Product Delivery Playbook >> Planning and Tracking >> How to Write Effective User Stories, Acceptance Criteria, and Definitions of Ready

In software development, user stories, acceptance criteria, and the Definition of Ready (DoR) are essential tools for ensuring that development efforts are aligned with user needs and that the development team has a clear understanding of what needs to be built.

User Stories

A user story is a brief, informal description of a software feature told from the perspective of an end-user. The goal of a user story is to articulate how a piece of work will deliver a particular value back to the customer.

Key Components of a User Story:

• • Role: Who is the user? (e.g., "As a customer...")

  • Goal: What do they want to do? (e.g., "...I want to be able to track my order status...")

  • Benefit: Why do they want to do this? (e.g., "...so that I can stay updated on my deliveries.")

Tips for Writing Good User Stories:

• • Keep it simple: Use clear and concise language.

  • User perspective: Write from the user's point of view.

  • Value-driven: Make the benefit of the story clear.

  • Independent: The story should be self-contained and not dependent on others.

  • Negotiable: Allow for discussion and flexibility.

  • Valuable: Provide value to the user.

  • Estimable: The team should be able to estimate the effort required.

  • Small: Stories should be small enough to be completed within a sprint.

  • Testable: Include clear acceptance criteria.

Acceptance Criteria

Acceptance criteria are a set of statements that define when a user story is complete. They provide a clear and measurable way to determine if the implemented functionality meets the user's requirements.

Key Characteristics of Good Acceptance Criteria:

• • Clear and Concise: Written in plain language that all stakeholders can understand.

  • Testable: Each criterion should be verifiable.

  • Outcome-focused: Describe the desired result, not the implementation.

  • Measurable: Use quantifiable terms whenever possible.

  • Independent: Each criterion should be independent of others.

Formats for Writing Acceptance Criteria:

• • Checklist: Simple bullet points.

  • Given/When/Then: Describes the condition, action, and expected outcome.

    • Given some context, when a specific action is taken, then a specific result should occur.

  • Rule-Oriented: Defines specific rules the feature must adhere to.

  • Scenario-Based: Outlines various scenarios and expected behaviors.

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Definition of Ready (DoR)

The Definition of Ready (DoR) is a checklist of criteria that a user story must meet before development can begin. It ensures that the team has a shared understanding of the story and that all necessary information is available.

Key Elements of a DoR:

• • Actionable: The team knows what to do and can start working immediately.

  • Clear: There is a shared understanding of the story and how to implement it.

  • Valuable: The story provides business and user value.

  • Estimated: The team has estimated the effort required.

  • Testable: There are clear acceptance criteria.

  • Dependencies Identified: Any dependencies are known and addressed.

Benefits of Using a DoR:

• • Improved team alignment and understanding.

  • Reduced rework and delays.

  • More accurate estimations.

  • Increased efficiency.

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your user stories are well-defined, your acceptance criteria are clear and measurable, and that your team is ready to start development with a shared understanding of the goals and requirements.

Further reading;

• Backlogs 
• Cadence Options
• Product Benefits 
• User Stories 
• Estimation 
• Risks, Issues, and Dependencies