Kill the Troll. Engineering Tale

Disclaimer

This story does not provide a comprehensive guide to killing a troll. In fact, it cannot and should not be used as a framework for planning or analyzing any such activities. The tale is purely illustrative material, meant for storytelling purposes alone. No trolls were harmed – or even mildly inconvenienced – during its preparation.

Introduction

There’s a classic fairy tale about a Small Kingdom, ruled by The King, and its familiar cast of characters: The Prince, The Princess, and, of course, The Troll. In this tale, The Troll plays the expected role of the captor, having skillfully entrapped The Princess – The King’s cherished daughter. Naturally, The King is in despair, torn between his need for revenge and his desperate hope to see his daughter rescued.

As is customary in such stories, The King offers a generous reward for her safe return – most often the ultimate prize of marrying The Princess. However, at this point in the tale, The Prince remains behind the scenes, watching events unfold. Though he is the one typically expected to take center stage in a Princess’s rescue, this time, his involvement is not yet clear. For now, The Prince’s motives remain his own, but if history is any indicator, he will find his moment – driven, no doubt, by the lure of glory, fortune, and perhaps a touch of heroism. After all, isn’t that how these stories usually go?

Note: Each decomposition process begins with a foundational diagram that provides a high-level representation, containing the primary block(s) that encapsulate the core narrative or system functionality.

The scene

Once upon a time, there was a Kingdom ruled by a mighty King. He had a beautiful daughter, The Princess, who was adored for her kindness and grace. She loved to ride her pony through the fields, lakes, and groves of The Kingdom, enjoying its beauty with a carefree spirit.

One day, she took a far and forgotten road and found herself deep in the mountains. To her misfortune, The Troll was there, lurking for prey. By nightfall, her pony returned to the castle, trembling and riderless. All that remained were signs of The Troll, and The Princess was nowhere to be found.

Meanwhile, there was The Prince, charming and brave, who was, by fate, the youngest of his brothers. Being the youngest carried special significance in this tale. Unlike his elder brothers, destined to inherit titles and lands, The Prince had no such certainty. He was free to roam the world but bound to prove his worth through deeds. 

Now it’s the point and time to begin the story telling illustrated with the pictures of uncertain perfection.

Note: An engineering tale typically begins with a scene plot to outline and establish consensus on the product structure. It is important to note that no scene is ever entirely complete. The diagram above identifies the necessary blocks and components that will support the explanation of the problem statement in subsequent steps.

In this instance, three packages are utilized to namespace the Actors and Blocks, while also defining the relationships between them. Additionally, it is worth noting that certain components may not be immediately apparent and require further rationale to fully justify their inclusion. Nonetheless, the diagram itself serves as a foundational tool to introduce and convey the main plot effectively.

The intents

When The King learned that his daughter had been caught by The Troll, he was overcome with despair. In his grief, he declared a generous reward for anyone who could rescue The Princess. But there was a significant challenge: The Troll was no ordinary foe. He was a mighty creature, not one to be swayed by pleas or speeches. Quite the opposite – The Troll was a master of entrapment, a predator who thrived on the misfortune of others. Adding to his menace, he fancied himself a chef, always practicing his «haute cuisine» with a questionable sense of taste. In short, convincing him to release The Princess was simply out of the question.

Meanwhile, The Prince was traveling leisurely across The Kingdom, unaware of the dire situation. His dream was simple: to become a Hero, preferably one who lived to tell the tale, and to earn a reward for his efforts. It must be said that the promise of a reward played a significant role in motivating his potential feats of bravery. Some might call him overly pragmatic, but that wasn’t entirely true. He had simply learned, through experience, that heroic contracts needed very specific clauses. After all, he had no intention of being held liable for any «damages» caused during the act of heroism.

Note: The root Use-Case diagram provides a high-level representation of the core intents and relationships within the system. Its primary purpose is to establish a shared understanding of the problem statement among stakeholders. In the initial stages, it is common for the diagram to feature disjointed actors, reflecting the early, independent roles and responsibilities within the system.

The Story

Part 1. The Best Plan

The King was sleepless, tormented by thoughts of how to rescue his daughter from The Troll. Night after night, he scoured his mind for answers, calling upon all his wisdom, yet no solution presented itself. Sleepless nights stretched on, filled with hard thoughts, but no plan was deemed worthy. Desperation began to cloud his judgment, and in his frustration, The King considered confronting The Troll himself. He even started preparing for the fight, imagining a direct showdown with the vile creature.

But reason soon prevailed. The Troll was no ordinary adversary – it was a cunning, ruthless predator, feared for its immense strength and brutality. Facing it would mean certain death, a gamble too costly for The King to take. The plan was dismissed.

Note: The development of the diagram is an iterative process rather than an instantaneous effort. It involves the continuous collection of inputs and supporting rationale, as well as the refinement of the design by adding, modifying, or removing intents and scenarios as new information becomes available.

Fortunately, The King’s strategic mind had not entirely abandoned him. Despite the mounting pressure, he had the clarity to fall back on a skill he had honed during his reign: risk assessment. With a cool yet sweating head, he tried to weigh the situation rationally and chart a path forward.

SWOT Analysis Table

Note: Although SWOT analysis is commonly associated with business development professionals, it is valuable to understand the principles that guide decision-making within this framework. Without delving into complex calculations of priorities and probabilities, the resulting strategic options can typically be summarized as follows:

1. Delegate the task to experts and ensure the provision of adequate resources.

2. Assume the role of a strategist to lead the mission, avoiding direct combat involvement.

3. Provide specialized tools and support to the team while maintaining a participatory role in the operation.

The analysis brought clarity: fighting The Troll himself was not only reckless but doomed to fail. The King needed a better solution. And then, in a moment of inspiration, the answer struck him: he would find a hero – a champion who would rescue The Princess in his stead. It was the perfect plan. The Kingdom had wealth to spare, and The King was prepared to offer a generous reward for this daring feat. The only challenge would be striking the right deal.

Without delay, The King issued a royal proclamation, calling for heroes across the land to rise to the occasion. “The Princess Rescue Competition” was announced, complete with promises of a grand prize (TBC).

Note: Incorporating new actors is an essential aspect of the decomposition process. By associating actors with specific use cases, the author enhances clarity regarding how the problem statement will be addressed and resolved.

Meanwhile, The Prince – who had been wandering leisurely around The Kingdom – was caught by surprise. His travels, though comfortable, had grown tiresome and dull. A bit of excitement was exactly what he needed, and the thought of a heroic fight sounded promising. In a smaller city on The Kingdom’s outskirts, he overheard a Herald’s booming announcement about The King’s call for a champion to rescue The Princess. The Prince, pragmatic as always, recognized the opportunity immediately.

Note: When a specific use case requires further decomposition, it is standard practice to begin with a Sequence Diagram. However, it is important to include only the actors directly associated with the use case to maintain focus and relevance.

After speaking with The Herald, The Prince wasted no time departing for the capital. The journey was, to his disappointment, surprisingly uneventful – almost boring, really. No thrilling adventures, no highwaymen to thwart, not even a minor storm to make things interesting. Left with nothing but the monotony of travel, he had plenty of time to think about the feat ahead. The Prince, of course, wasn’t a genius – he’d never claimed to be – but he was confident that his natural charm would see him through. Negotiating the terms of a heroic rescue seemed simple enough to him – after all, how complicated could it really be? In his mind, saving The Princess would be straightforward, and the reward would just… happen. What could possibly go wrong?

Note: It is essential to map the intents to the corresponding use cases to ensure a clear and comprehensive understanding of the problem statement by all parties involved. Stakeholders should remain informed of any updates to the solution, while engineers must work within the defined design constraints.

Note: Sequence diagrams, while sometimes simplistic or seemingly naive, are valuable in illustrating the essential communication flows between the parties involved in a use case. They provide a clear representation of the interactions necessary to understand the dynamics of the system.

Part 2. The Deal

The King was quite pleased to find The Prince among the heroes who had stepped forward to rescue his daughter from The Troll’s clutches. A young royal willing to take on such a dangerous task? It was promising, if a little unexpected. The King promptly invited The Prince for a private audience to finalize the details of the arrangement. After all, no feat of heroism could proceed without a proper agreement.

Over the first course of the meal – a modest feast by royal standards – they came to terms. The Prince was granted exclusive rights to the mission of rescuing The Princess. No other heroes would compete, no opportunistic knights would swoop in at the last moment to claim victory. It was a straightforward deal – or so The Prince thought.

Note: Clearly defining and presenting the target data structures at the outset is highly recommended. Doing so facilitates alignment between engineering and other teams (e.g., legal) and provides a shared foundation for decomposing the problem statement effectively.

Naturally, The King made sure to address the risks involved. The Prince might be injured, harmed, or even killed in the attempt, but these were hazards The Prince naively brushed aside. The King, however, was careful to include a particularly important clause: any insurance refunds would only be available as part of the reward itself. In simpler terms, if no prize was won – if The Princess wasn’t rescued – no refund would be given. Failure, it seemed, came with no safety net.

The Prince, with youthful confidence and an abundance of optimism, nodded along to the terms without hesitation. In his mind, the reward felt practically guaranteed. What could possibly go wrong? The King, on the other hand, made a mental note to have his scribes prepare the paperwork promptly.

Note: The requirements specification for the «Rescue Princess» scenario may be defined as follows:

1. The Prince shall independently execute the feat without external assistance.

2. The Prince shall bear all financial responsibilities associated with the feat.

3. The Prince may optionally purchase insurance coverage for injury, death, or loss of property.

4. The Prince may submit an application for an insurance refund.

5. Upon receiving the refund application, The King shall increase the Reward to include the cost of the insurance, provided this occurs prior to the Reward being issued.

During the second course of the meal, The King and The Prince found themselves engaged in an unexpectedly relaxed chat about the sustainable development of The Kingdom. The King, no longer a young man, had grown deeply concerned about the future of his realm. His age had brought with it a sense of urgency to secure not just the safety of his citizens but also the strength of the royal dynasty. For a fleeting moment, they shared a vision of a brighter, safer future for The Kingdom.

It was then that an idea took shape – a plan that seemed to check all the right boxes. By rescuing The Princess and, perhaps, uniting the royal bloodlines, The Kingdom’s safety and dynasty could both be strengthened. A grand opportunity, no doubt, but the enthusiasm in the room faltered almost immediately.

The Prince, for one, was visibly unsettled. While he had no objection to the idea of fighting The Troll, the notion of killing it left him deeply uncomfortable. To be fair, The Prince was brave, perhaps even valiant, but deep down, he was no killer. In truth, he fancied himself something of a performer – a showman with a sword, more interested in the drama of a duel than the finality of a death blow. The idea of assassination sat poorly with him, and it showed.

The King, on the other hand, found himself grappling with a much larger realization: The Kingdom no longer had the power it once wielded. The days of commanding unchallenged dominance through oppression and sheer might were over. Though he didn’t say it aloud, he quietly acknowledged that The Kingdom’s survival now rested on compromise, strategy, and perhaps even alliances. It was not a comforting thought, but it was the reality.

As the course drew to a close, the atmosphere around the table had grown noticeably heavier. The Prince poked at his food, and The King silently mulled over the weight of the decisions ahead. They had a plan, yes – but neither of them seemed particularly happy about it.

Note: The development of the Problem Statement does not require preserving all initial Use Cases in their original form. Instead, it is more effective to align with stakeholders and retain only the essential Use Cases. Additionally, while it is important to document all decisions made during this process, maintaining an up-to-date and concise Problem Statement is sufficient for the majority of the project.

It’s worth mentioning that the dessert was an unexpected triumph, managing to please both The King and The Prince despite the weighty discussions that preceded it. For The Prince, the sweetness of the dish seemed to cast a hopeful light on his future. He could almost picture himself, victorious and valiant, standing before the court with the crown blessing his bravery. It was a nice thought – one he savored almost as much as the dessert itself.

As for The King, the dessert brought with it a much-needed sense of relief. While The Prince appeared preoccupied with visions of glory, The King allowed himself a small smile as a crucial detail finally dawned on him: the exclusive rights granted to The Prince only applied to fighting The Troll. There was nothing in their agreement that prevented him from entertaining offers from other participants for alternative strategies. It was a clever loophole, one that opened the door to possibilities far less dangerous – and far less reliant on a single, overeager Prince.

By the time the meal was finished, both The King and The Prince felt, if not entirely satisfied, at least reassured. The Prince was buoyed by visions of heroic triumph, and The King, ever the strategist, had found a way to hedge his bets. The plan, while still imperfect, suddenly felt a little brighter.

Part 3. The Right Feat

Well, the audience had finally concluded. The feat was agreed upon, the reward was loosely – let’s call it qualitatively – defined, and the deadline was obvious from the start: as soon as possible. The real question, however, lay in what exactly needed to be done and, more importantly, how to achieve the right result.

Note: This marks the stage where the Engineering team becomes pivotal. While the targets, schedules, and rewards are well-defined, there remains a significant gap – no one has a clear understanding of how to achieve these objectives.

The Prince, as we already know, wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about a deadly, head-on fight with The Troll. Unfortunately for him, The King’s expectations were crystal clear: the threat had to be eliminated entirely. Simply rescuing The Princess wouldn’t cut it – The Prince was bound by obligation to prove his success in a way that left no doubt. However, not being a genius or a godlike warrior, The Prince found his options painfully limited. The list of feasible strategies was alarmingly short:

• (a) Reave away The Princess.

• (b) Deal with The Troll.

• (c) Kill The Troll.

Each option came with its own set of complications, pitfalls, and potential disasters. And time wasn’t on The Prince’s side – nobody could predict when The Troll would get hungry enough to turn The Princess into his next culinary experiment.

Note: The Problem Solution is centered exclusively on the necessary use cases, highlighting the desired implementation options. Irrelevant cases should be omitted to maintain clarity, allowing focus to remain on the viable options available for achieving the objectives.

Strategy (a): Reave away The Princess

This strategy seemed the most reliable at first glance. It was straightforward: a simple hit-and-run operation. The Troll appeared to be a lone creature, so an escape plan might actually work. The biggest drawback, however, was that the success of the feat would depend entirely on whether The Troll could later be proven dead. Without undeniable evidence of The Troll’s demise, there was a real risk that all efforts would be deemed worthless, essentially making the feat “for free.”

And then there was the more immediate problem: the chance of getting caught mid-escape. That particular scenario had one unfortunate outcome – an immediate escalation to Strategy (c): Kill The Troll.

Strategy (b): Deal with The Troll

This was, by far, the most complicated and least straightforward option. Communicating with The Troll was a challenge in itself. What would one even offer to a creature like that? And how could anyone ensure the deal was honored? Trolls weren’t exactly known for their diplomatic integrity.

Without expertise in Troll-to-Human negotiations, this approach felt like an enormous gamble. Yet, for some reason, the idea of sticking to traditional deal-making practices gave a faint glimmer of hope. Perhaps, with enough research and an extraordinary amount of luck, some kind of arrangement could be made.

Strategy (c): Kill The Troll

This was the default plan – the one everyone expected, and the one The King clearly preferred. After all, who wouldn’t want to slay a monstrous creature entrapping their child? But as much as it sounded noble, the reality was far less heroic. The Troll was a formidable adversary, immensely powerful, and likely to squash The Prince without breaking a sweat. Winning this fight would require either ridiculous amounts of luck or exhaustive preparation.

Here, we must pause to acknowledge the foresight of The Prince’s parents. While The Prince may not have been a professional hero or tactician, his parents had invested heavily in his education – and thankfully, some of it had stuck. Specifically, he recalled a few tidbits from his Heir Safety course, a mandatory subject for young royals who might someday find themselves in precarious situations like this one.

With these lessons in mind, The Prince wasn’t foolish enough to charge in unprepared. Though he wasn’t an expert, he at least understood how much careful planning and preparation would be required for success. The stakes were high, and The Troll was no ordinary foe. The right strategy would take time, effort, and perhaps a touch of brilliance – or, failing that, a little royal luck.

Note: It is important to note that the Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) serves as a tool to represent the decomposition of threats identified during HAZOP or HARA analysis. While it is feasible to rely solely on FTAs – even without explicitly referencing them – their effectiveness is rooted in the context of a structured safety analysis framework, which includes comprehensive preliminary assessments.

When The Prince finally wrapped up all the boring yet essential calculations – calculations he would much rather have left to someone else – the answer became painfully clear. Charging blindly into battle without preparation was a recipe for disaster. But more importantly, before he could even consider facing The Troll, there was one critical step he absolutely couldn’t skip: carefully reading the fine print in the agreement papers.

As tedious as it sounded, The Prince was no fool (or at least, not entirely). He knew that the “small text” in such contracts often carried the weight of unforeseen obligations, sneaky loopholes, or, worst of all, terms that could leave him heroically victorious yet still unpaid. If he was going to risk life and limb for this mission, he needed to make sure that the rewards – and protections – were all as solid as The Kingdom’s castle walls.

After all, slaying – or sparing – a Troll was one thing. Getting duped by a clause he failed to notice? Now that would be truly embarrassing.

Part 4. The Performance

Being a reasonably smart fellow, The Prince decided to stick with the first strategy: bringing The Princess back home safely without bothering The Troll with his presence. After all, why poke the proverbial bear – or in this case, The Troll – when a quieter, more subtle approach might work just as well?

HAZOP Analysis Table

Note: HAZOP analysis forms the foundation of safety-related work and is primarily reliant on the expertise of the team conducting the analysis. Each industry typically employs its own established framework for performing such analyses, including reference scenarios specific to the domain that must be taken into account.

The Prince’s primary intent, of course, was to prove his manhood in a fight with The Troll. It was, after all, what stories of heroism were made of. But, considering the circumstances, he quickly realized this might be… well, a bit foolish. First of all, he was far from home, which created some logistical issues. He had already spent most of his pocket money on essential equipment, and the only available «road machinery» in those days – a trusty horse – meant that any return trip to gather more supplies would take far too long. By the time he got back, there was a good chance he’d find The Princess already rescued and happily married to some other hero.

Next, The Prince entertained the idea of finding someone who understood The Troll’s language and traditions to help negotiate a deal. However, this idea quickly unraveled when he learned that The Troll had already given the last known troll expert a chance to study its tongue and “inner world”… from the inside. This grim news, combined with The Prince’s distaste for learning foreign languages, forced him to abandon the thought of developing Troll diplomacy from scratch. Besides, the idea of distracting The Troll with polite conversation only to give other heroes an advantage didn’t exactly appeal to his sense of kindness.

This led The Prince to a more promising idea: spreading rumors. He could convince the other heroes that studying The Troll’s language was the best path forward, or even better, that direct negotiation – or battle – was the only way to achieve success. If they believed him and acted on his suggestions, it would buy The Prince time to execute his quieter, less risky plan to rescue The Princess. Surely, The King wouldn’t mind how The Princess was saved, so long as she returned home in one piece. And if The Troll somehow survived? Well, that might even work to everyone’s advantage.

Note: The engineering solution even highly constrained might be not as straight as the stakeholders deserve. The very idea behind the use-cases is to illustrate the approach to the development. Bear in mind that management does not stop thinking about these matters and welcomes easier solutions. Especially if they are not that far from the expectations.

After all, The King wasn’t likely to care about the specifics of The Prince’s tactics – at least not at first. As long as The Princess was back safely and The Prince appeared to have fulfilled his assignment, it would be seen as a victory. Sure, complications might arise later, but for now, the focus was on achieving minimal viable success. Besides that the Royal Marriage was not a part of the contract. Even without the reward itself it was the bird at his hand. And if The Troll lived? Keeping a living, frightening monster in the mountains might be an excellent way to keep any ambitious son-in-law on his toes – and to maintain a shaky sort of peace between all parties involved.

The Prince smiled to himself. With a bit of luck and some careful planning, he just might pull this off.

Note: A sequence diagram does not need to capture every detail of the operation being modeled. In document-oriented design, as in this tale, it is sufficient to convey the overall concept of the operation. While model-based engineering practices exist, it is entirely acceptable to prioritize simplicity in this context. The core element of document-based development is the requirement, and it is more valuable to invest time in crafting clear, well-defined requirements than in creating overly detailed diagrams.

As events unfolded, it became apparent that The Prince’s plan wasn’t as dramatically flawed as it might have first appeared. For someone who had spent most of his life in leisure, he had a surprising knack for putting ideas into action. To his own surprise, The Prince even found that sciences – so often dismissed as the realm of scholars and scribes – could actually be used for something other than boring debates. In this case, they could bridge the gap between two very different parties: humans and a certain troublesome Troll.

The Prince knew his limitations, but he also knew how to interview the right people, assess their skills, and offer them just enough incentive to get the job done. By the end of the tale, he had gone above and beyond: establishing the Escape Troll Charity Fund. Volunteers mapped the mountains, studied The Troll’s habits, and even set up a market where The Troll could barter for his haute cuisine supplies. This creative endeavor not only reduced the threat but gave The Troll something better to do than kidnap princesses.

Of course, this grand achievement didn’t happen overnight. In the beginning, The Prince’s focus was on assembling the perfect team. First, he needed a forester to pave a safe path to The Troll’s cave. Then, a huntsman to keep an eye on The Troll’s movements. Finally, a “marketing team” (or what passed for one in those days) to deceive the other heroes with rumors and send them chasing their own tails – or, better yet, luring The Troll away from the cave entirely.

In the end, it seemed that The Prince’s Ivy League-style education gave him a significant edge over the competition. Armed with knowledge and creativity, he devised a way to rescue The Princess without ever engaging in direct combat. He even had the foresight to bring along witnesses who could vouch that The Troll hadn’t been killed – not because of mercy, but because of the Prince’s “unfortunate bad luck” of not encountering the creature on his journey to the cave and back.

Of course, this explanation had a certain flair to it. We must admit that The Prince’s natural talent for drama – and his passion for crafting a good story – was as vital to his success as his team of experts. The performance was so convincing, in fact, that it earned him not only the admiration of the court but also The King’s approval. The King, impressed by The Prince’s ingenuity (and perhaps a little relieved that the Troll had survived to frighten future troublemakers), declared the feat a success.

In the end, The Princess was rescued, the kingdom’s safety was improved, and The Prince proved that brains (and a touch of showmanship) could triumph over brawn.

Part 5. The Happy End

And so, we come to the Happy End – or at least, the version history has preserved for us. What happened to The Troll, you ask? Well, no traces of it were ever found among the debris of the past. It’s quite possible that Trolls were wiped out entirely by overzealous Princess Hunters during their famous (and often ill-advised) challenges. Or perhaps The Troll simply decided to retire from the chaos, taking its culinary experiments elsewhere. Either way, its fate has long since faded into legend.

As for The Princess, her destiny was far more predictable. She became a wife, and eventually a queen, as the tale required. Those were the times, after all. Nobody asked Princesses for their opinions on such matters – unless, of course, it was about their Christmas gift preferences. Whether she was happy in her new role or simply resigned to it is a detail history chose not to record.

And The Kingdom? Well, like so many others, it met its own ambiguous fate. Perhaps it was eventually ruined by The Troll, or maybe it crumbled under the weight of succession disputes as heirs fought over their share. Or perhaps it was quietly absorbed by neighboring lands, its name disappearing from the maps of the world altogether. In truth, it doesn’t really matter. The Kingdom is gone, its borders erased and its glory forgotten. What does matter is its subtle yet vital role in this tale.

For without The Kingdom – its King, its Princess, and yes, even its resident Troll – this story would never have come to be. It may have vanished from the political stage, but its influence lingers in the echoes of this engineering tale. The Kingdom’s part was understated, even unremarkable in the grand scheme of things. Yet, without it, none of the events we’ve recounted would ever have unfolded.

And so, we leave this story with the only truly happy ending we can hope for: the knowledge that The Kingdom, in its quiet way, left behind a story worth telling.