A Gentle Introduction to User Stories For Beginners

Have you ever thought of what a user would do with your application?

No matter how well-architectured the app you built is, if it brings no value to users, chances are, no one will use it.

In simple terms, user stories are brief, informal descriptions of a software feature told from the perspective of the users. These answer the “who,” “what,” and “why” of a single task/functionality in an application.

User Story Format:

As a(n) <user type>, I want to <function> so I can <benefit>

User Story Example:

As a customer, I want to view the list of menu items, so I can easily choose what food to order.

The user type answers the “who,” the function refers to the “what,” and finally, the benefit explains the “why” in a user story.

Advantages of User Stories:

• helps ensure that a functionality brings user value
• follows Agile/Scrum core principles
• makes it easier to organize software functionality, as it leaves out implementation details
• allows team members of different expertise and backgrounds to plan an application more easily
• encourages conversations rather than simply handing out document details
• simple to prioritize and reorder, especially for product backlog items
• easily understood by both clients and developers

Disadvantages of User Stories:

• does not explain the “how?”
• does not involve nonfunctional requirements (e.g. fault tolerance, performance, usability, modifiability)
• user stories are not substitutes to business requirements
• the lack of implementation details means that the processes could vary a lot from team to team
• can be misunderstood and misused
• can lose its original essence/purpose (especially in companies and teams that are “agile” only for compliance purposes)

From here on, I will most likely utilize user stories before I begin coding my application. Even if I don’t write them down, it helps a lot to keep in mind the perspective of a user when building an application and planning its features.

Resources/Recommended Reading:

• User Story Guide by Mike Cohn — Great resource on Agile.
• How To Create a Perfect User Story Step by Step Guide — Beginner-friendly guide on writing user stories.
• A Short Introduction to the Scrum Framework by Jim Medlock — Not about user stories, but is a well-written introduction to the Scrum framework.

DISCLAIMER:

This post only expresses my thoughts and opinions (based on my limited knowledge) and is in no way a substitute for actual references. If I ever make a mistake or if you disagree, I would appreciate corrections in the comments!