
Since the main purpose is to outline general behavior, the use case diagram should "focus on business goals rather than system goals". LimitationsĪs stated above, a use case diagram is not a standalone model, but one that can be used in conjunction with other models as well. Additional diagrams and documentation can be used to provide a complete functional and technical view of the system. The purpose of the use case diagrams is simply to provide the high level view of the system and convey the requirements in layman's terms for the stakeholders. What was found was that the use case diagrams conveyed the intent of the system in a more simplified manner to stakeholders and that they were "interpreted more completely than class diagrams". Siau and Lee conducted research to determine if there was a valid situation for use case diagrams at all or if they were unnecessary. The drawings attempt to mimic the real world and provide a view for the stakeholder to understand how the system is going to be designed. They provide the simplified and graphical representation of what the system must actually do.ĭue to their simplistic nature, use case diagrams can be a good communication tool for stakeholders. It has been said before that "Use case diagrams are the blueprints for your system". While a use case itself might drill into a lot of detail about every possibility, a use case diagram can help provide a higher-level view of the system. With regards to use case diagrams, that is exactly what they are meant to do.

It is a very well known adage that "A picture is worth a thousand words".
