user stories

Your User Stories Are Bad And You Should Feel Bad John ClearyLead Web Developer, DocNet@TheRealBifter

Wednesday, 1 May 13

We all know what User Stories are, right?

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As a {user}I want {some_feature}so that {i_get_value}

1/3 - THE CARD

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The Conversation

with the user

2/3 - THE CONVERSATION

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public function theConfirmation(){ // tests which convey the detail // and tell us when we are done}

3/3 - THE CONFIRMATION

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The Three Little Pigs

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Story:As a Pig I want a house so that I am safe and warm

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STRAW HOUSE

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WOLF ATTACK!

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Story:As a Pig I want a house so that I am safe and warm

Tests:Does the structure withstand strong winds?

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WOODEN HOUSE

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WOLF ATTACK - AGAIN

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Story:As a Pig I want a house so that I am safe and warm

Tests:Does the structure withstand strong winds of up to 60mph

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BRICK HOUSE

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The moral of the story is...

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... that our user stories should be ...

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IndependentNegotiableValuableEstimableSmallTestable

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Should not rely on other stories

USER STORIES...

INDEPENDENT

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Focus on verbal communication

USER STORIES...

NEGOTIABLE

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“What should I do if my users stories don’t fit on

the card”

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“Use smaller cards”

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Should be written from the user’s perspective

USER STORIES...

VALUABLE

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“Implement a centralised logging system” is

probably not a user story

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Must be estimableUSER STORIES...

ESTIMABLE

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Need to fit within the length of the sprint

USER STORIES...

SMALL

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Need acceptance criteria

USER STORIES...

TESTABLE

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So, why do my user stories suck?

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They are too smallYOUR STORIES SUCK BECAUSE

© quarksteilchen “Tiny Origami Swan Try 1“ from flikr

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They rely on other storiesYOUR STORIES SUCK BECAUSE

© bigoteetoe “Bread & Butter” from flikr

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They are just goldplatingYOUR STORIES SUCK BECAUSE

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There is too much detailYOUR STORIES SUCK BECAUSE

© Treefiddy “Grandfather's Watch, B&W“ from flikr

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You did too much planningYOUR STORIES SUCK BECAUSE

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You wrote themYOUR STORIES SUCK BECAUSE

© a2gemma “A Pair Hard At Work“ from flikr

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How do I make my stories less sucky?

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1. Know your users

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2. Get users to write the stories

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3. Use user proxies if the user is not available

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4. Run workshops

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5. Have project goals and sprint goals

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6. If the story is too big then “slice the cake”

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7. Know what estimates are for

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8. Postpone design

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9. Accept that not everything is a story

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10. Review your stories (using INVEST)

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Thank youJohn ClearyLead Web Developer, DocNet@TheRealBifterbit.ly/bad-stories

Wednesday, 1 May 13