{"id":15888,"date":"2017-09-01T18:31:56","date_gmt":"2017-09-02T01:31:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/?p=15888"},"modified":"2024-05-20T21:14:54","modified_gmt":"2024-05-21T04:14:54","slug":"write-smarter-user-stories-product-design-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/studio\/blog\/write-smarter-user-stories-product-design-development\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write Smarter User Stories for Product Design and Development"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most of you probably have some tried-and-true best practices that you lean on to formulate requirements and articulate what needs to be done.<\/p>\n

In many cases, that may involve the creation of use cases and user stories. While both are valuable tools, neither go quite far enough in defining the problem and desired outcome. But as I think you\u2019ll see, a very simple change in the user story format will profoundly impact the finished product.<\/p>\n

For more practical advice based on 25+ years experience, download the 91-page e-book <\/i>Fixing the Enterprise UX Process<\/i><\/a> by Joe Natoli. <\/i><\/p>\n

What\u2019s Wrong With Traditional User Stories?<\/h2>\n

User stories aren\u2019t flawed; they\u2019re incomplete.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not advocating doing away with user stories\u2014I\u2019m advocating that we make them more useful to our product teams.<\/p>\n

User stories don\u2019t describe a user\u2019s entire journey from start to finish, nor do they consider the motivations or needs that drive the journey. Typically no more than a couple of sentences in length, they stop short of explaining how users think and feel, and they don\u2019t address the business goals that should support every item on a list of requirements. As a result, user stories may inadvertently ask more questions than they answer.<\/p>\n

I offer for your consideration a simple way to boost the power of your user stories: address the user\u2019s goal<\/b> behind the action, as well as how that action solves a problem<\/b> for the organization. In addition, this simple change also illustrates the benefit the organization stands to receive from the user\u2019s action.<\/p>\n

Instead of:<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a <\/i>[ user ]<\/i><\/b>, I want <\/i>[ function ]<\/i><\/b>, \u2028so that <\/i>[ action ]<\/i><\/b>.”<\/i><\/p>\n

Write it like this:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe <\/i>[ user ]<\/i><\/b> wants <\/i>[ function ]<\/i><\/b> \u2028to achieve the goal of <\/i>[ user goal ]<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/p>\n

The current inability to do this is causing <\/i>[ adverse effect ]<\/i><\/b> for the organization.”<\/i><\/p>\n

You can also substitute that last sentence with:<\/p>\n

\u201cEnabling users to do this would deliver <\/i>[ specific measurable value ]<\/i><\/b> to the organization.”<\/i><\/p>\n

This changes the user story from a statement of fact to a statement of intent<\/b>. It opens the door to a new question: \u201cHow do we do this in a way where we can track and measure its success?\u201d <\/i><\/p>\n

Remember, we\u2019re talking about designing like a startup. All startups focus on the most important problem\u2014the one with the potential to completely sink your ship, if left unsolved.<\/p>\n

In this case, your overriding focus must be on the things that provide measurable value<\/i> to users, and in doing so, back to the organization. It really is that critical<\/i> to your survival and success.<\/p>\n

Task Completion vs. Success<\/h2>\n

Traditional user stories operate at a very tactical level; the focus is strictly on task completion, but I have a problem with that. Task completion is not the same as success<\/b>. If you want better UX, you have to focus on success, which is where the value I keep harping on about lives.<\/p>\n

Uncover and incorporate how users feel<\/i> about the interaction, along with their intended goal<\/b>, the reason they\u2019re doing it in the first place. You need to capture why<\/i> a particular interaction or behavior provides a better user experience. You also need to capture why that experience, in turn, benefits the business.<\/p>\n

Using the format above, your new user stories might look like this:<\/p>\n

Task Completion<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cAs Jane the Bank Teller, I want a preset shortcut list of one-touch transactions so that I can complete more transactions.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

Success<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cJane the Bank Teller wants a preset shortcut list of one-touch transactions, to achieve the goal of getting customers through the line faster to minimize their frustration and automate lengthy transaction sequences. The current inability to do this is causing a significant percentage of customers to leave our bank for a competitor.”<\/i><\/p>\n

For Jane, getting customers through the line and completing their transactions is task completion<\/b>; she\u2019s already doing that<\/i> now. Doing this same task better (in a way that is more accurate, efficient, and makes customers feel like the process was pleasant and really fast<\/i>) is success<\/b>. And when people feel like they\u2019re being taken care of, when their needs are met and expectations are exceeded, they remain loyal<\/i>.<\/p>\n

When you shift your focus from what people do to why it matters<\/i>, both your head and your feet are firmly on the path to creating powerful end-user experiences.<\/p>\n

For more practical advice, download the 91-page e-book <\/i>Fixing the Enterprise UX Process<\/i><\/a> by Joe Natoli.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Know how to write more actionable user stories. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":130,"featured_media":21159,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,174],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-enterprise-ux"],"yoast_title":"Write Smarter User Stories for Product Design and Development | UXPin","yoast_metadesc":"A very simple change in the user story format will profoundly impact the finished product.","acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWrite Smarter User Stories for Product Design and Development | UXPin<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A very simple change in the user story format will profoundly impact the finished product.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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