Comprehensive Guide to Agile User Stories: Crafting Effective Requirements

What are User Stories?

User stories are artifacts of the agile methodology that are short descriptions of a functionality focused on the benefit to the user. Users stories help direct the conversation towards the usefulness of the functionality to the user – instead of focusing on the documentation of that functionality.

In Agile project management, user stories serve as a fundamental component, bridging the gap between stakeholders and development teams. They encapsulate user requirements in a concise, understandable format, ensuring that the end product aligns with user needs and expectations.

Understanding User Stories in Agile

To understand what makes a good user story, we first have to define what a user story is and why we should bother with it.

Definition:
A user story is a brief, informal description of a feature or functionality from the perspective of the end user. It articulates who the user is, what they need, and why they need it, fostering a user-centric approach to development.

Mike Cohn, a well respected leader in agile methodologies, in his article User Stories and User Stories Examples says that users stories “strongly shift the focus from writing about features to discussing them.” That is indeed true and the entire focus of the agile methodology itself: it’s about discussion over documentation.

Structure:
Typically, user stories follow a simple template:

As a [user role], I want [desired action] so that [benefit or value].

This format emphasizes the user, their intent, and the value derived from the feature.

Importance of User Stories in Agile Development

• Enhanced Collaboration: User stories facilitate clear communication between stakeholders, product owners, and development teams, ensuring a shared understanding of requirements.
• Flexibility: They allow teams to adapt to changing requirements, promoting iterative development and continuous improvement.
• Focus on Value: By centering on user needs, user stories help prioritize features that deliver the most significant value to the end user.

 

 

Crafting Effective User Stories

To create impactful user stories, consider the following guidelines:

1. Embrace the INVEST Criteria

A well-crafted user story should adhere to the INVEST acronym:

• Independent: The story should stand alone, allowing it to be developed and delivered separately.
• Negotiable: Details are flexible and can be adjusted through discussions.
• Valuable: It must deliver value to the end user.
• Estimable: The team should be able to estimate the effort required to implement it.
• Small: The story should be concise enough to be completed within a single iteration.
• Testable: There must be clear criteria to verify when the story is complete.

2. Incorporate Acceptance Criteria

Acceptance criteria define the conditions under which a user story is considered complete. They provide clear, testable requirements, ensuring that the developed feature meets user expectations.

Example:

As a registered user, I want to reset my password so that I can regain access to my account if I forget it.

Acceptance Criteria:

• The user receives a password reset link via their registered email.

• The link expires after 24 hours for security purposes.

• The user can set a new password that meets complexity requirements.

3. Prioritize User Stories Effectively

Not all user stories hold equal importance. Utilize prioritization techniques, such as the MoSCoW method (Must have, Should have, Could have, Won’t have), to determine the order in which stories should be addressed.

User Story Examples

1. For example: As an admin user I want the ability to view the ACH Batch report so that I can reconcile the ACH transactions.

• As a branch user, I want to be able to create a new loan application by entering the member ID of an existing member, so that I do not have to re-key the member’s personal information.
• As a logged in user, I want to see my data usage statistics when I access my account, so that I can know how much data I have left for the billing period.
• As a friend user, I want to view the map pins for all the travel sites my friend has tagged in the TravelTogetherApp, so that I can see all the places my friend has been.

Using Acceptance Criteria  in your user stories

The acceptance criteria adds the detail to test the user story and helps the developers understand what conditions must be present for the user story to be considered done.

Let’s revisit the user story example above:

As an admin user I want the ability to view the ACH Batch report so that I can reconcile the ACH transactions.

Acceptance criteria for this user story:

1. Given that the admin user is on the admin console screen, when the Reports button is clicked, then display the ACH reports page
2. By default, the ACH report must show the ACH transactions for the last 30 days
3. All account numbers and PII (Personally Identifiable Information) information  must be masked in the ACH report.

 

What’s the right  level of detail for a user story?

A good user story has the right level of detail to make it doable within the sprint. This is highly subjective area however and not an exact science. The right level of detail will depend on the skills of the team and the length of the sprint.

Generally, you do not want one huge story with a lot of complexity. Smaller stories that address one small piece of functionality at a time is preferable. That being said, you may find that the functionalities are so intertwined that it makes sense to keep them together.

There is no set rule, but you can gauge how complex your user stories are by asking the following questions:

Is your Acceptance Criteria too long?

By looking at the length of the acceptance criteria you can determine complexity. If the acceptance criteria is very long and wordy, you might need to break the story up into smaller pieces

Are the estimates huge?

If your team comes back with a large estimate -that’s a dead giveaway! Time to make the user story smaller and more manageable.

Are you explaining a lot in the sprint planning meeting?

If you find yourself explaining a lot on one user story in the sprint planning, then that’s a good indication that the story is too complex. Especially if the team is knowledgeable in the domain and you still have to explain a lot. This means your user story needs to be broken down to the right level of detail or you haven’t written it clearly enough.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

• Overly Vague Stories: Ensure that user stories are specific and provide enough detail to guide development.

• Neglecting User Value: Focus on the benefits to the end user, rather than just system functionality.

• Lack of Collaboration: Encourage continuous communication between stakeholders and the development team to maintain alignment.

Conclusion

User stories are a pivotal element in Agile project management, promoting a user-focused approach and facilitating effective collaboration. By adhering to best practices in crafting and managing user stories, teams can deliver high-quality products that truly meet user needs.

For more on how to write the acceptance criteria watch this video: https://youtu.be/G1BSQVZNzvM

Watch this video for more on Business Analyst Documentation Skills

For more great reads on business analysis and requirements, check out this article on Should the Business Analyst Write System Requirements