Writing User Stories

epics-vs-stories-agile-development.png

Why user stories

  1. Stories keep the focus on the user
    • Unlike to-do lists that focus on tasks and their completion, user stories keep the team focused on solving problems for real users
  2. Stories enable collaboration
    • With the end goal, the team can work together to decide how to best serve the user and meet that goal
  3. Stories drive creative solutions
    • Encourages the team to think critically and creatively about how to best solve the end goal
  4. Stories create momentum
    • Stories are small enough to complete in one sprint, giving the development small wins for each story they complete

How to write user stories

  1. Definition of done
    • Define when a user can complete the outlined task
  2. Outline subtasks or tasks
    • Specify steps to complete and who is responsible for each
  3. User personas

  4. Ordered Steps

  5. Listen to feedback

  6. Time
    • Stories should be completable in one sprint
    • Break a story down if it takes weeks or months. You can also make it an epic

Template of a user story

"As a [persona], I [want to], [so that]"

  1. As a [persona]
    • Who you are building for
    • Give him/her a name like Jack
    • Interview people like Jack to understand how they work, how they think and what they feel
  2. [Want to]
    • Describe the intent of the persona and what they are trying to achieve
    • This is not a feature or an implementation, it is the end goal for the user
  3. [So that]
    • What's the overall benefit of what they are trying to achieve
    • What is the big problem that needs to be solved?

References

  1. https://www.atlassian.com/agile/project-management/user-stories
  2. https://www.visual-paradigm.com/guide/agile-software-development/what-is-user-story/
  3. https://www.productplan.com/glossary/user-story/
  4. https://www.productplan.com/learn/what-is-product-development/