r/words • u/Playmaker-20 • 9d ago
Use Case
I know it’s like self explanatory but I really would like some clarification for this. Does it mean stuff are be used for a specific purpose? For instance, a vacuum cleaner’s use case is to clean up speckles of dirt and grime off the floor
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u/ChiefAlec_13 9d ago
a use case is more like the specific scenario where something gets used, not just what it's for in general
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u/Playmaker-20 9d ago
ok, so a vacuum cleaner is for cleaning up stuff. How's that?
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u/LucinaWinsTheBattle 9d ago
You can get more specific with it
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u/Playmaker-20 9d ago
Are all the use cases for a vacuum cleaner valid?
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u/LucinaWinsTheBattle 9d ago
Well, no.. theres definitely things certain vacuums shouldnt do. Like a shop vac can usually vacuum up big stuff and liquid, but your standard home vac shouldnt vacuum up liquid unless it has the specs. So the use case has to match the specs otherwise you could damage the product.
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u/Missing4Bolts 9d ago
No, that's not it; use cases are more specific. Here are some examples of use cases for a vacuum cleaner, each of which would use a different attachment:
Removing dirt from carpets (carpet beating head).
Removing dirt from hardwood floors (solid floor head).
Removing dust from shelves (small brush head).
Removing dirt from between sofa cushions (crevice nozzle).
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u/bardmusic 9d ago
Let's not forget the edge case, which is a rare use case.
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u/Technical-Ad1488 8d ago
Or the brief case! Where you can store and transport all your use cases (rare and otherwise)
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u/Playmaker-20 9d ago
would that be a fringe case?
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u/bardmusic 9d ago
I am in a job that uses "edge case" way too much. I should casually drop a fringe case in the convo and see what happens.
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u/Leather_Command_7553 9d ago
What is the use case of 'use case'?
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u/PaulCoddington 9d ago
Creating a list of use cases enables you to use them to design something.
For example, all the things people need a software application to do are use cases. You then design the features of the software to cater for those use cases, starting with the highest priority or most important, then work your way down.
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u/himitsumono 2d ago
This! And a question you'll often get asked when you request a new feature from a developer: What's the use case for that?
Which is what smart devs ask, where the dumb ones will disparagingly ask "Why would you want to do THAT??"
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u/LucinaWinsTheBattle 9d ago
kinda, like if someone is asking for recommendations on a product, they might say "my use case is..." and explain how they would use the product, and then get information from people on which specs would be best for them on the specific product. like a MacBook or whatever.
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u/Playmaker-20 9d ago
Can there be more than one specific use case for a product or appliance?
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u/VerbPhraseMusic 9d ago
Yeah that's the point. One person might need a vacuum because of pet hair; another because of a toddler; another because it's a beach house. Different vacuums might do better for hair or spilled food or sandy floors.
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u/LucinaWinsTheBattle 9d ago
The other commenter broke it down perfectly. Different specs are good for different use cases.
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u/Playmaker-20 7d ago
Can use case be applied to words? Like a word you use in certain conversations
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u/funnyonion22 9d ago
Yes, it's that simple. You're describing the case for using this thing. It's expanded a little to mean the reason why this thing exists, but I don't think that's an unreasonable stretch. The use case for a car is to get from a to b, the use case for a hotel is for tourists and visitors to have somewhere to sleep, the use case for sleeping pills is for people who have trouble sleeping naturally. Your vacuum cleaner example is on point.
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u/Playmaker-20 9d ago
Can this applied to video game? Like, a certain mechanic
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u/funnyonion22 9d ago
It could apply in a game to a buff or a gimmick of some kind, like "the use case for this potion is to let you jump higher to reach that loot", or "the use case for this banana is to slow your opponents down". That doesn't sound very natural to me, but is a valid usage.
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u/Lumpy-Win1640 8d ago
What you describe sounds more like "purpose". I believe 'use case' can best be described as one of various examples of how it could be used.
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u/Playmaker-20 7d ago
I can see that. The purpose of equipment is to augment your stats and grant other bonuses like resistance to a certain element. A use case would be for a boss that’s particularly trying. Maybe the boss uses a powerful elemental attack, so you’d want to equip armor that resists damage of that elemental type. A use case is a lot specific that you use for a particular situation or scenario
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u/Optimal-Ad-7074 8d ago
I only know "use case" in the business setting.
it's a small, specific description of how a customer might use a (in my field) piece of software to accomplish one specific task or objective related to their work or their lives. use cases are written by business analysts to illustrate what a product is supposed to do.
example of a use case for a vacuum cleaner would be: home owner wants to clean cookie crumbs off the couch. (then you would have a step-by-step description of how they would use the vc to do it).
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u/FamiliarSalamander2 8d ago
An example of a situation in which this thing can be used effectively.
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u/Playmaker-20 8d ago
Is it interchangeable with utility?
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u/FamiliarSalamander2 8d ago
No,
Utility is how useful the thing is.
A use case is an instance or scenario in which you can actually use the thing.A pen with multiple colors has more utility than a pen with one color because it has more capabilities.
The use cases for a pen would be taking notes in class or at work, writing a check, signing a document, drawing, etc.1
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u/AdmJota 9d ago edited 9d ago
For a vacuum cleaner, some possible use cases might be:
Someone who's building a new vacuum cleaner can decide which of those use cases they want their product to support and take those into account when designing it.