Archivists' Toolkit - All Hands Meeting 2004

1

Use Case Method• Vernacular technique for modeling user

requirements. • Tells the story of how a user

accomplishes a certain goal, typically in a system environment

• Necessary, and other (extension), steps for satisfying the goal are described.

• Styles may range from “fat” narrative to “slim” outline

Archivists' Toolkit - All Hands Meeting 2004

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Benefits of Use Cases• Foreground user requirements over

system requirements• Include user population in design phase• Promote earlier and stronger user buy-

in of final design• Foundation for testing• Allow user documentation to begin

earlier

Archivists' Toolkit - All Hands Meeting 2004

3

Three Phase Process for AT

• Straw Man Use Case• Compile and evaluate partner

responses• Construct final case

Archivists' Toolkit - All Hands Meeting 2004

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Proposed Uses Cases (1):Database Maintenance

• Manage user identity / access• Save record• Delete record• Audit Trail• Customize inputs• Customize outputs• Export database contents• Back up database

Archivists' Toolkit - All Hands Meeting 2004

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Proposed Use Case (2):Ingest

• EADs• MARCs• Vendor technical metadata

Archivists' Toolkit - All Hands Meeting 2004

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Proposed Use Case (3):Navigation

• Page records• Search for single records • Search for resources by title,

creator, controlled access term• Search for location of known

resource• Search across all resources

Archivists' Toolkit - All Hands Meeting 2004

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Proposed Use Case (4):Record creation / editing

• Accession records• Location records• Creator records• Provenance records• Description records for collection,

series, file, item

Archivists' Toolkit - All Hands Meeting 2004

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Proposed Use Case (5):Access Outputs

• Printed Finding Aid• EADs• MARCs (collection and item)• OAI DC record• METS• Collection guide• Keyword query across resources

Archivists' Toolkit - All Hands Meeting 2004

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Proposed Use Case (5):Administrative Outputs

• Users and passwords• Number and types of records produced• Database description (records etc.)• Statistical profile of collection• Production reports• Processing plans• Shelf list• Donor list