We’re really excited to learn as much as we can about you. Understanding what we build and how we build it is critical, so it’s important that we start in the right place. And that place is with the users who will ultimately use it. We use user stories to do that.
What’s a user story?
- A user story is a short sentence which tells us who the user is, the task they want to complete, and why they want to do it. Click start to see an example of a user story…
- As a member of the public (the user),
I want to find your contact details (task),
so that I can visit you (goal). - So, as your development partner, we want you to write as many user stories as you can, so that we can deliver a brilliant project that helps you get things done… See what we did there?
How long will this take?
- A single user story can take as little as a minute, so this process can take as little or as much time as you like.
Any tips?
- You can fill in the form from your own perspective, but we are also interested in what you think other people need from the site. So, do put yourself in other users' shoes. And remember, the more of these you can give us the better.
- Often we're asked about the best way to collate stories, we may have a Miro board on the go, be working on a Trello board, or you might love a good spreadsheet. The main thing is that we get them captured - so whatever works for you is best (and while we love a sticky note, digital is much preferred)
- Include acceptance criteria: Specify the conditions that need to be met for the user story to be considered complete and satisfactory. This adds clarity and helps ensure that the requirements are well-defined. For instance, "The sign-up process should require minimal information and provide a confirmation email upon successful registration."
- Keep it concise: User stories should be brief and focused. Use a simple template like "As a [user role], I want [goal/feature] so that [reason/benefit]." Avoid including implementation details or technical specifications.
- Prioritize and organize: Arrange user stories based on their importance and impact. Consider the urgency, frequency of use, or the value they bring to the charity's mission. This helps in prioritizing development efforts.