Use Case Diagrams in Visily

Use Case Diagrams in Visily

Use Case Diagrams show how users interact with a system and its functions. They are useful for capturing requirements, defining system scope, and illustrating user interactions.

Before you start

Make sure you have permission to edit the board and are in design editing mode.

Available Use Case Diagram elements

Open the Use Case Diagram section of the Diagram Library to find the following elements:
  1. Use Case: Represents a function, service, or action provided by the system.
  2. Actor: Represents a user, role, or external system that interacts with the system.
  3. System Boundary: Groups related use cases and defines the scope of the system.
  4. Association Lines: Show relationships between actors, use cases, and other diagram elements. Available association types include generalization, include, and extend.

Add a Use Case Diagram element

You can add an element in the following ways:
  1. From the Diagram Library: Open the Use Case Diagram section, select an element, then click the canvas to add it.
  2. From an existing Use Case or Actor element: These elements work similarly to flowchart shapes. For more information, see Add a flowchart shape.
After adding an element, move or resize it as needed.

Customize a Use Case

A Use Case element works similarly to a flowchart shape. For information about editing its style, text, color, border, hyperlink, and content, see Customize a flowchart shape.

Customize an Actor

Select an Actor element to open its toolbar. The available actions include:
  1. Style: Choose a different visual style for the actor.
  2. Text editing: Change the font and size, apply text styling, and adjust the text alignment.
  3. Change icon: Replace the current actor icon.
  4. Color: Change the actor color.
  5. Hyperlink: Add a link to a webpage, document, or other reference.
  6. Autofill text: Use AI to generate or replace the text content based on your instructions.
  7. Flip icon: Flip the actor icon horizontally or vertically.
  8. Export: Export the selected Actor as an image or PDF, or send it to Figma.
  9. More actions: Access additional options such as align, arrange layers, copy, duplicate, and delete.

Customize a System Boundary

Use a System Boundary to group related use cases and show which functions belong within the system.
A System Boundary works similarly to a container. For more information, see Manage a Container.

Connect Use Case Diagram elements

Use association lines and connectors to show relationships between actors, use cases, and system boundaries.
For instructions on adding and customizing connectors, see Connect diagram elements.


Idea
Tips for creating a clear Use Case Diagram
  1. Name each use case with a clear action, such as “Create account” or “Submit order.”
  2. Place actors outside the system boundary.
  3. Keep related use cases inside the same system boundary.
  4. Use Include for behavior that is always reused by another use case.
  5. Use Extend for optional or conditional behavior.
  6. Use Generalization to show inheritance between related actors or use cases.
  7. Turn on Grid Mode to help align and snap diagram elements into place.

Need more help?
If this does not solve your issue, contact support and include a screenshot if possible.

    • Related Articles

    • Flow Templates in Visily

      This article explains what Flow Templates are in Visily and how to use them to speed up your design workflow. What Flow Templates are Flow Templates are sets of screens grouped into common UX patterns that appear across many products and ...

    • Diagram Elements in Visily

      Use diagram elements to brainstorm ideas, map processes, and model structured systems directly on your Visily board. You can build a diagram from individual elements or start with a ready-made template. Before you start Make sure you have permission ...

    • What you can do with the Visily AI Chat Assistant

      This article gives an overview of how you can use the Visily AI Chat Assistant to support your design process. What you can do with the Visily AI Chat Assistant The Visily AI Chat Assistant helps you generate and refine designs throughout your design ...

    • Prompt guide for the Visily AI Chat Assistant

      Create great designs, diagrams, and images with Visily AI by writing clear, focused prompts. This guide shows you how. 🔑 Golden Rule: Always State the Output Type Clearly specify what you want to generate: UI Screens: Indicate the platform (mobile, ...

    • Class Diagrams in Visily

      Class Diagrams help you model the structure of an object-oriented system by showing classes, their attributes, methods, and relationships. Before you start Make sure you have permission to edit the board and are in design editing mode. Available ...