What is Vendor Risk Management: A Complete Guide + Examples
To spearhead projects efficiently, you need use cases for clear communication between stakeholders and developers. A use case explains what the system does, its users and possible interactions with the system, website, or process.
Furthermore, a use case template creates a foundation to create any number of use cases for a project.
This guide discusses the importance of creating a use case before embarking on a use-case-led project. Plus, we’ll share professional use case templates that are ready to use right now.
Let’s get started.
Quick Read
A use case is a general term that explains and visualizes an interaction between a user (actor) and a system or process. The main idea behind a use case is that anyone can understand them, regardless of whether they work in tech or business.
Each use case details the steps toward completing a goal, highlighting the requirements to develop the system, website or process. The action in a use case isn’t open-ended; it has a beginning and an end. The actor in each use case is meant to achieve a goal and receive value upon completion.
To further support comprehension between stakeholders, use cases employ UML (Unified Modeling Language) for labels, names and diagram styles. As long as you have UML for the important bits, you can add branded colors, elements and details to the use case template.
Use cases are not singular documents; they are formulated as sets. At the onset of a project, create a use case template first. Using that template, make a new use case or each action in the system that achieves a goal. In the same document, include any alternate flows or exceptions.
All use cases are organized together in a file for easy access. They are the system requirements documentation for all stakeholders to use collaboratively. Each use case has a list of requirements, a use case diagram, or both. When it includes both, it offers even greater ease of understanding between involved parties.
Is there a difference between a use case and a use case document? The answer is Yes. A use case document is a standardized document that describes a use case in detail. It includes the steps, preconditions, assumptions and expected outcomes or results.
On the other hand, a use case is a general term that describes a specific scenario or interaction between a user or system and a product or service.
In other words, a use case document is a specific instance of a use case that has been formalized into a structured document.
Engineering teams, business analysts, project managers, user experience designers, web designers and anyone who benefits from visualizing how users and systems interact and flow.
They come in handy at every stage of development or creation to support communication and understanding. By visualizing the action flows between users and systems in a unified language, stakeholders can see how things work and what to expect.
Your team can support use cases with user personas. These will help set the scene for the use case and further understand the user’s needs. Here’s a user persona template to help you get organized.
To create a use case, you’ll need a use case template. You don’t make one use case document; you create many per project. The template keeps the visual foundation in check throughout the creation of all use cases.
A use case template is a reusable digital document with everything you need to create unlimited use cases. The base template has all the empty spaces filled according to each use case. Each use case diagram in a template is personalized to match the use case it belongs to.
How do use case templates support your business? Use case templates save time and effort when creating a use case analysis for a project. With Visme, you can create a branded and proprietary use case template inside a workspace for a project. Give access to the template to all stakeholders involved so they can create use cases to visualize the flows.
Imagine you’re the project manager or product owner in charge of developing a new scheduling tool inside a SaaS. The CEO explains what they want from the new tool and it’s your job to explain it to the IT and engineering teams. You decide to take a use case approach for creating the tool. These could be some of the use cases you’d need to create:
When you have all use cases in one collection for a project, they’re ready to used as documentation and the single source of truth for everyone involved. Include a link with access to this folder inside your progress reports. For a seamless visual communication experience with stakeholders, use a branded design approach. Visme has hundreds of use case templates to get you started on the right foot. Here’s one you can use straight away.
Use case diagrams exist as part of a use case document or use case template. They are a visual representation of the actors, triggers, flow and action from beginning to end toward a goal.
A use case diagram is made up of shapes, lines, icons and explanatory text. The action starts at the top and flows downward toward completion. Shapes visualize actions and reactions from the actors. Lines connect to shapes creating the flow and icons visualize the types of actors and systems involved.
Here’s a use case diagram explaining the ordering process for an online store.
Use cases are helpful communication and development tools in many aspects of a business. You’ll see them mainly in IT, engineering, software development and systems analysis. But they’re also relevant and practical in a business-centered environment.
The first type of use case is the system use case. They define and visualize a specific action between a user and a system or a system and another system. They detail the flow between a trigger and a resolution.
Generally, the primary actor in a system use case is the person trying to achieve a goal. The secondary actor is the system or software that reacts to the action and helps achieve the goal.
The use case as a tool was born in IT and engineering as a way to better communicate development concepts between different teams and stakeholders. System use cases were the original of the bunch and were developed with UML.
Product use cases are similar to system use cases as they explain how users interact with a product. They provide the context and insight that product development teams need to design, create, and test the product.
Below is an example of a product use case template for you to customize.
Business cases are more conceptual than system use cases. In a business use case, the visualization is about how actors interact with a business and how it reacts towards the actor completing their goal.
Common examples of business use cases include HR processes, customer satisfaction interactions, sales playbooks and other business flows. Most of the time, the actors in a business use case will all be people.
Business use case templates like the one below ensure your use cases are documented in a consistent format, making it easier for stakeholders to understand and make decisions.
Remember that use case and use case templates are different.
You can create an infinite number of use cases using a single use case template. In the list below, you’ll find the prompts for the content that must be filled out for each new use case.
In the template design, write the following items into labels and include an empty area below or next to them. Visme’s use case templates already have these ready for you.
Visme has all you need to create a reusable and branded use case template for your projects. Take advantage of the branding tools and design elements to design a use case template that’s easy to replicate, simple to collaborate and a breeze to share.
Follow the steps below to create a compelling and practical use case template with Visme.
Select a use case template from our collection of professionally designed templates.
Whether you need a product use case template, a business use case template or any other use case template, you'll find it in Visme's library.
Choose the one that best matches your needs, industry or specific project. To brand it, change the colors and fonts easily with the editing tools.
Visme’s templates are the best way to start creating your use case. Hear it from one of our customers, Brad Wills, Sourcing Executive at IBM's Recruitment Processing Outsourcing (RPO)!
"With Visme, instead of days, a page would take us anywhere from 4-8 hours on a duplicate or templated process and even up to 72 hours for projects with unique needs and with immense input and back and forth on the design process.”
You can read the full case study How IBM Uses Infographics to Attract and Hire Top Talent to learn more about how Visme’s templates save you time and money.
If you want to create a use case template from scratch, select a blank document canvas and build the template using content blocks as a guide. Create the use case diagram with the flowchart tool, adding the relevant titles.
Actors are people or system icons; actions and reactions are inside shapes and lines that visualize the flow from beginning to end. Below is an example of a business use case template that you can customize to create your own.
Visme has launched a unique "Shortcuts" feature that makes your design process more effortless. Just type the "/" symbol on your keyboard, and a popup will appear with almost everything Visme offers. Whatever you need to customize your use case template is just a press of a button away.
As you build the use case template, remember that this design will be the base for all use case templates in a project. It’s meant to be filled in with relevant data and information in the spaces provided. The section with the requirements list must have enough space to write the content. Think of it like a worksheet that many people will use together or on their own time.
Visme use case templates can be used to create digital documentation for a project, which can then be stored inside your Visme workspace. They can also be downloaded as a PDF file or even printed if your company still requires paper documentation.
The point of a use case template is that it makes use case creation easier. If sections of the template aren’t locked in place, it will hinder productivity as design elements move around and frustrate the user. Visme lets you create branded templates with locked items and text, making it easier to copy and fill in for any number of use cases.
To lock items like labels, text boxes, formatting elements, brand assets, visual and backgrounds, double-click on it and select the lock/unlock option from the dropdown.
Here’s a short video showing how to lock and unlock objects in Visme.
On the other hand, the use case diagram is more complex than the requirements list. Each use case will have a slightly different diagram, so don’t make the diagram template too complicated. Simply include the basics to build upon. Don’t lock elements in the diagram; they’ll need to move around to match the flow.
The Visme flowchart maker is the ideal tool to create your use case diagrams. Choose from a selection of shapes and formatting options to get you started fast. Connect the lines to the shapes in the position and direction you need and customize the flow by dragging lines and shapes accordingly.
Add text inside shapes easily and personalize the font and color. Add relevant icons to help visualize the flow and actions, but don’t overdo it.
Once your use case template is ready, save it as a branded template inside the Brand Kit for that workspace. All team members in the workspace will have access to the template. Starting with a use case template, create a new project file. Add as many templates as you’ll need for the entire analysis inside the editor and assign specific sections to team members.
You’ll have an overview of what’s being worked on and where. You’ll know what’s finished and what still needs work.
Collaborate on the use case strategy together with the Visme collaboration features. Leave comments, add markers and notes for yourself or other team members. Work on the use cases together regardless of where people are. There are no limits.
Alternatively, use the Visme whiteboard to create a use case template to work from. This will be particularly helpful if you’re simultaneously making the use case with a remote team and need infinite space to add ideas and notes as it’s developing.
Share a finished use case template digitally with a live link; the receiver can then download it as a PDF. You can also download it as a PDF and send it to your team as an editable file. Visme offers plenty of options for working as a team effectively and without obstacles.
When creating a use case template, it’s best to follow standardized guidelines from UML. You can design the look and feel of the template however you like, but make sure it’s still easy to use and understand.
Here are some mistakes to avoid:
An excellent way to improve company culture and employee retention is to always look for better communication methods. Not everyone involved in a project speaks the same business or development language. Implementing a use case led approach to project development and analysis helps improve communication because it follows a standard minimalistic design and terminology.
Use Visme to create a use case template that visually complements reports, proposals, roadmaps and plans. Don’t just supercharge project and product development; supercharge your entire content suite.
With a Visme business account, you and your team can create all the visual content your business needs. Plus, brainstorm on an infinite whiteboard and organize files and proprietary documents for your team to access.
We hope your next project goes off without a hitch, thanks to your use case template made with Visme.
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