A User Story is a short, simple, and easily understandable sentence that describes a desired function or goal from the perspective of a user. It serves as a means of communication between developers and stakeholders in agile software development and allows for the formulation of requirements in a comprehensible and traceable manner. The focus is on the benefit for the user and not on technical details. The User Story is a central component of the Scrum framework and is particularly found in the Product Backlog.
Structure of a User Story
A User Story typically consists of three parts:
- The Role (Who?): This describes what kind of user or stakeholder is affected by the function or benefits from it.
- The Function (What?): This describes what function or goal the user or stakeholder wants to achieve.
- The Benefit (Why?): This explains what advantage or added value the function offers for the user or stakeholder.
A commonly used format for User Stories is the so-called Connextra template, which is structured as follows:
As a [Role]
I want [Function]
so that [Benefit]
Example of a User Story
An example of a User Story could be:
As an online shop visitor
I want the ability to filter products by categories
so that I can find the desired product more quickly.
Distinguishing from Technical Requirements
An important feature of User Stories is that they focus on the benefit for the user and consciously leave out technical details. The implementation of the technical requirements resulting from a User Story is the responsibility of the development team and is defined in the form of Tasks that are addressed during the realization of the User Story. This separation of functional and technical requirements promotes the comprehensibility and traceability of requirements and enables a clearer prioritization of tasks in the development process.
User Stories in the Agile Context
User Stories are a central component of agile software development methods such as Scrum or Kanban. In the Scrum framework, User Stories are captured and prioritized in the Product Backlog. The Product Backlog is an ordered list of all functions planned or desired for a product. In the so-called Sprints, time-limited iterations of software development, User Stories from the Product Backlog are transferred to the Sprint Backlog and implemented by the development team.
Creation and Refinement of User Stories
The creation of User Stories is a continuous, collaborative process that encourages cooperation among various stakeholders, such as the Product Owner, the development team, and the end-users. User Stories are discussed and refined during so-called Refinement meetings. Here, the requirements are specified, ambiguities are resolved, and User Stories are broken down into smaller, manageable units if necessary. This process is iterative and is carried out continuously throughout the entire product development cycle.
Acceptance of User Stories
To ensure the quality and fulfillment of the requirements of a User Story, so-called Acceptance Criteria are defined. Acceptance criteria are precise and objective criteria that describe under what conditions a User Story is considered fulfilled. They serve as a basis for communication between stakeholders and the development team and help to clarify expectations for the implementation of the User Story. The acceptance of a User Story takes place during Review meetings at the end of a Sprint, where the development team presents the implemented User Stories and the stakeholders verify the fulfillment of the acceptance criteria.
Conclusion
The User Story is a proven tool for capturing and communicating requirements in agile software development. It promotes collaboration between stakeholders and the development team, allows for clear focus on the user's benefits, and supports the prioritization of development work. By using User Stories, the comprehensibility and traceability of requirements in the development process are increased, and the quality of the developed product is ensured.
