User Stories Robert Dempsey

Robert Dempsey

Robert Dempsey CEO of Atlantic Dominion Solutions Certified ScrumMaster Developer Student Husband and Father

CEO of Atlantic Dominion Solutions

Certified ScrumMaster

Developer

Student

Husband and Father

User Stories: A First Glance

“ represent customer requirements rather than document them.” - Rachel Davies “reminders to have a conversation rather than fully detailed requirements” - Mike Cohn

What’s in a story? Written description of the story Conversations that provide details Tests that define “done”

Written description of the story

Conversations that provide details

Tests that define “done”

A Good Example A user can add his picture to his profile.

A user can add his picture to his profile.

A Bad Example The application will be built using Java.

The application will be built using Java.

Where’s the beef? Write more user stories 1/2 day to 2 weeks coding/testing for 1-2 developers Stay away from epics

Write more user stories

1/2 day to 2 weeks coding/testing for 1-2 developers

Stay away from epics

Our Social Network A user can manage his profile A user can connect with other users

A user can manage his profile

A user can connect with other users

“ ...connect with other users” A user can create a group A user can friend other users A user can start discussions

A user can create a group

A user can friend other users

A user can start discussions

Break em’ down, but... Don’t get too detailed A user can create a group A group can have a name A group can have a description A group can have members

Don’t get too detailed

A user can create a group

A group can have a name

A group can have a description

A group can have members

Who say’s I’m done? Acceptance criteria Test with a blank name Test with names of varying lengths Test with adding a picture

Acceptance criteria

Test with a blank name

Test with names of varying lengths

Test with adding a picture

Where do they come from? The customer writes the user stories Story writing workshops Written at any time during the project

The customer writes the user stories

Story writing workshops

Written at any time during the project

Where do they go? Releases Iterations User Stories

Releases

Iterations

User Stories

And why do I want these? Emphasize verbal communication Understood by suits and techies Defers decisions and details Work with iterative development

Emphasize verbal communication

Understood by suits and techies

Defers decisions and details

Work with iterative development

Spinning Tales

INVEST in your stories Independent Negotiable Valuable to users or customers Estimatable Small Testable * Extreme programming and Refactoring workbook , BILL WAKE (2003)

Independent

Negotiable

Valuable to users or customers

Estimatable

Small

Testable

Independent Avoid dependencies Combine stories Split the stories differently

Avoid dependencies

Combine stories

Split the stories differently

Negotiable Stories are not written contracts Just the right amount of detail Pick up the conversation where it left off Details become tests

Stories are not written contracts

Just the right amount of detail

Pick up the conversation where it left off

Details become tests

Valuable Users vs. Purchasers Avoid stories that Only developers value Focus on technologies Contain UI assumptions Customers write user stories

Users vs. Purchasers

Avoid stories that

Only developers value

Focus on technologies

Contain UI assumptions

Customers write user stories

Estimatable Roadblocks Lack of domain knowledge Lack of technical knowledge Epics Spike Time-boxed story for researching

Roadblocks

Lack of domain knowledge

Lack of technical knowledge

Epics

Spike

Time-boxed story for researching

Small “ Story size does matter.” Split the biggies (epics) Compound vs. Complex Put the spike to a separate iteration Combine the smallies

“ Story size does matter.”

Split the biggies (epics)

Compound vs. Complex

Put the spike to a separate iteration

Combine the smallies

Testable Tests define done Nonfunctional requirements lead to untestable stories Automate your tests Not all tests can be automated

Tests define done

Nonfunctional requirements lead to untestable stories

Automate your tests

Not all tests can be automated

Modeling (User Roles)

Who wants some? User role “ Collection of defining attributes that characterize a population of users and their intended interactions with the system.”

User role

“ Collection of defining attributes that characterize a population of users and their intended interactions with the system.”

Examples Software developer Designer Marketer Recruiter

Software developer

Designer

Marketer

Recruiter

Modeling Process Brainstorm Organize Consolidate Refine

Brainstorm

Organize

Consolidate

Refine

Organize Undergrad Senior developer Junior developer UI designer DB Admin Monitor Marketer Recruiter Networker Admin

Consolidate Member External Recruiter Recruiter Internal Recruiter Admin Senior developer Junior developer UI designer DB Admin

Refine User Role: Recruiter Not very tech-saavy but highly adept at using the Web for research. Will mainly use the site to search for potential job candidates.

Hunt and Gather

Gathering Techniques User interviews* Questionnaires Observation Story-writing workshops

User interviews*

Questionnaires

Observation

Story-writing workshops

Prototype Home Page Latest Activity Members Forum Sign up Signup fields User Login Account info Search Members Search fields Forums List forums Search Results List of matching members Post Events Event fields

User Stories A Recruiter can search for members A Recruiter can view results of a member search A Member can post to the forums A Member can create an event

A Recruiter can search for members

A Recruiter can view results of a member search

A Member can post to the forums

A Member can create an event

User Proxies

User Proxies The users’ manager A development manager Salespersons Domain experts The marketing group Former users Customers Trainers and tech support Business/Systems analysts

The users’ manager

A development manager

Salespersons

Domain experts

The marketing group

Former users

Customers

Trainers and tech support

Business/Systems analysts

Acceptance Tests

Acceptance Testing Details = tests Write tests before coding Have the customer write the tests Tests should add value and clarification Automate, automate, automate UI, usability, performance, stress

Details = tests

Write tests before coding

Have the customer write the tests

Tests should add value and clarification

Automate, automate, automate

UI, usability, performance, stress

Guidelines

Guidelines Start with goal stories Slice the cake Write closed stories Put constraints on cards Size the story to the horizon Keep the UI out as long as possible Some things aren’t stories *User stories applied for agile software development , MIKE COHN (2004)

Start with goal stories

Slice the cake

Write closed stories

Put constraints on cards

Size the story to the horizon

Keep the UI out as long as possible

Some things aren’t stories

Guidelines Include user roles in the stories Write for one user Write in active voice Customer writes Don’t number story cards Don’t forget the purpose *User stories applied for agile software development , MIKE COHN (2004)

Include user roles in the stories

Write for one user

Write in active voice

Customer writes

Don’t number story cards

Don’t forget the purpose

Resources

Resources Story Writing Workshop: agiledevelopmentwithscrum.com

Story Writing Workshop: agiledevelopmentwithscrum.com

Contact Rob http://adsdevshop.com http://blog.adsdevshop.com http://twitter.com/rdempsey http://linkedin.com/in/robertwdempsey http://agiledevelopmentwithscrum.com

http://adsdevshop.com

http://blog.adsdevshop.com

http://twitter.com/rdempsey

http://linkedin.com/in/robertwdempsey

http://agiledevelopmentwithscrum.com

Thank you