A use case is a concept used in software development, product design, and other fields to describe how a system can be used to achieve specific goals or tasks. It outlines the interactions between users or actors and the system to achieve a specific outcome.
In this article, we’ll dive into the details of what use cases are, how they are used in software development, and their benefits. We’ll also explore common types of use cases and provide some tips on how to create effective use cases.
Moreover, to help you effectively manage your projects use cases, we’ll offer a pre-built requirements management template that can help you gather all the necessary information and ensure all stakeholders are aligned on the project’s goals.
Use cases are incredibly valuable for documenting how users interact with a product, system, or process. They capture the context around how and why your customer or user engages with a solution. Developing strong use case examples provides immense benefits throughout your design, development and testing processes.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain what use cases are, why they matter, and provide 15 diverse examples you can reference to create effective use cases for your own products or services. Let’s dive in!
What is a Use Case?
A use case is a methodology for documenting the interactions between an external actor (user, external system, etc.) and a process or product. Use cases capture the goals users want to achieve by using the product and how the system responds.
Each use case focuses on a specific way the user engages with the system to complete a discrete task. It outlines
- Who is performing the use case (actor)
- What they want to accomplish (goal)
- Step by step actions to achieve the goal
Documenting use cases helps you understand functional requirements, design intuitive products, and ensure you build solutions tailored to your users’ needs.
Why Use Cases Matter
Investing time in developing detailed use cases provides immense value across product design and development, including:
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Understanding user goals – Get inside the mind of users and what they want to achieve.
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Defining requirements – Capture essential features and capabilities needed.
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Driving design – Create optimal user flows and interfaces.
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Developing test cases – Derive integration and system test cases.
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Supporting launch – Train support teams on common user interactions.
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Simplifying documentation – Explain how a system works conversationally to users.
Well-constructed use cases make products intuitive and user-friendly. They ensure you build the right solutions for how your customers actually work and interact.
15 Example Use Cases
Now let’s explore 15 use case examples covering diverse products, services, and processes. Review these samples to get ideas for developing compelling use cases tailored to your own offering:
1. Order Food Delivery
Actor: Customer
Goal: Order meals for delivery from a mobile app
Steps:
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Customer opens food delivery app
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Customer selects location to have food delivered
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Customer searches for nearby restaurants
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Customer selects restaurant and reviews menu
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Customer adds desired items to order cart
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Customer selects checkout and enters delivery address
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Customer selects payment method and submits order
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App displays estimated delivery time and order status
2. Withdraw Cash from an ATM
Actor: Bank Customer
Goal: Withdraw cash from an ATM
Steps:
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Customer inserts ATM card into machine
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ATM prompts customer to enter 4-digit PIN
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Customer enters valid PIN
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ATM displays available account(s)
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Customer selects account to withdraw from
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ATM displays available withdrawal amounts
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Customer selects withdrawal amount
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ATM dispenses cash
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ATM prints transaction receipt
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ATM returns card
3. Book Airline Travel
Actor: Traveler
Goal: Book flight tickets on an airline website
Steps:
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Traveler visits airline website
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Traveler selects book flight option
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Website prompts entry of desired airports and travel dates
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Traveler enters details
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Website displays available flight options
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Traveler selects desired outbound and return flights
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Traveler provides passenger and payment details
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Website processes booking and displays confirmation
4. Listen to Music on Streaming Service
Actor: User
Goal: Listen to specific songs or albums on demand
Steps:
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User opens music streaming mobile app
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User browses or searches for desired music
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App displays search results
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User selects song or album to play
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App streams selected music
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User can pause, skip tracks, adjust volume, etc.
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User can download music for offline listening
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App recommends related artists and music
5. Search for Information Online
Actor: Website user
Goal: Find information on a topic online
Steps:
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User opens web browser
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User navigates to search engine website
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Website displays search bar
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User types in keywords for their information query
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User clicks search button or hits enter
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Website returns ranked list of search results
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User browses and clicks on promising results
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User iterates search to refine results
6. Purchase Insurance Policy
Actor: Customer
Goal: Buy an insurance policy online
Steps:
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Customer visits insurance company website
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Customer selects type of policy they want to buy
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Website asks for some basic personal details
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Customer provides requested info
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Website displays quotes for coverage options
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Customer selects desired quote
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Website prompts for payment and beneficiary details
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Customer provides details
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Website processes payment and issues policy docs
7. Control Smart Home Devices
Actor: User
Goal: Use a mobile app to control smart home systems
Steps:
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User opens home automation app
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App displays connected devices organized by room
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User selects room they want to control
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User selects specific device like lights or thermostat
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App displays controls for that device
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User adjusts device settings like dimming lights or changing temperature
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App synchronizes updated settings
8. Pay Bills Online
Actor: Customer
Goal: Pay bills electronically
Steps:
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Customer logs into online bill payment website
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Website displays customer’s pending bills
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Customer selects which bills to pay
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Customer enters payment amount for each
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Customer selects date for each payment
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Customer submits payment transaction
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Website processes payments
9. Order Prescription Refill
Actor: Patient
Goal: Request prescription refill from pharmacy
Steps:
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Patient logs into pharmacy website or mobile app
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Patient selects prescription refill option
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System displays patient’s available prescriptions
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Patient selects prescription(s) needing refill
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System indicates selected prescriptions and refill status
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Patient confirms refill order
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Pharmacy processes request
10. Take Online Course
Actor: Learner
Goal: Take an online course to gain new skills
Steps:
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Learner registers on e-learning platform
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Learner enrolls in desired course
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Learner can view course modules and lessons
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Learner completes lessons which have videos, text, quizzes
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Platform tracks learner progress and mastery
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Course provides certificate upon completion
11. Rent a Car
Actor: Traveler
Goal: Rent a vehicle from a car rental company
Steps:
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Traveler makes reservation on company website
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Traveler visits rental office to pick up car
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Agent verifies customer ID and reservation
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Agent reviews rental terms with customer
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Customer inspects car exterior and interior
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Agent records mileage and fuel level
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Customer signs rental contract
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Agent provides car keys and directions
12. Withdraw Cash from a Human Teller
Actor: Bank Customer
Goal: Withdraw cash from teller at bank branch
Steps:
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Customer enters bank branch and gets in teller line
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Teller prompts customer for ID and transaction
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Customer requests cash withdrawal amount
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Teller verifies available funds
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Teller counts out cash to fulfill request
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Teller gets customer signature to complete transaction
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Teller provides customer with transaction receipt
13. Buy Movie Tickets Online
Actor: Customer
Goal: Purchase movie tickets on cinema website
Steps:
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Customer selects movie theater location
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Website displays movies and showtimes
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Customer selects movie, showtime, and number of tickets
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Customer selects seat assignments from theater map
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Customer provides payment information
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Website processes order and displays ticket confirmation
14. Track a Shipment Delivery
Actor: Customer
Goal: Track status of shipment coming from online retailer
Steps:
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Customer logs into retailer website
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Customer selects order history and finds relevant order
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Website displays shipment tracking number
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Customer copies tracking number
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Customer visits shipping carrier website
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The history of the use case
Swedish computer scientist Ivar Jacobson presented the first article on use cases in 1987, describing how the technique was used at telecommunications company Ericsson to capture system requirements. In 1992, Jacobson co-authored the book “Object-Oriented Software Engineering — A Use Case Driven Approach,” which helped popularize use cases for specifying functional requirements in software development.
Jacobson later joined American software engineers Grady Booch and James Rumbaugh to create the Unified Modeling Language (UML), which introduced a standard way to visualize the design of a system. Since then, the technique has been adapted into use case writing “templates” to streamline the capture of high-level requirements.
Use Case Description EXAMPLE [ Use Case Tutorial and Best Practices ]
What should be included in a use case?
Here are some basic components to include when writing a use case: System: This may include the site, the software, the app or the program you want to run the use case to assess. Including this information is especially important when writing use cases for multiple systems.
What is an example of a use case?
Use cases often help outline: Use cases often include an index, with several individual use cases for each step of a software or platform’s process. For example, use cases about an online e-commerce purchase might include separate reports for adding an item to the cart, selecting a payment type and choosing a shipping and delivery option.
How do I write a use case?
Writing a use case sounds complex, but only requires understanding your system and its users. You can write a use case by following these six steps: 1. Describe your system Start by describing your system, or the product or service you and your team will build. Focus your description on what your system does for users.
What is a business use case?
Some teams like to write a business use case to outline a system’s processes before development. As developers begin their work, a manager will outline more technical system use cases to follow. Use cases show all the ways a system functions when trying to reach goals, but a scenario only depicts one example.
