User stories are a key part of agile software development and design. They help capture what a user wants to do as part of the overall functionality of a product or system. User stories follow a simple template structure:
“As a [type of user], I want [an action] so that [a benefit/value].”
This template is helpful for clearly articulating a user need in a simple, concise way. The three important elements of a user story are often referred to as the “three C’s”:
Card
The “card” refers to the actual user story artifact or card. This is where the user story is written down in the standard template structure shown above. User story cards are physical index cards or digital equivalents like stickies on a board. They enable agile teams to easily move stories around to re-prioritize and group them together.
Conversation
The “conversation” emphasizes that user stories are not meant to be full specifications or every detail about a feature. They capture just enough information for a developer to estimate the work involved and have an initial conversation about the details when starting work. The details are clarified through an ongoing team conversation.
Confirmation
The “confirmation” refers to defining and understanding how to confirm when a user story is complete. This is captured in terms of acceptance criteria – the conditions of satisfaction that must be met to confirm the story is working as expected. Acceptance criteria flesh out the specifics not captured initially in the high-level user story.
Key Benefits of User Stories
Using user stories and the three C’s offers some key benefits for software teams:
Focus on the User
User stories always map work back to user needs and goals. This aligns well with agile principles of delivering value to customers.
Small, Manageable Work Items
User stories break down big requirements into small, manageable chunks of work that can be completed in one development cycle. This works well with agile sprints and iteration.
Conversations About Details
The emphasis on conversation means details are handled at the last responsible moment in agile. Teams don’t waste time upfront defining every minute requirement.
Clear Completion Criteria
Acceptance criteria provide clarity on when a user story is complete and working as expected to meet the user’s needs.
Prioritization
User stories are independent and can be re-prioritized as needed. This allows the team to focus on the most important work first.
Estimation
The simplified user story format makes them easier to estimate than detailed specifications documents.
Progress Tracking
Teams can track progress by counting completed user stories in each sprint or iteration.
Best Practices for Writing User Stories
Some key best practices will help you write better user stories that incorporate the 3 C’s:
Keep User Stories Small
User stories should capture a small, discrete piece of functionality that can be completed in one sprint. Larger stories should be broken down into multiple smaller ones.
Use the Standard Template
Sticking to the standard user story template (“As a …, I want …, So that …”) keeps them structured and consistent.
Focus on Primary User Role
Identify the primary user profile and their goal for each user story. It’s okay to have multiple personas, but stick to one per story.
Define Acceptance Criteria
Provide clear acceptance criteria so the team understands what “done” means for each story.
Prioritize Stories
Work with the product owner and team to rank user stories based on importance and dependencies. This will drive the development schedule.
Group Related Stories
Look for stories that overlap or relate to one another and consider grouping them into larger “epics” for easier organization and estimation.
Don’t Get Bogged Down In Details
Remember – user stories are reminders to have conversations. Avoid trying to put every requirement detail into the written story upfront.
User Story Example
Here is an example of a simple user story for a software application using the standard template:
User Story
As a user, I want to be able to reset my password so that I can access my account if I forget my credentials.
Acceptance Criteria
- There is a “Forgot Password” link on the login page
- Clicking the link takes users to a reset password form
- The form requires the user to enter their email address
- An email is sent to the user with reset instructions
- The user can reset their password by clicking the link in the email
- The new password meets complexity rules
- The user can login with the new password
This user story captures just enough information for discussion between the team without bogging down in technical details upfront. The acceptance criteria provide specifics that must be true for the story to be done.
Prioritizing User Stories
Once user stories are written, they need to be prioritized for implementation. Some key techniques for prioritization include:
MoSCoW Method
The MoSCoW method categorizes stories as:
- Must Have – critical stories
- Should Have – important stories
- Could Have – nice to have stories
- Won’t Have – out of scope stories
Kano Model
The Kano model divides stories into categories based on user delight:
- Exciters – unexpected features that create excitement
- Performance – baseline features users expect
- Indifferent – low priority nice to haves
- Dissatisfiers – problems that upset users
Weighted Shortest Job First
This method takes into account estimates, weights/importance, and dependencies to schedule stories.
Minimal Viable Product
Focus first on the absolute minimum set of critical user stories needed to have a functional product.
Story Mapping
Arrange stories visually along a timeline or story map showing dependencies and priority.
Estimating User Stories
Accurate estimates are important for planning sprints and understanding velocity. Common techniques for estimating user stories include:
Planning Poker
Team members discuss stories and collectively estimate using cards with values like the Fibonacci sequence.
T-Shirt Sizes
Stories are categorized based on relative effort as small, medium or large/extra large.
Ideal Days
Have team members estimate stories in ideal days if there were no interruptions or distractions.
Comparative
Estimate new stories relative to old stories already completed by the team.
Disaggregation
Break stories down into tasks and estimate those, then sum the results.
Tools for Managing User Stories
There are many helpful tools and software applications for working with user stories in agile development:
Physical Tools
- Index cards
- Sticky notes
- Whiteboards
Digital Tools
- JIRA
- Trello
- Pivotal Tracker
- Azure DevOps
- Github
- Rally
Physical and digital tools each have their own advantages. Physical index cards make capturing, discussing and reorganizing stories very easy during agile ceremonies like sprint planning.
Digital tools allow you to easily duplicate, share, attach details and record estimates for stories. They provide enhanced visibility and reporting capabilities to track progress.
Common Challenges with User Stories
Some common challenges teams face when creating user stories include:
Inconsistent Granularity
It’s hard to strike the right level of detail – some stories end up too large while others are too fine-grained.
Missing Information
Stories are often vague or lacking details like acceptance criteria, prerequisites, edge cases, etc.
Unclear Roles
Failing to define the user profile for each story makes them ambiguous.
Difficult Estimation
Teams struggle to estimate size for user stories written at too high a level.
Lack of Prioritization
Failing to properly prioritize stories based on business value leads to wasted effort.
Technical Debt
Technical infrastructure, architecture, or refactoring stories are often missing.
Obsolete Stories
Old low-value stories accumulate without being removed from the backlog.
Tips for Managing User Story Challenges
Some tips for effectively managing user stories include:
- Break large stories down into smaller, more manageable chunks
- Refine and clarify vague stories during backlog grooming
- Get agreement on definitions for t-shirt sizing estimates
- Prioritize frequently based on business value
- Set up a definition of ready to ensure quality
- Create spike stories for technical analysis or unknown work
- Refine stories with more details during sprint planning
- Clearly define actor for each story
- Build trust and collaboration between team members
Conclusion
User stories are a simple yet powerful tool for capturing requirements from an end-user perspective. Following the 3C approach – card, conversation, and confirmation – ensures user stories are effective at driving collaboration and delivering real value. Keeping them small, structured and focused on priority helps agile teams plan iteratively and adapt quickly to changing needs. User stories exemplify the agile mindset of “working software over comprehensive documentation”. They allow you to start developing immediately and fill in details just-in-time as needed. With practice, user stories become a cornerstone of iterative delivery for successful agile teams.