On the Relationship between use-case maps and Message Sequence Charts

The time it takes to develop telecommunication standards must be reduced to allow companies to get features to the market faster. In order to achieve this objective, a process based on the combination of a set of modeling techniques has been proposed by Nortel Networks in the context of the Wireless Intelligent Network (WIN) standard development. This process combines the use of standard notations like Message Sequence Charts (MSC), Specification and Description Language (SDL), Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1), and Tree Tabular Combined Notation (TTCN). It also includes the use of Use Case Maps (UCM), a graphical high level scenario modeling technique, for stage one user requirements descriptions. UCM, which is not yet a standard, is going to be proposed as a candidate solution when ITU-T Study Group 10 meets later this year to consider Question 12/10 URN: User Requirements Notation. In this paper, we introduce the UCM modeling technique, and discuss the relationship between UCM and MSC. Moreover, we define a transition that allows moving from UCM to MSC in a systematic and traceable manner.