Document: uc-buy-item-under-auction.htm

Date: 30 May, 2001; Author: Shane Sendall (LGL-DI-EPFL)

Auction System

Use Case: buy item under auction

 

Scope: Auction System

Level: User Goal

Intention in Context: The intention of the Customer is to follow the auction, which may then evolve into an intention to buy an item by auction, i.e., he/she may then choose to bid for an item. The Customer may bid in many different auctions at any one time. (Also the actor Participant means the Seller and all the Customers that are joined to the auction).

Primary Actor: Customer

Precondition: The Customer has already identified him/herself to the System.

Main Success Scenario:

Customer may leave the auction and come back again later to look at the progress of the auction, without effect on the auction; in this case, the Customer is required to join the auction again.

1. Customer searches for an item under auction.

2. Customer requests System to join the auction of the item.

3. System presents a view of the auction* to Customer.

Steps 4-5 can be repeated according to the intentions and bidding policy of the Customer

4. Customer makes a bid on the item to System.

5. System validates the bid,
records it,
secures the bid amount from Customer's credit (BR-xx**),
releases the security on the previous high bidder's credit (only when there was a previous standing bid),
informs Participants of new high bid,
and updates the view of the auction for the item* with new high bid to all Customers that are joined to the auction.

Customer has the high bid for the auction

6. System closes the auction with a winning bid by Customer.

Extensions:

2a. Customer requests System not to pursue item further:

2a.1. System permits Customer to choose another auction, or go back to an earlier point in the selection process; use case continues at step 2.

3a. System informs Customer that auction has not started: use case ends in failure.

3b. System informs Customer that auction is closed: use case ends in failure.

4a. Customer leaves auction:

4a.1a. System ascertains that Customer has high bid in auction:

4a.1b. System ascertains that Customer does not have high bid in auction: use case ends in failure.

4||a. Customer requests System to post a message to auction and provides the message content*.

4||a.1. System informs all Participants of message; use cases continues from where it was interrupted.

5a. System determines that bid does not meet the minimum increment (BR-xx**):

5a.1. System informs Customer; use cases continues at step 4.

5b. System determines that Customer does not have sufficient credit to guarantee bid:

5b.1. System informs Customer; use cases continues at step 4.

6a. Customer was not the highest bidder:

6a.1. System closes the auction; use case ends in failure.

Notes:

* normally a hyperlink to the document that contains data details and formats.

** normally a hyperlink to a document that contains business rules.

Auction Use Cases | Auction Description