Use Cases
Template Library
Use Cases Template
Describe stakeholder goals, system interactions, alternate flows, failure paths, and evidence produced by the system.
ES-102
Use Cases
User Goals
Template purpose
Use this template to describe how actors interact with the system to achieve goals.
Use cases help connect stakeholders, functional requirements, non-functional expectations, constraints, tests, evidence records, and operational responsibilities.
Project
<Project name>
Document control
| Field |
Value |
| Artifact owner |
<owner> |
| Primary reviewers |
<reviewers> |
| Status |
<draft / in review / accepted / revised> |
| Last updated |
<YYYY-MM-DD> |
| Related Engineering Stage |
ES-102 — Requirements and Constraints |
| Project workspace target |
docs/project-workspace/requirements/use_cases.md |
Use case register
| ID |
Use Case Name |
Primary Actor |
Goal |
Related Requirements |
Status |
| UC-001 |
<use case name> |
<actor> |
<goal> |
<FR/NFR IDs> |
<draft / reviewed / accepted / deferred> |
Detailed use cases
UC-001 — <Use Case Name>
| Field |
Value |
| Primary Actor |
<actor> |
| Supporting Actors |
<actors> |
| Goal |
<goal> |
| Preconditions |
<conditions before use case> |
| Trigger |
<event> |
| Related Requirements |
<FR/NFR IDs> |
| Related Stakeholders |
<stakeholders> |
| Related Constraints |
<C-IDs> |
| Trust / Governance Concern |
<human review, sensitive data, evidence, audit, AI behavior, escalation, privacy, safety> |
Main flow
<step><step><step>
Alternate flows
| ID |
Condition |
Flow |
| AF-001 |
<condition> |
<alternate flow> |
Exception or failure paths
| ID |
Failure / Exception |
Required System Response |
Evidence Produced |
| EX-001 |
<failure path> |
<response> |
<evidence artifact or record> |
AI-assisted behavior
Use this section if AI is part of the use case.
| Question |
Answer |
| Is AI involved? |
<yes / no / unknown> |
| AI role |
<assist / recommend / classify / summarize / generate / route / monitor / none> |
| Human review required? |
<yes / no / conditional> |
| AI evidence produced |
<prompt/output log, review record, evaluation signal, escalation record> |
| Failure or misuse concern |
<concern> |
Postconditions
| Type |
Resulting State |
| Successful completion |
<resulting state> |
| Failed or interrupted completion |
<resulting state> |
Evidence produced
<evidence artifact or record>
Acceptance notes
<Notes for requirements review, testing, or future acceptance criteria.>
Negative or prohibited use cases
| ID |
Prohibited Scenario |
Why Prohibited |
Enforcement Requirement |
| NUC-001 |
<scenario> |
<reason> |
<FR/NFR/C-ID> |
Open use case questions
| ID |
Question |
Owner |
Needed By |
| UCQ-001 |
<question> |
<owner> |
<date or stage> |
Review checklist
- [ ] Major stakeholder goals are represented.
- [ ] Use cases connect to requirements.
- [ ] Alternate flows are considered.
- [ ] Failure paths are considered.
- [ ] Evidence produced is identified.
- [ ] AI-assisted behavior is documented where relevant.
- [ ] Prohibited scenarios are recorded if relevant.
Continue to Traceability Matrix
Connect requirements to source evidence, stakeholders, use cases, verification, and downstream impact.
Open Traceability Matrix →