• Agile/Lean Coach at Excella• Team and Organizational levels• DC Scrum User Group
Introduction
Credit; Jackson Sjoberg
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Help partner with individuals, teams and organizations to steamroll impediments to help them build amazing products. Magical key Drive it home at slower than walking pace. Studying roommate thought a train was coming through the house and came out to see this. Metaphor for professional life. Smoothing the road for individuals, teams and organizations. Agile Coach at Excella Focus on Org Transform DC Scrum User Group
www.excella.com
• User Story• Acceptance Criteria (AC)• Splitting Techniques
Outline
www.excella.com
User Story
4
www.excella.com
• Placeholder to facilitate communication• Represents a customer’s request to the
team that creates a product• Helps prevent misunderstanding• Best option so far
User Story
Presenter
Presentation Notes
A user story is a way in which a customer communicates a request to a team that creates a product (value) for the customer. We wouldn’t use user stories if there weren’t a possibility for misunderstanding. User stories are the best option we have yet learned for communicating requests between customers and teams that act as a placeholder for a conversation to occur at some point in the future
www.excella.com
Create Shared Understanding
I’m glad we all agree.Credit: User Story Mapping
www.excella.com
Create Shared Understanding
Oh!Credit: User Story Mapping
www.excella.com
Create Shared Understanding
Ah Ha!Credit: User Story Mapping
www.excella.com
Create Shared Understanding
I’m glad we all agree.Credit: User Story Mapping
Starving Student on a Low Budget
to find and purchase food quickly from my mobile device
I can fill my stomach without spending a lot of money
As a WHO
WHAT
WHY
What is most important? The Who, the What, or the Why?
I want
So that
Need to understand Why the Who wants the What.
Important to know Whom this work is going to benefit.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
We want to keep these short and easy to understand. They should still fit on a 3x5 card. Whom - We can more easily determine the best solution and uncover implicit needs. Why - It greatly informs the final shape the solution will take and can help flag up flaws or unintended side effects in the design. Tell example of PO telling people to build a bridge.
www.excella.com
1. Customer is the person/group requesting value from team building the product
2. Ideally, Product Owner would write the user story for the team but in reality that rarely happens
Notes about the customer
www.excella.com12
Presenter
Presentation Notes
That is about as rare as seeing a gun wielding cat riding a fire breathing unicorn.
www.excella.com
1. Customer is the person/group requesting value from team building the product
2. Ideally, Product Owner would write the user story for the team but in reality that rarely happens
3. Usually, an expert assists the customer and Product Owner in understanding what they really want/need
Notes about the customer
www.excella.com
• Who is the “Who” in a user story?
• Is the “Who” ever the team doing the work, e.g., “As a developer, I want to go do something, so that I can do something else.”?
• Who typically writes the user story?
Review
Presenter
Presentation Notes
PO or BA typically write stories. Ideally it would be the customer.
www.excella.com
Acceptance Criteria
15
www.excella.com16
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Present Tense Indicative Statements, i.e., they are either TRUE or FALSE.
www.excella.com
Correct• There is a button in
the upper left corner of the screen
Present Tense Indicative Statements
Incorrect• Put the button in the
upper left corner• There will be a button
in the upper left corner
• We need a button in the upper left corner
www.excella.com
Today Future
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Generally FALSE before the product has been built
www.excella.com
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Must be TRUE for the user story to be accepted
www.excella.com
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Include Functional and Non-Functional Requirements
www.excella.com
WYSIWYG
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Complete (All I See Is All There Is)
www.excella.com
Etc…TBD
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Un-ambiguous (no etc., TBDs)
www.excella.com
Correct• The drop down
contains each of the days of the week
• The screen loads in 1.5 seconds or less 95% of the time with strong 4G signal
Unambiguous
Incorrect• The drop down
contains Monday, Tuesday, etc…
• Load time is sufficiently fast
www.excella.com
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Give examples of product/feature being used when helpful
www.excella.com
• Present Tense Indicative Statements, i.e., they are either TRUE or FALSE
• Generally FALSE before the product has been built• Must be TRUE for the user story to be accepted• Include Functional and Non-Functional Requirements• Complete (All I See Is All There Is)• Un-ambiguous (no etc., TBDs)• Include Examples when helpful
Acceptance Criteria
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Domain model/glossary – shared understanding of terminology. For example, health care plan could include a Subscriber, Physician, Dependent, Provider, Third Party.
www.excella.com
Splitting Techniques
www.excella.com
Presenter
Presentation Notes
There are several “fault lines” along which you can split most stories These fault lines usually appear pretty clearly in the acceptance criteria (AC), if they are well-formed and complete
www.excella.com
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Helpful to well-form a story before you split it too far Until well-formed, it may appear irreducibly complex when it really isn’t
AC Splitting
AC• I can search by genres• I can search by artist• I can search by song title
As a <new user persona>
I want to search by genres
So that <new more specific benefit>
As a <new user persona>
I want to search by artist
So that <new more specific benefit>
As a <new user persona>
I want to search by song title
So that <new more specific benefit>
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Well defined Acceptance Criteria (AC) for a large story can typically be broken down into smaller stories with own AC. Each item in the AC of the big story can become the new I want portion of the smaller story.
www.excella.com
• Form groups of 2 or 3• Discuss ways to split the story on the
worksheet
Group Exercise
Presenter
Presentation Notes
From SmallerStories.com: As a couple,�we want a romantic dinner for two,�so that we can have a date even more romantic than our first date��Here are some acceptance criteria for this story: There are 2 lit candles and fresh flowers on every table The main course offerings include steak, fish, and at least one vegetarian option There are at least 2 kinds of red wine and 2 kinds of white wine available, as well as a Champagne There is a string quartet or a piano player playing soft instrumental music The waiters are wearing tuxedos If we examine each one of the acceptance criteria, we can ask “Who wants this?” The answer to this question becomes the user in “As a (type of user).” Next, we ask “Why do they want that?” The answer to this question identifies the value in “so that (some value is created).” The body of the acceptance criteria provides the “I want (something)” part, and now we have all three parts for our new user story: �As a (type of user),�I want (something),�so that (some value is created).��Here are user stories that could be derived from the acceptance criteria above.��As a couple on a dinner date,�we want candles on the table,�so that the mood will be more romantic. and As a diner in the restaurant,�I want to be able to choose from steak, fish, and at least one vegetarian option,�so that I can order something that conforms to my dietary and flavor preferences. and As a wine lover�I want at least 2 kinds of red wine, 2 kinds of white wine and 2 Champagnes available,�so that I can choose a wine that will go well with my meal. and As a couple on a dinner date,�I want to hear instrumental music from a string quartet or a piano player,�so that the mood will be more romantic and I can still converse with my date. and As a couple on a romantic dinner date,�I want waiters that are wearing tuxedos,�so that we can feel like we are at a classy restaurant.
Conjunction Splitting
And
Or If
,
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Split on conjunction words (e.g. and, but, if, as well as, etc…)
www.excella.com
• Form groups of 2 or 3• Discuss ways to split one or more of the
stories on the worksheet
Group Exercise
Presenter
Presentation Notes
From SmallerStories.com: As a couple planning a vacation for our family,�We want a resort that has activities appropriate for our teenage children,�as well as couples,�so that we can all enjoy our vacation.��Notice the middle line:�“We want a resort that has activities appropriate for our teenage children, as well as couples ” We can break this into stories for the teenagers, as well as the couple.� �As a teenager on vacation with my family,�I want activities to do with other teens,�so that I can meet other teens to hang out with�instead of being stuck with my lame parents the whole time. and��As a couple traveling with my our family,�We want romantic activities to do as a couple,�so that we can rekindle our love connection.
www.excella.com
• Look for words that could be replaced with more specific terms– Nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs can all be
generic– For example
• Vehicle -> Car -> Honda Civic• Animal -> Dog -> Pug
Generic Words Splitting
Credit: SmallerStories.com
www.excella.com
• Form groups of 2 or 3• Discuss ways to split one or more of the
stories on the worksheet
Group Exercise
Presenter
Presentation Notes
From SmallerStories.com: As a couple traveling with our family,�We want romantic activities to do together,�so that we can rekindle our love connection.��In this story, the word “activities” is pretty generic. We can replace “activities” with more specific words such as: couple’s massage, romantic dinner for two, and sunset couple’s cruise. We will get these stories.��As a couple,�we want to get a couple’s massage,�so that we can relax together and reconnect. and As a couple,�we want a romantic dinner for two,�so that we can have a date even more romantic than our first date and As a couple,�we want to go on a couples-only cruise at sunset,�so that we can enjoy romantic moments with no children around
www.excella.com
• Pretend User Story is done• “What happens when the functionality is
used?”• If there is a sequence, then it may be
possible to break into smaller stories
Timeline Analysis Splitting
Credit: SmallerStories.com
www.excella.com
• Form groups of 2 or 3• Discuss ways to split one or more of the
stories on the worksheet
Group Exercise
Presenter
Presentation Notes
From SmallerStories.com: As a diner at the restaurant,�I want a menu that lists each item with a description, price, calories and a picture,�so that I can decide which items I want to order and As a diner at the restaurant,�I want to be offered daily special items,�so that I can try unique dishes that aren’t usually on the menu. and As a diner,�I want some time to consider the daily special and the regular items before ordering,�so that I feel unrushed and happy about my final choice.
www.excella.com
Lettuce Wrap Up
www.excella.com
• User Story• Acceptance Criteria• Splitting Techniques
Lettuce Wrap Up
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Syntax – As a <who>, I want <what> so that <why> Gain a shared understanding Splitting – Conjunction, generic, well-formed acceptance criteria, timeline When are we done?
