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156 Big Data Analytics for Connected Vehicles and Smart Cities Transportation Use Cases 157

Figure 8.1 Word cloud for Chapter 8.

8.3 Introduction

On first approach, the term use case can be daunting. However, it is a term that
is a widely used in software and system engineering. Use cases have also been
adopted in big data and analytics practice, making it worthwhile to become
familiar with the term. Furthermore, use cases can be used in effectively in
smart city planning and implementation to guide the application of big data
and analytics techniques. This chapter provides an overview of the use case as
applied to smart cities. The intention is to explain the definition of a use case,
illustrate how use cases are applied in practice, and provide some examples of
smart city transportation use cases. These examples are not intended to be a
complete or comprehensive catalog of all use cases that could be identified and
defined for a smart city. Specific use cases that are applicable to a smart city will
vary according to smart city needs and the smart city departure point and will
be customized to individual smart city initiatives.
The application of big data and analytics to transportation within the city
is a relatively new area, and it is hoped that the provision of these illustrations
and examples will stimulate detailed thinking that will lead to the definition
of a wider range of use cases. This chapter adopts a standard format for the
documentation of use cases. It does not follow the rigorous system or software
engineering format but is tailored to the needs of smart city transportation
services. The focus is on linking the objectives or questions to be answered
with the analytics that support the attainment of objectives. Sixteen smart city
transportation use cases have been identified, described, and explained. Each
use case is related to an initial set of objectives, and the intended user of the