Tool Mentor: Using Rational Rose® to Structure the Use-Case Model

Purpose

This tool mentor describes how to use Rational Rose® to document relationships between actors and between use cases.

Related Rational Unified Process activities:

• Structure the Use-Case Model

Overview

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

1.   Document Actor-Generalizations

To insert a generalization from an actor to another actor in a use-case diagram, do the following:

• Select the Generalization arrow from the toolbox in the use-case diagram editor.
• Position the cursor on the actor from which the generalization is to originate in the use-case diagram. Left-click and move the cursor to the symbol of the other actor, and release.

To briefly describe an actor-generalization, do the following:

• Open the Generalize Specification dialog box by double-clicking on the generalization symbol in a use-case diagram.
• The General tab in the Generalize Specification dialog box now appears by default.
• Write a brief description in the Documentation field.
• Click OK to accept the brief description entry, and close the Generalize Specification dialog box.

2.   Document Include-Relationships Between Use Cases

To insert a relationship from a use case to another use case in a use-case diagram, do the following:

• Select the Association arrow from the toolbox in the use-case diagram editor.
• Position the cursor on the use case from which the relationship is to originate in the use-case diagram. Left-click and move the cursor to the symbol of the other use case, and release.
• Double-click on the created association and select the <<include>> stereotype in the Association Specification dialog box.
• Click OK.
• Right-click on the created association, and make sure that the Show Stereotype selection is checked in the shortcut menu.
• The stereotype label can be repositioned by dragging and dropping it in the diagram.

To briefly describe an include-relationship, do the following:

• Open the Association Specification dialog box by double-clicking on the association symbol in a use-case diagram.
• The General tab in the Association Specification dialog box now appears by default.
• Write a brief description in the Documentation field.
• Click OK to accept the brief description entry, and close the Association Specification dialog box.

To change the navigability of a role in a in an include-relationship, do the following:

• Right-click on the association line close to the use case where the navigability is to be changed.
• Select or de-select the Navigable property in the shortcut menu.

3.   Document Extend-Relationships Between Use Cases

To insert an extend-relationship from a use case to another use case in a use-case diagram, do the following:

• Select the Association arrow from the toolbox in the use-case diagram editor.
• Position the cursor on the use case from which the relationship is to originate in the use-case diagram. Left-click and move the cursor to the symbol of the other use case, and release.
• Double-click on the created association and select the <<extend>> stereotype in the Association Specification dialog box.
• Click OK.
• Right-click on the created association, and make sure that the Show Stereotype selection is checked in the shortcut menu.
• The stereotype label can be repositioned by dragging and dropping it in the diagram.

To briefly describe an extend-relationship, do the following:

• Open the Association Specification dialog box by double-clicking on the association symbol in a use-case diagram.
• The General tab in the Association Specification dialog box now appears by default.
• Write a brief description in the Documentation field.
• Click OK to accept the brief description entry, and close the Association Specification dialog box.

To describe the multiplicity of a role in an extend-relationship, do the following:

• Right-click on the association line close to the use case where the multiplicity is to be specified.
• Select the multiplicity from the multiplicity section of the shortcut menu. Values not predefined in the shortcut menu can be specified in the Association Specification dialog box, which can be opened by double-clicking the association.

To change the navigability of a role in a in an extend-relationship, do the following:

• Right-click on the association line close to the use case where the navigability is to be changed.
• Select or de-select the Navigable property in the shortcut menu.

4.   Document Use-Case Generalizations

To insert a generalization from a use case to another use case in a use-case diagram, do the following:

• Select the Generalization arrow from the toolbox in the use-case diagram editor.
• Position the cursor on the use case from which the generalization is to originate in the use-case diagram. Left-click and move the cursor to the symbol of the other use case, and release.

To briefly describe an use-case-generalization, do the following:

• Open the Generalize Specification dialog box by double-clicking on the generalization symbol in a use-case diagram.
• The General tab in the Generalize Specification dialog box now appears by default.
• Write a brief description in the Documentation field.
• Click OK to accept the brief description entry, and close the Generalize Specification dialog box.