User stories are short, simple descriptions of a feature told from the perspective of the end user. They are typically used in agile software development methods to facilitate communication between users, designers, and developers. User stories are written on index cards or paper and include the story, any additional notes, and test cases. They should be independent, negotiable, valuable, estimatable, small, and testable. The user story process involves discussion and editing by stakeholders, acceptance by product owners, and creation of work tickets from the accepted stories.