User stories are the most integral part of a feature or a product that is built. It is a basic foundation for the product’s existence. Getting into a user’s mindset and going through the journey helps us in easy visualisation of these stories.

Capture the stories from user perspective

What is a story?

Before understanding what is a user story, let us start with what exactly is a story. Story can often be defined as an account of the events which could be imaginary or the things that have happened in the past. Now let us convert the story definition into a user story. The imaginary part of user story is what is coming in future for a product or a feature.

What are user stories?

User story is a simple description of how a product manager envisions a product or a feature will be used by users when it is launched. This is always written from the user perspective.

Always make sure that your user stories are valuable(delivers product outcome), estimable(time required to build them) and testable(to ensure acceptance of the feature).

User stories is a powerful communication tool between the developers and a product manager. It can make both of their jobs easier and define clarity on the job to be done.

How to write user stories?

The origin of a user story is always the product vision and the product outcome or a goal. Once there is a clarity of the outcome, imagine you are the user and you start using the product,

• How will your journey be?
• What issues you will face?
• How does the product guide you to complete your goal?

All the above thoughts will give you a clarity of the feature you are trying to build.

I always divide my user stories into the following parts

Why

Always start with a Why. Find the purpose and outcome and articulate it here. Why exactly is the feature required. Put up the strong reason for its existence.

What

Here you are going to tell what exactly should be done to make sure customer is happy in this journey

Who

Who is your user, define it clearly here. This is the section you define the stakeholder for the journey you are creating.

Acceptance criteria

Finally the acceptance criteria for this feature, which may include the journey the success, error messages and clarity on how this product is solving everything the user needs. This is also defined as ‘definition of done’, since it determines what the developer must achieve in order to complete this story. Remember to capture the acceptable behaviour of product or feature from end user perspective.

Stories revolve around the user

Example

Now let us look at an example on how these things can be put together to create a user story for an online application submission workflow.

Problem statement: Users are dropping off from the multi-step application process or taking longer time to complete the application. The new portal launched for application submission does not have a way to support users for queries that prevent them from making progress on the application submission.

Pain points: Unable to get the required help at moments that matter for quick application submission.

User story: As a customer I want support so that my questions while submitting application are immediately addressed instead of switching the context looking for answers elsewhere or calling support.

Why: Not getting answers for questions that arise while filling up online for creates friction and delays the process.

What: A support email link or a support chat can be included as a part of submission process to provide support to customers

Who: Customers who are submitting applications on the new portal

Acceptance criteria:

• Include a new chatbot with pre-defined questions
• Display relevant FAQ’s on chat based on the search keyword and the page the customer is on
• Display the contact email address of support in case the customer cannot find the required answers
• Clicking on the support email link will redirect the customer to their email client with the To filled up with the [email protected] address

Things to remember while writing user stories

• Always keep the user at the center and write from their perspective
• Keep the stories short and concise
• Make the stories relatable to the user’s journey and experience
• The stories must bridge the communication between the business and developers

References

https://resources.scrumalliance.org/Article/frequently-asked-questions-user-stories