User Stories – work not done!

When I was first introduced to user stories, I had no idea of why there was the lack of description.  I thought story meant story, so I created small novels.  With more exposure, I learned the purpose it serves, it’s about saving time and benefiting from the value of not investing so much in detail, it’s the value of work, not done.

Eg:  We’re putting in a self-serve grocery terminal for a pilot project. The terminal needs to fully function, be able to scan and weigh items, staff needs to be trained, customers need to be able to pay and leave the store happy.

• As a customer I need to be able to pay for groceries, with ease, so I can get in and out of the store fast.
• As a terminal staff person, I need to be able to understand the system so I can help customers resolve problems and get through the buying process with ease and speed.

It’s important to put more time into delivering value to clients, and less into details that may change.