User Stories

 User story is one of the most important tool to think customer backwards. When we decide to build a software solution, it is because the users will be able to do something in future that they are not able to do today. So it is important for the development teams to keep in mind these needs while building the solution. A user story is a very short description of a very specific thing that users need.

 

“Good story conversations are about who and why, not just what”.

Think about any story in general. Any story is incomplete without knowing who the characters are and what is the motivation behind their actions - it can be revenge, love, ambition. Similarly a user STORY is incomplete without knowing the exact person whose needs we are trying to fulfil and why it is their need.

 

“User stories are not the written form of requirements…The real goal of using stories is shared understanding.”

This is the most common mistake most of us make – treating stories as requirements. However, it is tool to foster shared understanding. User stories are usually written on a card because they are not meant to be exhaustive. These are meant to be a reminder for the team on what they ‘discussed’ - a very brief highlight of the conversation.

 

Then how do we remember the conversations? Written words, though very effective sometimes lead to miscommunication or gaps in understanding. Drawings, flowcharts, photographs, meeting recordings are some of the tools we can use to remember better.

“Talk, sketch, write, use sticky notes and cards, and then photograph your results. Even better, shoot a short video of you talking through what’s on the board. You’ll remember lots of details in a remarkable depth that you could never possibly document.”

 

All quotes are from User Story Mapping by Jeff Patton.

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