Writing Good User Stories (Hint: It's not about writing)

writing goodBuilding Sustainable Agile Solutions

one80services.com | [email protected] | 1-844-80-AGILE.

hint: it not about writing

Andre Simones Nick Kramer

user stories

one80services.com Building Sustainable Agile Solutions

The Agile Manifesto

We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it.

Through this work we have come to value:

Working software over comprehensive documentation

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

Responding to change over following a plan


A Quick History Lesson

I need…

okay, cool.

card

conversation

confirmation

a brief, simple statement from the perspective of the user

a story is an invitation for a conversation

each story should meet all expectations


User Stories

card

conversation

confirmation


Not Documentation

User Stories

a brief, simple statement from the perspective of the user

a story is an invitation for a conversation

each story should meet all expectations

story title

as a <type of user>

I want to <action>

so that <benefit>

www

who

what

why


User Stories

User Stories

story title

a <type of user>

wants to <action>

In order to <benefit>,

ww

wwho

what

why


(Alternate Format)

I

N

V

E

S

T

independent

negotiable

valuable

estimable

small

testable

Follow the INVEST guidelines for good

user stories!



The “Agile Requirements” Hierarchy (Kinda)

Security

Secure Connection

User Management

User Access

LoginForgot

Password

Theme

Epic

Story

Scrum Master

Product Owner

Developers


Who “Writes” User Stories?


Exercise: What’s wrong with these stories?



As a customer service rep, I

need an interface so that I can

access customer data.

As a user, I need to administer

accounts so that I can control

account access.

story one

story two


As a developer, I need to build

a form so online shoppers can

place orders.

As the Product Owner, I want

social networking to be part of

the application.

story three

story four



The user needs to be able to

send messages.

The system needs to route

messages to the recipient

story five

story six



When Should You Decompose Stories?You can’t complete the story in one iteration.

The User Story seems “vague” or can’t be estimated.

A common technique is to split this into two stories. One “research” or “spike” story that is time-boxed and the other story to implement.


User Story Slicing TechniquesOperation or action:

• View • Add • Delete • Modify

Business rules: • Reset password with link • Reset password by answering security

questions


User Story Slicing TechniquesSimple first, more complicated later:

• Create account by entering username password

• Create account by signing in with Facebook

DON’T slice by “system”, i.e. don’t slice “horizontally”.


Definition of ReadyI

Follows INVEST guidelines

Sized by the team

Just enough acceptance criteria

Value is clearly understood

SME contacts

Ready

(Other)


Definition of DoneAutomation done at appropriate levels

All tests pass

User Documentation updated as necessary

Pair programming preferred (peer reviewed at minimum)

Code checked in and associated with item in TFS/Git, etc.

DoneReviewed by PO in integration environment

(Other)

writing goodBuilding Sustainable Agile Solutions

one80services.com

hint: it not about writing

thanks for joining us today!

Andre Simones Nick Kramer

user stories

Technology

Writing Good User Stories (Hint: It's not about writing)