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![Acceptance Criteria
→ Easiest format to remember:
→ Given that [someone wants to do something]
→ When s/he [performs action]
→ Then [something happens that can be verified]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/writingbetteruserstoriesacq-160131205530/85/Writing-better-user-stories-33-320.jpg)
![Best Practices: Tracer Bullet
→ Narrow slice through layers of an epic
→ Single focused goal
→ Solve key architecture or design issues
→ Could be [the basis of] deliverable code](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/writingbetteruserstoriesacq-160131205530/85/Writing-better-user-stories-44-320.jpg)
Uploaded byChris Urban
Writing better user stories
The document provides guidance on writing effective user stories in Agile software development. It discusses the purpose of user stories to define business value and work in small chunks. Key aspects of a user story like the three Cs (card, conversation, confirmation) and three Vs (vision, value, verbiage) are covered. The document emphasizes writing stories from a user's perspective using personas, clearly defining goals and acceptance criteria to avoid being "template zombies." It also discusses epics, spikes, tracer bullets and other Agile concepts to help structure work.
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Writing better user stories
- 1. Get it Writethe First Time Writing Better User Stories Chris Urban, Engagement Manager chris.urban@acquia.com @_urban_ d.o:urbanlegend
- 3. Overview → Agile 101 → Purpose ofUser Story → Three C’s and three V’s → Basic Template Elements: who, what, why → Acceptance Criteria and Testing Notes → Simplifying Stories → Epics, Spikes, Tracer Bullets
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- 5. Agile Manifesto 101 Individuals & Interac0ons Process & Tools Working So8ware Comprehensive Documenta0on Collabora0on with Customer Contract Nego0a0on Responding to Change Following a Plan
- 6. Why do weneed User Stories? → Define Business value → Work within current conditions only → Avoid clarity and completeness → Divide work into digestible chunks hCp://sta0c.guim.co.uk/sys-‐images/
- 7. User Story Purpose– Kent Beck User stories are called user stories because this is how they are supposed to be used. → Tell a story about what software does. → Generate a productive discussion with interest and vision → Agree on how to know when software is done hCp://cache.boston.com/resize/bonzai-‐Ja/Globe_Photo/2008/04/21/1208810294_9299/499w.jpg
- 8. User Story Process– Ron Jeffries → Cards § For each thing you want software to do, write that down on an index card
- 9. User Story Process– Ron Jeffries → Conversation § Reconcile what the person writing the story and the person building it both understand § Discuss to discover different interpretations § Clarify and refine the story § Discuss to explore solution scenarios
- 10. User Story Process– Ron Jeffries → Confirmation § Once it is built, how do you check that it’s done? § Check against a list of things (acceptance criteria) § Demonstrate functionality
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- 15. Product Owners → VISION –Define the goals for the product → VALUE – What is it worth to the business → VERBAGE – Business language and logic
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- 17. Template Zombies –Tom DeMarco → The project team allows its work to be driven by template instead of by the thought process necessary to deliver products. → The value of writing user stories is not what’s written down, it is what we learn as we tell the story. → Think about the core value the story helps to achieve
- 18. Best Practices → Don’t bea template zombie – think about the story, not the template → Personas → Define goals clearly → Simplify the story Let’s look at examples!
- 20. User Stories: Example → Asa user I want the site to use minified .js
- 21. User Story Template WHO → Personas- not just a ‘user’ but a broader kind of user § Business customer, Stakeholders § Anonymous users, authenticated users § Specific use case if it helps to explain the story better § Content editor, content creator
- 22. User Story Template WHAT → Explainsthe desired end result or the task to be accomplished → Basic tasks → Underlying systems and services → UI and UX → Understanding process
- 23. User Story Template WHY(Who cares?) → Why should a user care? → Why does the company care? → Why should other users care? → Why should stakeholders care? → Align the story with a core theme based on business model and process – what does this help achieve?
- 24. User Story Template Otherthings to think about: → What happens when things go wrong? → Question your assumptions → Question technical assumptions
- 25. Writing better userstories → Who: Using personas instead of “user” → What: Clearly define stories → Why: Use relevant drivers that everyone can relate to → What is the reason for this story? The core purpose? As a user, I want the site to use minified js.
- 26. Define the goalof the story → The WHAT of the story should define the goal, not the solution. → Clearly understood definition of done. As a fan of customer.com, I want the site to use minified js to load faster.
- 27. Define the goalof the story → The WHAT of the story should define the goal, not the solution. → Clearly understood definition of done. As a fan of customer.com, I want the site the home page to use minified js to load in under 5 seconds.
- 28. Writing clear userstories → Avoid the use of ‘and,’ ‘or,’ ‘but’ → Avoid the use of limiters: ‘unless,’ ‘until,’ ‘without,’ and ‘except’ As a fan of customer.com, I want the home page to load in under 5 seconds unless on a mobile device.
- 29. Explain in simplestterms → Learn and understand the core business drivers: § Revenue § Quality § Customer Experience § Other Business Goals As a fan of customer.com, I want the home page to load in under 5 seconds so that I’m not easily distracted and leave the site.
- 30. So many acronyms SMART– Acronym #1 → Specific? → Measureable? → Achieveable? → Relevant? → Time-boxed? As a fan of customer.com, I want the home page to load in under 5 seconds so that I’m not easily distracted and leave the site.
- 31. So many acronyms INVEST– Acronym #2 → Independent → Negotiable → Valuable → Estimable → Sizeable → Testable As a fan of customer.com, I want the home page to load in under 5 seconds so that I’m not easily distracted and leave the site.
- 32. More Examples → As auser, I want the site to look like the attached .psd file. → As a Publisher or Reviewer I want the ability to set specific days and times to publish or expire (unpublish) content so that I can automate publishing tasks of time- sensitive content
- 33. Acceptance Criteria → Easiest formatto remember: → Given that [someone wants to do something] → When s/he [performs action] → Then [something happens that can be verified]
- 34. Testing Notes → How willyou validate what was done? → As an anonymous user/content admin → I visit page, click on link, something happens. → Behat Test Writing!
- 35. Other Tips &Tricks → Summary: short & sweet § Instant Release Notes → Labels: another way to organize Stories § Broader themes or groupings → Priorities: Blocker, Critical, Major, Minor, Trivial
- 36. Reducing Stories Down → ConsiderCRUD § Create, Read, Update, Delete → Consider Personas § Users, Content Editors, Administrators → Consider Business Value § Logic, Added Value, New Product
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- 38. Epic Organization → Section ofa site → Loose group of associated tickets → Key deliverable in a site
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- 40. Epic Organization → Theming § New Subtheme → Integrations § Integration – Salesforce → Functions § Function – User Profile → Setup § Setup – Automated Testing → UX § UX – Global Navigation → News Releases → Front Page → Photo Gallery → Contact Form 1.0 → Events Calendar 1.1 → Product Page 2.0
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- 42. Best Practices: Spikes → Researchtask → Usually timeboxed → Answers if something is possible → Not deliverable code, but throwaway work
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- 44. Best Practices: TracerBullet → Narrow slice through layers of an epic → Single focused goal → Solve key architecture or design issues → Could be [the basis of] deliverable code
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- 47. Sub-Tasks → Useful to helpkeep track of process or workflow-related issues § Tracking external review teams § Tracking priorities among tickets § Announce need for a check-in meeting § Reminder to create QA test script
- 49. JIRA Components → Associate withcontent types “Content: Article” → Organizes tickets to optimize traceability → Subset QA Testing → Utilize general use cases “Content Editing,” “Image Editing” → Add others based on Epics “Analytics,” “Advertising,” “Metadata,” “Global Menu,” “Footer”
- 50. What You Learned → AgileManifesto → Not to be a Zombie → User Stories: 3Cs and 3Vs → User Stories: SMART INVESTING → How to Simplify & Clarify → Personas → Epics → Spikes → Tracer Bullets → Use Components → Sub-Tasks → Other tips & tricks
- 51. Questions? Chris Urban, EngagementManager chris.urban@acquia.com @_urban_ d.o:urbanlegend