🔍 "Use Case" - A Versatile Term in Business and Technology 🔍
What do people mean when they say "Use Case"
"Use Case" is a highly versatile term that has widespread applications. Whether it's in software development, business analysis, project management, marketing, customer support, or other fields, the concept of a use case is an essential part of many professional conversations and written communication. Its a truly versatile and indispensable word in the business and technology world, provided its not overused, meaning a structured sequence of events.
For example, a computer system use case might be "return book when overdue". It would then describe the interactions of the various actors (borrower, librarian, etc.) with the system in carrying out the end-to-end process.
🔍 Internet Usage of “Use Case” 🔍
But the complex effects of code generation provide a cautionary tale for companies working to deploy generative algorithms for other use cases.—WIRED, 29 June 2023
Now, the mostly unregulated NFT space continues to contract, as forgery, theft, market saturation, and lack of clear use cases for NFTs are causing investors to lose confidence in a field that was marketed as a game changer for art—and one that could stamp out counterfeiting.—Faustine Ngila, Quartz, 27 June 2023
The most obvious use cases will be in areas requiring language processing in one way or the other, retrieval of data by language prompts, etc.—Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 22 June 2023
This is a rating in BTU/hour that is meant to more accurately portray the capabilities of the machine by providing a weighted average based on a variety of test conditions, not just an average use case (think a combination of normal usage, muggy day, a particularly hot or dry day, etc.).—Rachel Rothman, Good Housekeeping, 8 June 2023
Many analysts say that the biggest hurdle to consumer adoption of mixed reality headsets is ensuring that there is a wide range of potential use cases and experiences available on the devices.—Clare Duffy, CNN, 7 June 2023
🔍Sourced by www.merriam-webster.com 🔍
"Use case" and "example" are similar in some respects, but they serve different purposes in the business world and professional context.
📌Similarities:
Illustration: Both "use case" and "example" are used to illustrate and demonstrate a specific scenario or situation.
Clarity: They are employed to provide clarity and better understanding of a concept or idea by presenting it in a practical context.
📌Differences:
Scope: "Use case" is typically used in business analysis, software development, and project management to describe specific interactions between users and a system or application. It focuses on how a user interacts with a system to achieve a particular goal. On the other hand, "example" can be used in a broader range of contexts, not limited to business.
Specificity: "Use case" is more specific and detailed, outlining the sequence of actions and responses between actors and a system. It is often used in technical and functional discussions. In contrast, "example" can be more general and flexible, used in various settings to provide a brief illustration without the need for a structured sequence of events.
Audience: "Use case" is commonly used among professionals in fields like business analysis, software development, and project management, where it has a defined and specific meaning. "Example," on the other hand, is a more common and widely understood term used everywhere.
📌In summary, while "use case" and "example" both serve as means of illustrating and clarifying concepts, "use case" is more specialized and specific to technical and professional contexts, particularly in business analysis and software development, whereas "example" is used more broadly in daily communication.
Since it depends on who is using it and in what context, lets dwell a bit deeper.
What would software professionals mean?
They use it to describe interactions or scenarios between users and a system or software application. It is a representation (usually explained with the aid of a diagram) of how a user (an actor) interacts with a system to achieve a specific goal or outcome.
In a software use case, various steps or actions are outlined to demonstrate how the user interacts with the system and what responses or outputs the system provides in different situations. It typically includes:
Actor: The user or entity interacting with the system, which could be an end-user, an external system, or any other component.
Goal: The specific objective or outcome the actor wants to achieve by using the system.
Main Flow: The sequence of steps or interactions between the actor and the system to accomplish the goal.
Alternative Flows: Variations or alternative paths that may occur during the interaction, usually to handle exceptional conditions or different scenarios.
Use cases help in understanding and documenting the functional requirements of a system and serve as a communication tool between stakeholders (i.e. project influencers), developers, and designers. They also assist in validating and testing the functionality of the system and play a crucial role in software design and development processes.
The term is also used loosely by commercial heads.
📌In a commercial context, the term "use case" is often used more loosely to refer to away of illustrating the practical applications and benefits of a product or service to potential customers or clients. What particular need or problem for customers or clients is being addressed? It goes beyond technical descriptions and focuses on the practical aspects and advantages of the offering.
For commercial heads or business leaders, a use case typically involves presenting real-world examples or scenarios where their product or service can be implemented to deliver value and solve specific challenges for customers.
Or they could mean Case Study
📌In pre-sales and sales teams, use cases can be presented through case studies, success stories, customer testimonials, or marketing materials to demonstrate how the product or service has been successfully used by existing customers or how it can address common pain points in the market. Customer success teams use it to provide tangible benefits of using a product feature or service or solution that customers have paid for, but are not using.
A use case is a persuasive narrative that showcases the tangible benefits and applications of a product or service to potential or existing customers, with the aim of driving usage, sales, generating interest (which in business jargon is proving the value proposition of the offering.)
📌I will try my best to summarize the ways people use “Use Case“. This will of course not be exhaustive.
Yes, the term "use case" can be used in various other contexts in both spoken and written language. Some of these contexts include:
1. Project Management: In project management, a use case can refer to a specific scenario or situation that describes how a project or task will be executed or how a particular feature will be implemented.
2. Business Analysis: Business analysts use use cases to describe the interactions between stakeholders and the proposed system or solution to understand the functional requirements and identify potential issues or improvements.
3. User Experience (UX) Design: Use cases are used in UX design to define the intended user interactions with a product or system, helping designers create user-friendly and intuitive interfaces.
4. Software Testing: In software testing, use cases are used to design test scenarios to ensure that the software functions as expected and meets the specified requirements.
5. Product Development and Design Sprints: Use cases are employed in product development to outline the intended use and features of a product, guiding the development team in creating a solution that meets customer needs.
6. Sales and Marketing: As mentioned earlier, use cases are used in sales and marketing to showcase how a product or service can be used by customers to solve their problems or achieve specific goals.
7. Customer Support: In customer support, use cases can be utilized to understand and categorize common issues or challenges faced by customers and how the support team can effectively assist them.
8. Customer Success: As mentioned earlier, use cases are used in customer success to showcase how an underutilized product feature, solution or service can be used by customers to solve their problems or achieve specific goals. Occasionally this provides an opportunity to up-sell or cross-sell something else to the customer, for example a higher-tier subscription.
📌Overall, "use case" is a versatile term that finds application in various fields and industries, where it describes specific scenarios, interactions, or applications related to systems, products, or services. Its adaptability makes it an essential part of many professional conversations and documentation. Avoid the hype and noise associated with buzzwords by using it more discreetly and carefully.
Until the next in this series, signing off - A.Bahuman