Case study: B2B e-commerce system specification and implementation employing use-case diagrams, digital signatures and XML

This paper presents a case study highlighting the best practices for designing and developing a B2B e-commerce system. We developed a remote order-and-delivery Web-based system for an auto-parts manufacturing company. The system requirements were determined by interviewing employee stakeholders. An initial scenario of the system was prototyped and refined until the users and developers were satisfied. A formalized specification of the requirements employing use-case diagrams and based on event flow was developed and coded using XML. This helped keep the documentation simple and clear. Testing was performed at the component level allowing for feedback to previous steps when errors appeared. Digital signatures were employed for implementing security. The end product enabled a reduction in the processing time of transactions, reduced processing cost, improved accuracy, efficiency, reliability, and security of transmitted data; and our strategy shortened the system development life cycle.