Product Backlog & Intro to User Stories

June2829,2005

Idea

Features/Capabilities
Capability Capability Capability
ProductPlans & Strategies

ProductBacklog
ProductBacklogItem ProductBacklogItem ProductBacklogItem ProductBacklogItem ProductBacklogItem ProductBacklogItem ProductBacklogItem

Capability Capability

SprintBacklog

Release

Increment ofProduct Activity&Artifacts

SourceCode Documentation Tests DatabaseSchem a Executables Etc.,Etc.,Etc

SprintBacklogItem(Task) SprintBacklogItem(Task) SprintBacklogItem(Task) SprintBacklogItem(Task) SprintBacklogItem(Task) SprintBacklogItem(Task) SprintBacklogItem(Task)

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SprintBacklogItem(Task) 2

Product Backlog
Listoffunctionality,technology,issues Issuesareplaceholdersthatarelaterdefinedas work Emergent,prioritized,estimated Moredetailonhigherprioritybacklog ProductOwnerresponsibleforpriority Anyonecancontribute Maintainedandpostedvisibly DerivedfromBusinessPlanorVisionStatement, whichsometimeshavetobecreatedwithcustomer
Adaptedfrom:KenSchwaber(ADM,Inc. www.controlchaos.com)

Table Dialogue Product Backlog Take5minutestoanswerthefollowing questionswiththepeopleatyourtable:

Whatmakesagoodproductbacklog item? Whatmakesabadproductbacklog item? Whataretheconsequencesof beginninganiterationwithabad backlogitem?

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Sample Product Backlog

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User Stories Userstoriesaresimple, clear,briefdescriptionsof functionalitythatwillbe valuabletoeitherauseror purchaserofaproduct.

Copyright20002004MichaelW.Cohn(www.mountaingoatsoftware.com)

Samples travel reservation system

Ausercanmakeahotel reservation. Userscanseephotosof thehotels. Userscanrestrict searchessotheyonlysee hotelswithavailable rooms.

Ausercancancela reservation.

Copyright20002004MichaelW.Cohn(www.mountaingoatsoftware.com)

Placeholders for Conversation

UserstoriesareidealfortheAgiledevelopmentprocess becausethey:

Emphasizeverbalratherthan writtencommunications Developersandcustomers understandthem Aretherightsizeforplanning Encouragedeferringdetailuntil youhavethebestunderstanding youaregoingtohaveabout whatyoureallyneed

Copyright20002004MichaelW.Cohn(www.mountaingoatsoftware.com)

The Downside of requirement specs

Assumeeverythingis knowableinadvance Timeconsumingtowrite andreadtedioustoread Treatslearningasa ChangeofScope Dontlendthemselvesto iterative,incremental developmentprocess
AdaptedfromMichaelW.Cohn(www.mountaingoatsoftware.com)

User Story Template Asa<userrole>,Ican <story>sothat<benefit>

Copyright20002004MichaelW.Cohn(www.mountaingoatsoftware.com)

User Stories on PAM Project

Story (Business Requirement) *Points Planned **Points Validated 15 As a Data Analyst, I can view preactivation data/results 10 for the inbound segmentation process for PAY so that I canevaluatetheeffectivenessofanewcampaign As a Decisioning System (Capstone), I can receive data 6 from the CCV vendor for PAY sales so that I can update thecustomersystemofrecord As a live app agent I can see the new copy for eligible 4 customerssothatI canofferPAY toapplicants who have poundedoutoftheVRU Asa DA, I no longerhaveanymanual involvement in the 4 automate fulfillment/enrollment process for PAY. (CapstonetoUnisys) Total 32

10

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User Role Modeling

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The User

Manyprojectsmistakenlyassume theresonlyoneuser: Theuser Writeallstoriesfromoneusers perspective Assumeallusershavethesamegoals Leadstomissingstories

CopyrightEnterpriseAgileDesign,LLC

Copyright20002004MichaelW.Cohn(www.mountaingoatsoftware.com)

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Travel SiteWhos the user?

Mary Frequentflierwho neverknowswhere shellbe

Laura Wantstoschedule herfamilysannual vacation

Jim Frequentflierwho flieseveryweekbut alwaystothesame place

Howard Marysassistant booksher reservations

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Dominic HotelchainVice Presidentwantsto monitorreservations

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Copyright20002004MichaelW.Cohn(www.mountaingoatsoftware.com)

Common attributes
Infrequent VacationPlanner Mary Frequentflierwho FrequentFlier neverknowswhere shellbe Jim Frequentflierwho flieseveryweekbut RepeatTraveler alwaystothesame place Laura Wantstoschedule herfamilysannual vacation

Scheduler Howard Marysassistant booksher reservations

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Insider Dominic HotelchainVice Presidentwantsto monitorreservations

15

Copyright20002004MichaelW.Cohn(www.mountaingoatsoftware.com)

User role modeling

Identifyattributesthatdistinguish oneuserrolefromanother

Howoftenthe softwarewillbe used

Levelofdomain expertise

Generallevelof computer proficiency

Levelofproficiency withthissoftware

Generalgoalsfor usingthesoftware

CopyrightEnterpriseAgileDesign,LLC

Copyright20002004MichaelW.Cohn(www.mountaingoatsoftware.com)

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Document the user role

UserRole:InfrequentVacationPlanner Notparticularlycomputersavvybutquite adeptatusingtheweb.Willusethesoftware infrequentlybutintensely(perhaps5hoursto researchandplanatrip).Valuesrichnessof experience(lotsofcontent)overspeed.But, softwaremustbeeasytolearnandalsoeasily recalledmonthslater.

CopyrightEnterpriseAgileDesign,LLC

Copyright20002004MichaelW.Cohn(www.mountaingoatsoftware.com)

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Advantages of using roles

Usersbecome tangible

Startthinkingofsoftware assolvingneedsofreal people. Insteadwetalkabouta frequentflierorarepeat traveler Asa<role>,Iwant <story>sothat<benefit>.

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Avoidsayingthe user Incorporateroles intostories

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Copyright20002004MichaelW.Cohn(www.mountaingoatsoftware.com)

Practice!!!

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Sample Product Backlog

ProductArea Catalog Description Customercanbrowsecatalogcategorieswithbasicnavigation. Priority H Estimate 5.0 Target Sprint 1

Catalog

Customercanselectacategoryandbrowseproductswithbasicnavigation.

3.0

Catalog

Salescanaddproductswithcategoryandbasicinformation.

5.0

Profile

Customercancreateanewprofilewithbasicinformation.

5.0

LogIn ShoppingCart

Customerwithprofilecanlogintothesite. Customercanaddaproducttotheirshoppingcart.

H H

2.0 3.0

2 2

ShoppingCart

Customercanviewthecontentsoftheirshoppingcart.

3.0

CustomerSupport

SupportRepcanviewcustomer'scurrentorderandgetshipmentstatus.