Alternate Path

[Yahya]

Hi:

I have a happy path in my structured scenario and need to to include 2 alternate paths. EA does not seem to allow you to do this.

Is there a way to to include 2 or more alternate paths in a structured scenario

[Paul Lotz]

Sure!

Select the step in the "Structured Specificaton" where you want to have an alternate path.  Click the "Add Alternate Path" button (Ctrl+Shift+N).  In the "Select Alternate path" dialog you can select an existing path or click "new path..." and add a new path name.

For the record, I am using 8.0.864.

Paul

[philchudley]

Paul's is absolutely correct of course here, however may I add, that using the structured scenario editor you cannot create an alternative path off an alternative path.

Personally, I think this is  a good restriction as use case scenarios are intended to be simple, and not overburden with convoluted nested decisions.

Cheers

Phil

[Yahya]

Hi Paul:

Thanks for that, but I am aware that I can add an alternate path at any point in the basic path.

Hi Phil:

I agree that use case scenarios are best when kept simple, but very rarely do you find business processes that are that simple. I understand that a complex business process can be split into more than one use case, but if the alternatives are variations on the same use case (ie: branch off the basic path at a particular point and then re-joins the basic path the basic path frther down the line), is it not more cumbersome to have more than one use case to describe what is basically the same set of actions with variations.

However, if EA does not allow this, then I am restricted by its functionality, but I do think it is a limitation that would benefit from being addressed.

Thanks for your help

[philchudley]

For complex business processes I tend to use BPMN rather that complex Use Case Scenarios.

Alternatively there is always EA's Business Rules Modeller, (however you need the Business Engineering Edition, or Ultimate Edition licence)

Cheers

Phil

[Yahya]

Hi Phil:

Never used BPMN before. I will give it a go, but from cursory research it is very akin to UML. Guess I will have to learn something new but what living without learning.

Thanks for that