Overview

This part of four planned parts of IEC 62559 "Use Case Methodology" defines the structure of a use case template, an actor list and a list for requirements. Increasingly complex systems such as smart grids raise the issue of managing system-level requirements that need to be supported by numerous disciplines (in standardization related to different Technical Committees, TCs), and which need to be further broken down and shared by multiple TCs responsible for specifying standards that support these system-level functions. One way to efficiently handle this transversality is to define common methodologies and terms. Use case methodology is the current state of the art and supports other development activities, for example with UML (Unified Modeling Language). Use case methodology provides a unique way to share ideas and requirements of new use cases or business cases (for example functions, system) between many experts/TCs having different backgrounds: For example, domain experts with knowledge about power systems or business processes on the one hand, and IT experts defining the information exchanged as well as the communication on the other. Domain experts contribute the general ideas and functional requirements in the requirements development process. System experts will detail these use cases down to a level so that they can be used to specify interfaces, dedicated functionality, data and service model exchange as the main goal. However, security or EMC experts (as examples) can also use the described use cases, their terminology and identified requirements. Nevertheless, the starting point is to set a framework for consistency within the IEC that helps IEC members to provide use cases in a consistent manner - this standard shall serve as a basis for a use case repository to collect use cases. Within the IEC a Use Case Management Repository (UCMR) shall be used as a common collaborative platform and to organize the harmonization of use cases to provide widely accepted generic use cases as a basis for further standardization work. The use case template as defined in this document can serve not only for standards development, but also as a helpful tool for realizing projects in complex systems. Likewise, other applications that require the benefits of structured requirements development and formalized description of functionality can make use of this proposed template. The use case methodology must be viewed as a process that begins with defining business ideas, goals, and requirements and details them in use case descriptions. This information can serve as a basis to identify/link reference architectures that describe the types of components used and down to an analysis for the further standardization process. The responsible committee is DKE/K 261 "Systemaspekte der elektrischen Energieversorgung" ("System aspects of electrical energy supply") of the DKE (German Commission for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies) at DIN and VDE.

Document: references other documents

Responsible national committee

DKE/K 261 - Systemaspekte der elektrischen Energieversorgung