Scenario Analysis

Reducing complexity to simple sequences

A way of viewing the world

A scenario is a sequence of events Businesses and computer systems can be viewed as sequences of events / activities Sequences interact Life is complicated, but you need a way of finding your way through

Making a cup of tea scenario

Fill kettle Boil kettle Put tea in teapot Pour boiling water Wait for two minutes Pour tea into cup Add milk and sugar

Web ordering scenario

Go to web site Browse catalogue Choose product Give delivery and credit card details Submit order

The 80/20 rule

80% or more of activity is routine 80% or more of the cost of dealing with things is in the 20% or less of non-routine The best way of dealing with non-routine is to turn it back to routine as quickly as possible

What do we learn from 80/20 rule?

Most of the cost of systems goes in dealing with problems A system that does not deal with problems is much cheaper You cant solve all the problems People are better at solving problems than computers, so only deal with common problems in a computer system

Path analysis
Look for the routine primary path first Look for key alternatives next Look for exceptions/disasters next Return all alternatives or exceptions to the primary path if at all possible, as quickly as possible

Primary path
The main path to solve a problem or provide a service Covers the majority of uses (80/20) Is often easiest You work this out first Sometimes known as the happy path

A primary path
Customer orders television Television taken out of stock Customer pays with credit card Customer takes television away

Alternatives
Something that often happens, but leads off the primary path Used less often than primary path Cost as much as primary path, if not more, to implement Aim to return alternative paths to the primary path

An alternative
Television not in stock, so choose:
offer customer an alternative, and customer accepts offer customer the display television with a discount order the television for the customer customer decides not to buy

Exceptions
Like alternatives, but when things go wrong Cost a lot to deal with Sometimes handled better by people Like alternatives, aim to return to primary path if at all possible

An exception
Customer pays by credit card, and credit card refused, so:
ask customer if they have another credit card or want to pay by cash call police if the credit company indicates fraud confiscate card if credit company insists

Is order important?
Often yes Sometimes no, so choose an order to write it down, but indicate where order is unimportant

A sequence in a business process

Deliver goods to customer Issue invoice Accept payment Process payment Clear off debt

A sequence in a computer system

Take user name, password, and validate Display product Take order item and add it to shopping basket Repeat the previous two as needed Display shopping basket User clicks order button and accepts confirmation

The analysis process

Gather primary paths Look for alternatives at each step in the primary paths (and alternative paths) Look for exceptions at each step in devised paths Find steps to return to the primary path wherever possible

Recording analysis
Numbered sequences Hierarchical numbering of subsequences Cross referencing between primary and alternative paths Activity diagrams (see later)

How much analysis?

Look for all primary paths Look for major alternatives Look for major exceptions Keep it simple and short

Scenario Analysis
Breaks complex systems into simple components Provides structure to the analysis Is used as the basis of further analysis and design in the development of activity diagrams and sequence diagrams