Overview

The following is a summary of the steps you perform to document relationships between actors and between use cases:

1. Document actor-generalizations
2. Document include-relationships between use cases
3. Document extend-relationships between use cases
4. Document use-case-generalizations

For detailed information about use-case diagrams, see:

• Use-Case Diagrams (Overview) topic in the Rational Rose online help

• Chapter 4, Introduction to Diagrams and Chapter 7, Use-Case Diagrams and Specifications. Reference: Using Rational Rose.

1. Document actor-generalizations

You can insert a generalization relationship between one business actor and another business actor in a use-case diagram by using the Generalization drawing tool from the use-case diagram toolbox. Once you've created the relationship, you can describe it by adding text to the documentation field of the Generalize Specification dialog.

2. Document include-relationships between use cases

To create an includes relationship between two use cases in a use-case diagram, you first create a dependency between the two use cases, then assign an includes stereotype to the dependency. You use the includes stereotype when one use case employs the functionality of another use case. The use case being used typically contains functionality that a number of other use cases may need or want.

Once you have created the dependency between use cases, you can describe the relationship by adding text to the Documentation field of the Dependency Specification.

3. Document extend-relationships between use cases

To create an extends relationship between two use cases in a use-case diagram, you first create a dependency between the two use cases, then assign an extends stereotype to the dependency. You use the extends stereotype to express optional or conditional behavior for a use case.

Once you have created the association between use cases, you can: describe the relationship by adding text to the Documentation field of the Dependency Specification.

4. Document use-case generalizations

You can create a generalization relationship from one business use case to another use case when one use case provides common functionality (for example, when you have an abstract use case that provides common functionality to concrete use cases).

Once you have created a generalization relationship between use cases, you can describe the relationship by adding text to the Documentation field of the Generalization Specification.