Use and Abuse Cases

Use Case Modeling (UCM) has become an essential ingredient of computing courses, as it is widely used in object-oriented analysis and design. Although a simple concept, UCM is not straightforward to teach. We report on our experience gained in teaching students as a part of requirements engineering education at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Two case studies reveal a number of problems students have, and we suggest consequent improvements to make in the teaching and assessing our students. We believe these tactics can be equally beneficial to the wider community.