User stories are a cornerstone practice for modern product management. They allow product managers to capture desired functionality and improvements from an end-user perspective without getting bogged down in technical specifications. This facilitates collaboration across teams and stakeholders. However, writing good user stories can be tricky. Stories must strike a balance between being simple yet comprehensive while still enabling estimation and planning. This is where the INVEST framework comes in handy.
The INVEST acronym provides criteria to help write user stories that are independent, negotiable, valuable, estimable, small, and testable. In this blog post, we’ll explore each of those elements and how applying the INVEST framework can help you create great user stories to build better products.
What are User Stories?
A user story is a short description of functionality or an improvement told from the perspective of an end-user. A strong user story typically follows the format:
As a [type of user], I want [goal/desire] so that [reason/value]
For example:
As a user, I want to easily see my most frequently accessed reports so I can get data faster.
The major elements of effective user stories include:
- Written from the user’s point of view
- Focused on goals and benefits
- Include acceptance criteria and testing info
- Enables effective planning and prioritization
Compared to traditional detailed requirements specifications, user stories better capture the “why” behind desired functionality rather than just the “what”. This user-centric approach leads to better product-market fit.
Additional benefits of user stories include:
- Promotes collaboration between teams like product, dev, and QA
- Provides flexibility to adapt to changing priorities
- Enables iterative development and continuous delivery
- Simplifies estimation using story points
So in summary, user stories empower cross-functional teams to build products that deliver exceptional user value. The INVEST framework takes them to the next level.
The INVEST Framework
INVEST is an acronym that provides six criteria to assess and improve user stories:
I – Independent
N – Negotiable
V – Valuable
E – Estimable
S – Small
T – Testable
Let’s explore the meaning behind each area:
Independent – User stories should be self-contained with minimal overlap of functionality.
Negotiable – Details can vary as priorities change. Focus more on the “what” over the “how”.
Valuable – Each story delivers tangible value to end-users.
Estimable – There is enough information to reasonably estimate effort and resources.
Small – Stories can be completed in a sprint or iteration.
Testable – Acceptance criteria are defined to enable testing.
By writing user stories that meet INVEST criteria, product teams can break down large goals into shippable increments that optimize workflow. This facilitates continuous discovery and delivery that delights customers.
I – Independent User Stories
An independent user story should fully encapsulate a specific function or feature without overlapping other stories. Some tips for writing independent user stories include:
- Avoid grouping multiple features together
- Consider modularizing larger features into coherent chunks
- Define dependencies between stories but keep them self-contained
- Specify shared resources used by multiple stories
For example, these independent user stories break down an overall reporting feature set into releasable modules:
As an analyst, I want to view pre-built summary reports for my region’s sales data so I quickly identify trends.
As an analyst, I want the ability to customize the sales summary report to include or exclude specific segments.
As an analyst, I want to export the sales reports to PDF/XLS formats so I can print or share them with stakeholders.
The stories have some dependency but each focuses on a single actionable improvement versus one large story.
N – Negotiable User Stories
For a user story to be negotiable means the specifics of how it is implemented can change as priorities or assumptions shift. The key is to focus more on articulating the what over the how.
Some tips for writing negotiable user stories:
- Keep stories small and scoped to key functionality
- Focus on the goal/benefit over technical details
- Be open to re-prioritization if the business needs change
- Avoid being overly prescriptive in acceptance criteria
For example, a negotiable user story would be:
As a customer, I want to be able to save my searches so I can easily run them again in the future.
Whereas a non-negotiable story would be:
As a customer, I want a “Save Search” feature that stores up to 20 keyword-based searches in my account profile using persistent browser storage so previously entered search filters are preloaded by default.
The second story locks down too many technical implementation details that could change based on technology constraints or product evolution.
V – Valuable User Stories
Each user story in the product backlog should directly translate into tangible value for the end-user. Characteristics of a valuable user story include:
- Delivers functionality users explicitly want
- Aligns with the overall product vision and roadmap
- Is prioritized based on customer and business benefits
- Provides incremental value that moves product KPIs
To assess and capture value, dig deeper into the user perspective during discovery conversations. Get clarity on goals versus needs and map them to capabilities that can positively impact key results.
For example, a valuable user story would be:
As a power user, I want keyboard shortcuts for common actions so I can navigate the app faster.
This focuses directly on speeding a user’s workflow versus a technical feature that seems “nice to have”. Delivering value is all about understanding what will excite users.
E – Estimable User Stories
For a user story to be estimable, it needs sufficient detail for the development team to reasonably gauge the effort required. Characteristics of estimable stories:
- Break down larger stories into smaller components
- Use comparing relative complexity to other stories
- Learn estimation accuracy from previous sprints
- Define key elements like acceptance criteria and dependencies
Common methods to estimate user stories include t-shirt sizing, story points using Fibonacci sequence, ideal days, etc. Each has pros and cons to consider.
Regardless of approach, the goal is establishing realistic benchmarks for planning and tracking progress. Writing stories that enable accurate estimation is crucial for executing projects successfully.
S – Small User Stories
Smaller user stories unlock major advantages like improved planning, continuous delivery, and faster feedback:
- Enable more accurate assignment and tracking
- Focus validation on discrete functionality
- Reduce risk by limiting WIP items
- More flexibility to incorporate learning
As a rule of thumb, target user stories that can be completed in less than 2 weeks. This forces breaking down bigger ideas into releasable increments.
Ask “What is the minimum viable experience?” for a given initiative and build up from there versus overscoping. Leverage techniques like user story mapping to identify sensible story boundaries.
T – Testable User Stories
For a user story to be testable means the acceptance criteria and scope allow for validation against expected outcomes.
- Define detailed acceptance criteria upfront
- Consider various use cases and scenarios
- Clarify all inputs, outputs, and endpoints
- Enable both manual and automated testing
By clearly scoping expectations, the level of “done” for each story becomes unambiguous. This instills confidence that functionality works as intended before launch.
For example:
Acceptance criteria:
- System handles concurrent batch uploads without timeouts or failures.
- Metadata from CSV file is imported successfully per specification docs
- Alert emails are sent for failed uploads exceeding 5%
Writing testable stories takes more upfront investment but pays off tremendously further down the delivery pipeline.
Conclusion
Leveraging the INVEST framework for crafting effective user stories allows product teams to maximize customer value while optimizing development workflows. Independent, negotiable, valuable, estimable, small, and testable stories enable continuous discovery, delivery, and learning. This translates directly into delighted users and winning products.
While each area involves some nuance, the overarching emphasis is on shaping granular, actionable user stories. Collaboration across product, design, dev, and QA also helps unlock INVEST criteria from different lenses. Incorporating these best practices will level up your entire approach.