{"id":10483,"date":"2020-08-11T15:29:05","date_gmt":"2020-08-11T14:29:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/caroli.org\/en\/?p=10483"},"modified":"2020-08-24T10:53:14","modified_gmt":"2020-08-24T09:53:14","slug":"mapping-features-to-sprint-planning-with-user-stories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/caroli.org\/en\/mapping-features-to-sprint-planning-with-user-stories\/","title":{"rendered":"Mapping Features to Sprint planning with good User Stories (essential for team commitment and alignment)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Team A has identified a few features and now wants to build the backlog of User Stories for the upcoming few Sprints. How to do it?<\/p>\n

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Step 1 – Features and Milestones<\/h2>\n

First, make sure everyone understands how the features belong together. For example, below is a sample features sequencer. On it, everyone can see that the MVP consists of F1, f2, F3 and F4; the product increment consists of F5, F6, F7, F8 and F9.<\/p>\n

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This artefact is generated by a Lean Inception workshop<\/a>. If you do not have a Features sequencer, you need something that shows features and milestones. On the Lean Inception, the features are planned via MVP and product increment milestones.<\/p>\n

Step 2 \u2013 Feature Steps Mapping<\/h2>\n

You have to breakdown each Feature in small steps, the User Stories.
\nThe image below depicts the feature F1, which was broken down into four user stories: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4.<\/p>\n

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Before breaking down the Features, you must validate everyone is aligned about the feature. The following activities ensure such alignment.<\/p>\n

2.1 Rewrite the Features (optional)<\/h3>\n

Rewrite each Feature so it is written as a description of a user\u2019s action or interaction with the product. For example: print invoice, view detailed statement, and invite facebook friends. The description of a feature should be as simple as possible. The user is trying to do something. The product must have a feature for it. What feature is this?<\/p>\n

Tip<\/strong>: Limit the total number of features to a maximum of 10; more than that creates a large inventory, not a backlog. If there are a considerable number of features, apply some prioritisation method to select the top ten features.<\/p>\n

Feature Rewrite Example<\/strong>: Sell products online -> Make online purchase<\/p>\n

2.2 Identify the personas<\/h3>\n

Every Feature should fulfil a need or remove a pain for a persona. So, identify the persona. Write the persona on a post-it of different color and place above the Feature.<\/p>\n

Ask the following questions for each of the identified personas: What does such persona do? and what does such persona expect? Typically, responses describe the user\u2019s actions or interactions with the product: the features. These questions test if your Features full-fill the need of a persona.<\/p>\n

Persona Example<\/strong>: Online Customer<\/p>\n

2.3 Describe the benefit<\/h3>\n

Describe the \u201cProblems\u201d and the \u201cBenefits\u201d related to each Feature. Write down the feature\u2019s problems and the feature\u2019s benefits on another post-it color and position on the left and right side of the post-it with the feature description.<\/p>\n

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Benefit Example<\/strong>: Save $<\/p>\n

2.4 Map the steps of a Feature<\/h3>\n

Feature Steps Mapping is a technique that helps break a feature into small work itens.<\/strong> Each step will be a PBI \u2013 Product Backlog Item.<\/p>\n

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PBIs are elements that make up the Product Backlog<\/strong>. Ideally, PBIs reflect customer and business needs, which can vary in specifications and requirements. Typically, these are represented by use cases, epics, user stories, or even bugs or tasks.<\/p>\n

Breaking a feature is done through mapping its steps, which represent a mapping of a feature\u2019s work items.<\/p>\n

Start by asking the very first work step to get started on the feature. Write it down. Then ask about the second work step. Then the third and so forth, until completing the feature workflow, step by step. Note that each work item represents a step towards feature construction.<\/p>\n

For example, consider the sample feature: Make Online Purchase. What is the feature first step? To search for a product; What after? To make product selection; then to compare options and so on. These are the Steps Map.<\/p>\n

Steps Map example:<\/strong> Make online purchase (FEATURE)<\/p>\n