use case diagram how do it better

Question

hello, my first question is how I can place cases to better readability? I want to make this diagram fit on a A4-sized paper. But I am aware that this diagram may be badly made, so I ask you to advice, maybe I should share on the smaller part?

Answer 1

I think there is too many of use cases. I had the same problem. Try using CRUD - https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=gKHfVZn1CkgC&pg=PA367&lpg=PA367&dq=crud+use+cases&source=bl&ots=g7C2qnzunP&sig=F3OtpNWT29NFyqFvmO-MBtTG98k&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjAmKifh9_OAhWpCsAKHV9pA344ChDoAQg4MAU#v=onepage&q&f=false

Also, you can divide your diagram into few use case diagrams for each actor. Or put all actors on the one side of the diagram and use cases on other. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

You need to to connect a use case only to its primary actor. So eventually you have to create a common role where the UC is used by this common actor role. Then your specific actors inherit from this common one. Like in @Amir's example International Student inherits from Student.

I'd simply up-vote the latter example but it has <<include>>/<<extend>> which is no favorable with use case synthesis. Moreover it uses a generalization which is very bad practice with UCs since a UC represent an individual added value and inheritance from added value does not make sense (unlike in a class context).

Answer 3

I completely agree with the given suggestions (CRUD, inheritance and responsibility by roles) and I additionally recommend not to try to create an overview about the whole universe. Instead, try to separate your use cases into groups based on similarities, differences etc. and explain your modeling on smaller pieces.

Avoid too complex structures and mutual/cyclic dependencies - they are almost always a sign of poor design. Remember, you have to implement and test every connection in your diagram somehow. Less connections, less effort, less errors.

Answer 4

I don't understood your language (In your use-cases). Generally most of time we have some common feature so You can use inheritance in UML diagram. For example if you have different kinds of students (or Actors) that have some common feature you can do something like below picture: