PowerPointesitys

1
2nd Nordic-Baltic Conference on Activity Theory
and Socio-Cultural Research Ronneby, Sweden, 79
September 2001 Use Cases as Actions within
Activities Bridging the Gap Between Information
Systems Development and Software
Engineering Mikko Korpela University of Kuopio,
Finland   Anne Eerola University of Kuopio,
Finland   Anja Mursu University of Jyväskylä,
Finland   Abimbola Soriyan Obafemi Awolowo
University, Nigeria This study was partially
funded by the Academy of Finland through the
INDEHELA-Methods project
2
Contents 1. Introduction Individual actions
and collective activities 2. Problem The ISD
SE gap 2.1. The nature of Software Engineering
(SE) 2.2. The nature of Information Systems
Development (ISD) 2.3. The relation between SE
and ISD 3. Solution Interpreting use cases as
actions 4. Guideline for design The
transformation from work development to software
engineering 5. Discussion and conclusion
3

• Introduction
• Leontiev Three-level model
• Unit Directing factor Subject _________
• Activity Object/motive Collective
• Action Goal Individual or group
• Operation Conditions Non-conscious
• Engeström Systemic structure of work activity
• Our version Activity Analysis and Development
• www.uku.fi/atkk/actad

4
The structure of action vs. activity
5
Individual actions merging into a joint activity
Leontiev Individual actions can only be
understood through the collective activity which
they are part of.
6

• 2. Problem The ISD SE gap
• Software Engineering (SE) Product design
  centred
• Studies software processes and software systems
• Stakeholders requirements studied to start a sw
  process
• Practical methods Unified Modelling Language
  (UML) -- use cases, class diagrams, activity
  (task) diagrams,
• Use case a typical interaction between a user
  and a computer system (structured narrative,
  scenario)
• All use cases together external system
  functionality
• Information Systems (IS) Utility centred, usage
  design
• Studies organizational systems of information
  management ( information management activities!)
• Better idea Deal with how manual and
  computer-based information technology is used to
  facilitate work activities
• ISD should be a special case of work development
• Practical methods Business Process Redesign,
  Participatory Design, formal methods from SE
  ActAD?

7
Sample use case diagram, with actors and use cases
8
The core chain of activities around software
development and IS development
9

• IS development and software development are
  linked by requirements analysis
• But their methods of requirements analysis do
  not meet

10

• 3. Solution
• Interpreting use cases as actions
• Use case
• An action or a set of closely related actions in
  which some physical technological means are used
  (not necessarily only IT), and which is a
  necessary part of a systemic work activity
• Performed by one or more actors, acted upon an
  object, directed by a conscious goal, mediated by
  material and immaterial means, and subordinated
  to the overall motive of the activity
• Actions of work (acting upon the object of work),
  actions of coordination and communication (to
  align the actions of work according to the motive
  of the activity), actions of networking (to
  relate the activity with neighbouring
  activities)

11

• Use case model
• A more or less formal description of a current or
  a targeted new use case, which is sufficiently
  accurate to serve as a specification for
  developing or obtaining the technological means
  needed in the use case
• Serves as the basis for creating the instructions
  for the actors to perform the action, and for
  testing that the technological means are suitable
  to the action

12
4. Guideline for design 1. Start by analysing
the network of work activities within the
organizational framework. 2. Zoom in into the
central activity that is to be served by new
software means, and specify collaboratively the
next overall mode of operation as well as the
interventions necessary to achieve
it. 3. Identify the actions within the activity,
and how they should be developed. 4. Describe the
IT-related parts of the new actions as use case
models. 5. Use the descriptions either as a
shopping list or as specifications for a
software system to be developed.
13

• 5. Discussion and conclusion
• In SE, use cases are the bridge between external
  requirements and product development
• In AT-based ISD, actions are the smallest units
  of the IT-facilitated work, which is to be
  developed
• The action use case bridge lets AT-based ISD
  speak to software development in SE language
• Possibly results in more suitable products for
  activity development more users for products
• Means of networking between IT use activities
  IS/work development software development are
  desperately needed this may be one of them
• But limited to the early phase