Use Case Diagram is used as a component in Hotel Management Systems to demonstrate the relationship between user and system. It also identifies issues and requirements of the system by explaining its functions. The diagram has challenges such as balancing system complexities, changing requirements and user needs, and issues- related to the Legacy system and technological constraints. It has a significant role in enhancing the Hotel Management System as it analyses the system to clarify, identify and organize an effective system.
Use Case Diagram For Hotel Management Systems
The Use Case diagram is an effective tool for Hotel Management System as it includes project functions using cases, actors, as well as connections among them. It interprets the entire function in terms of developing the system. It is also used to demonstrate the behavior’s of Hotel management Systems. In Hotel Management System, the Use Case Diagram allows the admin to understand the requirements of customers and create a smooth transaction with them.
Related:- Layout Of Housekeeping Department for Medium Sized Hotels
Key components of Use Case Diagram
The main components of the diagram involve specific factors such as the relationship, actors, use cases, as well as the system itself. It efficiently works with UML or “Unified Modeling Languages” which include activity, class, sequence, component diagrams, and deployment.
Use Case Diagram Notation
The notation of using Use Case Diagram is an indicator that aims to connect the arrowhead lines to illustrate the direction of control. It aims to describe the main principles of the diagram. The process requires an admin to deliver customers’ basic information for smooth transactions.
Types of Actors and use cases for Hotel Management Systems
The actors and use cases can be classified by different types. The actors of this diagram are classified into two different genres such as primary actor or active actor and secondary actor or passive actor. On the other hand, the use cases can be classified into two types include “Business Use Cases” and “System Use Cases”.
Benefits of Use Case Diagram for Hotel Management Systems
- Improving communication and collaboration among stakeholders
Use Case Diagram is considered to be an essential tool for communication and collaboration among stakeholders. It helps to visualize the use cases and creates an implicit understanding among stakeholders as it facilitates to conduct of negotiation and ensures shared understanding.
- A clear understanding of requirements and functionalities
The diagram plays an important role to help developers in the entire management system. It analyses the system and overall system functions to determine the requirements for development. Use Case Diagram provides a clear understanding of the existing system and requirements for development by analyzing overall functions.
- Easy identification of potential risks and issues
The key role of Use Case Diagram in management is to describe the potential issues and challenges based on the problem statement. It is the most comprehensive technique in businesses to identify issues and requirements in the existing system.
- Efficient allocation of resources for system development and implementation
The efficient allocation of resources in UCD for HMS aims to develop productivity and efficiency in system management. It denotes essential steps that include planning, scheduling, monitoring, and evaluating to develop functionalities in the system. It is a strategic approach to implement. “Use Case Diagram” in HMS as it allows us to understand the ability of the management, outline current resources, access the budget, and develop organizational goals in terms of economic growth.
Developing UCD in HMS
- A step-by-step process for developing Use Case Diagram
The steps mentioned below can help to portray a Use Case Diagram in Hospital Management Systems:
Step 1:- Beginners need to have a clear idea about the “Use Case Diagram” and “Use Case Diagram Symbols” and familiarise with the symbols
Step 2:- Next step is to determine the system process which includes the activities of the hotel
Step 3:- It is an important step as it aims to analyze the use cases. It requires general information and general use cases to be evaluated
Step 4:- The final step is to draw the “Use Case Diagram” where users, use cases, containers and their indicators are highly required. In this step, evaluating the use cases from users is the first thing that is needed to be done. Then determining the places of user involvement and separating the objects in plotted diagram need to be done. Then put the use cases of the HMS and the final thing is to create a connection between the user and the system.
- Identifying system boundaries and Actors
The diagram helps to identify the issues as well as the requirements. The actors of the diagram set the boundaries for development based on the budget. It identifies boundaries by separating the use cases of eternal from actors that are external to the system.
- Defining use cases based on user requirements and activities
UCD interprets high-level functions and the scope of the system for development. It separates all the use cases based on external and internal actors that help to define use cases and their activities. It also analyses the requirements of use cases by designing requirements.
- Creating Relationships between Actors and use cases
The main purpose of the UCD is to create a relationship between actors and cases. It represents the dynamic behavior’s of the system and encapsulates the functionality of actors, cases, and their relationships. An actor takes an important role of a user in the system while modelling and the user can be a human, organization, or machine.
- Reviewing and refining the “Use Case Diagram”
The diagram acts as a visual tool that helps developers and stakeholders to understand the behavior’s of software. A UCD requires different opinions of stakeholders and their reviews to create an appropriate “Use Case Diagram”. It is a significant tool that is used in the hospitality industry for the development and analysis of the existing system of the organization.
Examples of Use Case Diagram in Hotel Management System
- Reservations Management System
Use Case Diagram has a significant role in the “online hotel reservation system” as it is one of the prominent methods to illustrate the process of the “reservation system”. It enables the admin to gather the customers’ info, hotel reservation info, reservation record and other information. ER diagram is an important database that is often used in online reservation systems as it reveals the relationship of the hotel reservation entities.
- Front Desk Management System
“Front Desk Management System” can improve their methods to gather information from customers and can help to fulfil their requirements. On the other hand, it helps to provide rooms and services to customers based on their needs. Thus the importance of this diagram cannot be ignored in front desk management.
- Billing and Payment System
UCD creates an organized billing and payment system by organizing the requirements. The main actors of the E-billing and payment system in UCD are accountants, system users, admin and customers. They perform a different type of use cases in the entire system and facilitates the way of billing and payment.
- Housekeeping Management System
The diagram helps to recognize the role of different components and their relations in the hospitality industry. It provides customers with a smooth performance by tracing customers’ activities.
Best practices for Use Case Diagram in Hotel Management System
- Involving all stakeholders in the development process
The diagram involves all the stakeholders in the development process to gather their opinions in terms of developing the system. It includes managers, users, employees and other members of the hotel to create an appropriate diagram. It also analyses the activities of the employees and helps to analyze their skills for further development.
- Keeping the diagram simple and Easy to Understand
The diagram needs to be simple and easy so that everyone can understand it as the capability of understanding is different for individuals. The diagram needs to be created based on everyone’s perspective for the overall development.
- Regularly reviewing and updating diagrams based on needs
It is important to gather reviews from employees and managers as well as users to update the diagram. Users’ perspectives take a significant role here as they provide the overall behavior’s of the system. Thus, it is important to gather information regularly to update the diagram based on requirements.
- Ensuring alignment with overall Hotel Management Strategy
Use Case Diagram creates an outline of the overall system of management and demonstrates the issues, as well as requirements. Opinions of stakeholders allow aligning the issues and requirements of the system in the diagram for the overall development of Hotel Management System.
Challenges and Considerations for Use Case Diagram in Hotel Management System
- Balancing system complexity and Usability
Use Case Diagram provides an overview of the system from users’ perspectives regarding the behaviour of the system and whether it responds to a request. The complexity of the system can be shown using the diagram and it can be mitigated using proper elements.
- Managing changing requirements and user needs
Use Case Diagram needs to be updated based on the time and demand of customers to reduce the complexity of the system. The changing requirements can be identified by upgrading the diagram regularly. As it demonstrates the relationship between the user and the system thus it becomes easy to analyse the needs of users in terms of developing the system.
- Dealing with legacy systems and technological constraints
The legacy system and technological constraints are the major issues that occur while implementing new software and hardware in the existing system. The legacy system needs to be updated while implementing new technology. On the other hand, it requires an adequate budget to reduce technological constraints, as well as it is important to encourage employees to adapt to new technologies.
Implementation and integration of Use Case Diagram in Hotel Management System
- Considerations for Implementation and Roll-out
Use Case Diagram requires all the information of the system in the hotel management to create an appropriate Use Case Diagram. In this context, use cases and actors are important to analyse the existing management system of the hotel. The most important factor of the diagram is to create a logical connection between the user and the system.
- Integration with other Hotel Management Systems and applications
As covid-19 has disrupted the entire procedure of the hospitality and tourism sector it has become important to integrate Use Case Diagram to develop the entire system. The diagram can be used to analyze products’ design and software development in Hotel Management System to achieve specific goals as it outlines the entire system in the diagram
- Providing training and support for end-users
As Use Case Diagram outlines the entire system of management it becomes easy to recognize the requirements. It enables the organization to provide training and support to its employees. On the other hand, it becomes easy to analyze the skills of employees by creating an outline.