When it comes to Agile development environment User Story and Use Case are the two most popular requirement types. There has always been a debate whether both these requirement types are the same. If they are not same, which one should you use? Should you be using both? The truth is that User Stories and Use Cases are not the same. Even when they may achieve the same results, they are different in many ways.
This guide defines these requirement types and their differences.
What are User Stories?
A User Story is a high-level definition of a requirement. It contains just enough information to allow developers to create a reasonable estimate of the effort for implementation. It is a simple note that may be one or two sentences long and captures what a user needs to do or does as part of their task. It is typically written by stakeholders and used by the development team like Softteco.com. There is a short description,written in natural language, from the perspective of the user. It is different from the traditional requirement in that it is focused on what the user needs and not what the system needs to deliver.
Key Considerations
It is required to keep the following considerations when writing a User Story:
• Stakeholders: User Stories are written by project stakeholders and not developers. They are too simple for anyone to learn how to write them.
• Simple Tools: User Stories require the use of simple tools such as index cards. They may be written on index cards which are quite easy to work with.
• Estimated Size: User Stories can be used to indicate the estimated size. Each card can be assigned user story points related to the estimate of duration taken by a programmer to implement the story.
• Priority: Project stakeholders can also prioritize and add requirements to the stack in the right place. This makes it possible lot maintain a stack of prioritized requirements by simply moving the cards.
• Unique Identifier: Each User Story card can also have a unique identifier. This is optional and allows you to trace a User Story and artifacts.
What are Use Cases?
Use Cases are a series of actions providing a measurable value. It describes a way in which a user in the real-world interacts with the system. A system use case can include advanced-level implementation decisions. Use Cases are used for capturing the point of view of the user while the system’s functional requirements are described. They can be much more detailed than User Stories, describing the step-by-step process to achieve the goal associated with the system.
Use Cases can be written in formal or informal manner or in both ways.
Key Features
Some of the key features of a formalized system Use Case are as follows:
• A Use Case has multiple implementation detailed in it
• It makes references to reports and screen
• It can reference business rule definitions, as these rules stand for essential features of your domain that the system should implement
• A single use case step will stand for a single activity alone. This makes it easier to test each statement, as it is easier to comprehend and validate.
• The steps are always written in the active voice
• Alternate courses may be used when there are exceptions, error conditions or alternate method to work that need to be handled.
User Story Vs. Use Cases
So User Stories and Use Cases are much different even when they may be used within the same project. Some of the key differences between the two are as follows:
• User Stories are more about needs. You will describe a rough user need. It is quite simple and can be something that a user needs to do as part of their everyday job. The need exists even when a system is not developed for the user.
• Use Cases are more about the behavior that needs to be built into the system to address those needs. As a developer you should get a clear idea of what the project needs to do. It contains tons of detail, as it describes everything that should be built to meet the user need. It should not just be detailed, but quite clear too.
• User Stories are simple, easy to read, and understand for users. It is written in the users’ language and can be understood by anyone. User Stories need to be brief because normal users don’t have the patience or expertise of the developers.
• Use Cases describe the interaction between the users and the system. A Use Case analysis involves creation of a functional solution that addresses the users’ needs.
So, these are the most common and notable differences between User Stories and Use Cases. Both have minor similarities, probably in their objectives, but tons of differences in the way they are created and the information they contain.
