How to prove to colleagues that use-cases are important?

Question

... and how to prove to management that use-cases can be informal and still useful?

Hi folks,

I came in the middle of a project and found out that there are no use-cases, user-stories, requirements, neither anything similar to a specification. Since the deadlines are short, the current dev team don't want to spend time on such things. I wanted to join that project, but by digging more I found out that the current development adds features just by considering their "wow-effect" and chooses what to add just by using the easiness that the underlying technology provides. I was surprised how they have managed to go so far (more than 4 months) without requirements, but this is what we have now. I believe that the way they have chosen is the most sure one to kill the product which has a good marketing value.

Am I right, and what would you do in a similar circumstances to prove the dev team/management to make use-cases/requirements before moving forward? Thanks in advance, kh.

P.S. Two copies of Cockburn's book are on the bookshelf...

Answer 1

You should give your colleagues the use-case spiel :D Tell them that use-cases are useful as they're:

• A way of capturing business processes in a manner which is reasonably comprehensible by all stakeholders. This helps to bridge the gap between programmers, clients and users.
• Traceable units of functionality. Use-cases are formed (ideally) in the analysis phase, referenced in the design phase, and can be used as sources for test cases later on.
• Quick and easy to write up and useful, even if informal.

If you need more ammunition, you might want to read Use cases - Yesterday, today and tomorrow by none other than Ivar Jacobson.

If your colleagues still can't see the potential usefulness of use cases as a business analysis tool, then they're probably beyond help :P You should remind them that they're developing software to meet other people's needs and solve their problems in the long term, not to ostentatiously impress them in the short term with petty gimmicks. And so a little bit of direction and specification helps. Even if the use-cases themselves don't prove to be that useful, the simple act of coming up with them will force your colleagues to consider the actual underlying purpose of the software.

Answer 2

Ask questions, of both sides. Of development, ask them if they are certain that all of the ways in which they have considered using the application are all of the ways in which the end-users will want to use it; if they say they have, ask for proof. Of management, ask if they've ever used software that does everything they want, but still ends up being hard to use (they will have). These questions will seed the concept that what will be delivered might not be what is desired, on both sides; use that seed of an idea, then, to open up discussions (not documents, not at the start) on how the software will be used, and in what way any differences can be resolved. They'll get around to use-case documents eventually.

Answer 3

I am a product manager by profession, and my first reaction to your post is that ideas can come from anywhere, and if the dev team has decent ideas they should be incorporated into the product.

Having said that, a product can not develop a soul (a simple message) through a string of disconnected ideas that do not serve the ultimate purpose: solving the needs of a target user. And, ultimately it boils down to making the case that time is better spent on requirements/use cases that make sense for the product, while the opportunity cost of not having a clear strategy/end goal will lead to too many chefs and a jaded product message.

The ultimate way to make this message hit home is to involve other stake holders and have development demonstrate their work. Eventually, there will be disagreement and a more formalized (less cowboy) approach will lead to a more refined and simple product.

Answer 4

One of the problems you mention is tight schedule and scope creep induced by the devs themselves. Explain them, that by using use cases you can earn time by dropping features, which will potentially end up on the "never used" pile. With use cases you can find out what are the features customers need and will pay for and by removing unimportant features out of the scope you would have time to implement. Use cases apart from defining the scope also help to identify all the stakeholders, which might help you to focus even better while defining the scope and prevent forgetting about trivial things, which are not so apparent, but are a must if the product should be usable. The third most important thing about use cases is that they allow you to start thinking about corner cases which might be important for the customer before development and therefore you can find out with the customer what would be the ideal solution instead of letting the coder decide on his/her own under pressure of deadline.

Answer 5

Just show them.

Example is not the best way of educating people, it is the only one.

Answer 6

Lead by example focusing on extensions and exceptions. In other words emphasize the failure scenarios because everyone knows how the system should work. The real value of written Use Cases is identifying what should happen when something goes wrong.

That noted, consider you may have to live without written use cases. And, for the environment you describe, a major win is any sort of requirements documentation. Screen comps and/or prototyping are often easier to introduce.