings
 Admin generates comprehensive sales reports
Diagram:
3. Hospital Appointment Booking System
System Description: A healthcare management system for booking and managing patient
appointments with doctors, supported by reception staff and administrative functions.
Actors Identified:
 Patient: Books and cancels appointments
 Doctor: Updates availability and views schedule
 Receptionist: Registers patients, manages availability, and views schedules
 Admin: Generates system reports
Use Cases:
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Register Patient
Update Availability
View Schedule
Cancel Booking
Book Appointment
Generate Reports
Key Relationships:
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Patient can book and cancel appointments
Doctor and Receptionist both update availability and view schedules
Receptionist handles patient registration
Cancel Booking extends Book Appointment functionality
Update Availability extends View Schedule functionality
Admin generates comprehensive system reports
Diagram:
4. Online Examination Management System
System Description: A digital platform for conducting online examinations with comprehensive
management capabilities for exam providers.
Actors Identified:
 Examinee: Takes online examinations
 Exam Provider: Manages all aspects of examination system
Use Cases:
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Generate Reports
Conduct Exam
Manage Examinees
Manage Exam Info
Key Relationships:
 Examinee participates in conducting exams
 Exam Provider handles all administrative functions (Generate Reports, Manage Examinees,
Manage Exam Info)
 System provides comprehensive examination management capabilities
Diagram:
5. Library Management System
System Description: A system for managing library operations including book inventory,
borrowing, and user interactions.
Actors Identified:
 User: Borrows, returns, and searches for books
 Librarian: Manages book inventory (adds and removes books)
Use Cases:
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Add Book
Remove Book
Borrow Book
Return Book
Search Books
Key Relationships:
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User can borrow, return, and search for books
Librarian manages book inventory through add and remove operations
Borrow Book extends Search Books functionality
System facilitates both user services and administrative functions
Diagram:
Analysis and Discussion
1. Design Decisions
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Actor Selection: Identified both human and system actors for comprehensive modeling
Use Case Granularity: Balanced between too detailed and too abstract use cases
Relationship Modeling: Used include/extend relationships where appropriate
System Boundaries: Clearly defined what is inside vs outside the system
2. Challenges Encountered
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Determining appropriate level of detail for use cases
Identifying all relevant actors and their interactions
Deciding when to use include vs extend relationships
Balancing diagram complexity with readability
Results and Learning Outcomes
1. Skills Developed
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UML Use Case diagram creation and interpretation
System requirement analysis and modeling
StarUML tool proficiency
Stakeholder identification and analysis
2. Understanding Gained
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How Use Case diagrams support requirements engineering
The importance of actor identification in system design
Relationship between use cases and system functionality
Role of Use Case diagrams in system documentation
Discussion
This lab exercise analyzed Use Case diagrams across five systems: ATM, E-Commerce, Hospital
Appointment Booking, Online Examination Management, and Library Management. Common
patterns emerged showing primary users consuming services while administrative actors manage
operations. The E-Commerce system demonstrated complex relationships with extend and include
functionality, while the Hospital system showed shared use cases among multiple actors. Key
challenges included maintaining consistent naming conventions and defining appropriate system
boundaries. The Hospital system proved most complex with four actors, while the Examination
system remained simplest.
Conclusion
Use Case diagrams prove to be valuable tools for understanding and documenting system
requirements from a user perspective. Through this lab, we successfully created comprehensive Use
Case models for three different domains, demonstrating the versatility and importance of this UML
diagram type in software engineering and system analysis. The exercise reinforced the importance of
proper requirement analysis and stakeholder identification in the early phases of system development.
Use Case diagrams serve as an excellent communication tool between technical teams and business
stakeholders.