#userstory

Meningkatkan Kualitas Pengembangan Produk dengan Teknik User Stories dalam Agile

Dalam pengembangan perangkat lunak menggunakan metodologi Agile, salah satu elemen penting adalah User Stories. User Stories berfungsi untuk menggambarkan kebutuhan pengguna dari sudut pandang mereka dan memberikan arah yang jelas bagi tim pengembang untuk membangun fitur atau produk yang relevan. Namun, menulis User Stories yang efektif bukanlah hal yang mudah, dan itulah mengapa penting bagi kita untuk memahami prinsip-prinsip yang dapat membantu meningkatkan efektivitasnya. Dalam artikel ini, kita akan menjelajahi beberapa teknik penting dalam penulisan dan pemecahan User Stories, serta alat yang dapat digunakan untuk merencanakan rilis produk yang lebih efisien—seperti INVEST, User Roles, Personas, dan User Story Maps.

1. Prinsip INVEST dalam Penulisan User Stories

Salah satu prinsip dasar yang perlu dipahami dalam penulisan User Stories adalah INVEST, yang merupakan akronim untuk Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, dan Testable. Prinsip ini memberikan pedoman untuk memastikan bahwa setiap User Story memiliki kualitas yang dibutuhkan agar dapat diimplementasikan dengan baik.

Independent berarti User Story harus berdiri sendiri tanpa banyak ketergantungan pada User Story lainnya.

Negotiable menunjukkan bahwa User Story dapat dibicarakan dan tidak terlalu kaku atau terlalu mendetail di awal.

Valuable menegaskan bahwa setiap User Story harus memiliki nilai bagi pengguna atau bisnis.

Estimable berarti User Story harus cukup jelas sehingga tim bisa memperkirakan waktu dan usaha yang dibutuhkan untuk menyelesaikannya.

Small menunjukkan bahwa User Story harus cukup kecil untuk diselesaikan dalam satu iterasi atau sprint.

Testable berarti ada kriteria yang jelas untuk menguji apakah User Story sudah selesai dan berfungsi sesuai yang diharapkan.

Dengan menerapkan prinsip INVEST, tim dapat menulis User Stories yang lebih efektif dan dapat diprioritaskan dengan jelas. Prinsip ini juga memungkinkan tim untuk bergerak lebih cepat dan membuat keputusan yang lebih baik dalam setiap fase pengembangan.

2. Penggunaan User Roles dan Personas untuk Konteks yang Lebih Hidup

Penggunaan User Roles dan Personas adalah langkah penting berikutnya untuk memberikan konteks yang lebih dalam pada setiap User Story. Dalam pengembangan produk, tidak hanya penting untuk mengetahui apa yang perlu dilakukan, tetapi juga untuk memahami siapa yang akan menggunakan fitur tersebut dan mengapa mereka membutuhkannya.

User Roles merujuk pada peran-peran utama yang akan berinteraksi dengan produk, seperti Administrator, Pengguna Biasa, atau Pengunjung. Menentukan peran-peran ini membantu tim memahami kebutuhan dan harapan masing-masing tipe pengguna.

Personas adalah representasi lebih rinci dari pengguna yang mewakili kelompok-kelompok tertentu. Persona memberikan gambaran tentang siapa pengguna tersebut, apa yang mereka inginkan, apa masalah yang mereka hadapi, dan bagaimana mereka berinteraksi dengan produk.

Menggunakan User Roles dan Personas memungkinkan tim untuk menulis User Stories yang lebih fokus dan relevan. Misalnya, alih-alih menulis User Story umum seperti “Sebagai pengguna, saya ingin melihat daftar produk,” lebih baik menulisnya dengan memperhitungkan konteks persona, seperti “Sebagai Anna, seorang ibu bekerja yang sibuk, saya ingin dapat melihat produk yang relevan dengan kebutuhan keluarga saya untuk mempermudah belanja.”

3. Teknik Memecah User Stories dengan Story Splitting

Salah satu tantangan terbesar dalam penulisan User Stories adalah menangani User Stories yang terlalu besar atau kompleks. Dalam hal ini, teknik story splitting atau memecah User Stories menjadi bagian-bagian yang lebih kecil sangat membantu. Teknik ini memungkinkan tim untuk mengerjakan bagian yang lebih kecil dan lebih terfokus, yang bisa diselesaikan dalam satu iterasi.

Beberapa teknik umum dalam story splitting meliputi:

Split by Workflow Steps: Memecah User Story berdasarkan tahapan proses atau alur kerja.

Split by Business Rules: Memecah berdasarkan aturan bisnis yang terlibat.

Split by Data Variations: Memecah berdasarkan variasi data yang digunakan dalam sistem.

Split by Operations (CRUD): Memecah berdasarkan operasi dasar seperti Create, Read, Update, Delete.

Split by User Personas: Memecah User Story berdasarkan kebutuhan spesifik dari persona pengguna.

Split by Complexity or Risk: Memecah User Story berdasarkan tingkat kompleksitas atau risiko.

Dengan membagi User Stories menjadi bagian yang lebih kecil dan lebih terukur, tim tidak hanya dapat bekerja lebih efisien, tetapi juga dapat segera melihat hasil yang dapat diuji dan diterima.

4. User Story Mapping: Visualisasi Perjalanan Pengguna

Setelah menyusun dan memecah User Stories, langkah selanjutnya adalah menggunakan User Story Mapping untuk merencanakan perjalanan pengguna secara lebih holistik. User Story Mapping adalah teknik untuk memetakan seluruh pengalaman pengguna dari awal hingga akhir dalam bentuk peta visual. Teknik ini sangat membantu untuk memprioritaskan fitur dan merencanakan rilis produk.

Pembuatan User Story Map dimulai dengan menentukan aktivitas utama yang dilakukan oleh pengguna, lalu memecahnya menjadi langkah-langkah lebih kecil yang disebut sebagai User Stories. Dengan cara ini, tim dapat melihat big picture dari produk, mengidentifikasi ketergantungan antar fitur, dan menentukan prioritas pengembangan berdasarkan nilai yang diberikan kepada pengguna. User Story Map juga sangat berguna dalam perencanaan rilis produk, di mana fitur-fitur dapat dikelompokkan dalam sprint atau rilis yang berbeda sesuai dengan tingkat prioritasnya.

Misalnya, untuk aplikasi e-commerce, User Story Map mungkin dimulai dengan aktivitas “Mencari Produk,” diikuti oleh “Menambahkan ke Keranjang,” “Pembayaran,” dan “Konfirmasi Pesanan.” Dengan memecahnya lebih lanjut, tim dapat melihat dengan jelas mana yang harus diselesaikan terlebih dahulu dan apa yang bisa menunggu di sprint berikutnya.

5. Kesimpulan

Use cases and user stories are two different techniques used in software development to capture requirements and describe user interactions. While they serve similar purposes, they differ in their structure, level of detail, and focus. Let's explore the distinctions between use cases and user stories.

Table of Contents

Use Case Vs User Story - ComparisonStructure Level of Detail Focus Flexibility Granularity Collaboration Last thoughts on the use case vs user story Additional reading

Use Case Vs User Story - Comparison

Structure Use cases: Use cases are typically structured documents that follow a predefined format. They consist of sections such as actor descriptions, preconditions, main scenarios, alternative scenarios, and post-conditions. Use cases provide a detailed step-by-step description of how users interact with the system to achieve their goals. User stories: User stories, on the other hand, are short, concise narratives that follow a simple format: "As a , I want so that ." They are often written on index cards or digital tools and capture the essence of user needs without going into extensive detail. Level of Detail Use cases: Use cases tend to provide a higher level of detail, including specific steps, actions, and system responses. They focus on capturing a comprehensive description of all possible interactions and scenarios, covering both the main and alternative paths. User stories: User stories are intentionally less detailed and provide a higher-level overview. They focus on the user's goal and the value they expect to derive from it. User stories do not provide an extensive description of the steps or system behavior. Focus Use cases: Use cases concentrate on the complete system behavior and the interactions between users and the system. They aim to capture a holistic view of how the system functions and respond to user actions. Use cases are typically used in the analysis, design, and testing phases. User stories: User stories emphasize the user's perspective and their specific needs or goals. They are primarily used to drive conversations, collaboration, and prioritization during Agile development. User stories are often part of the product backlog and serve as a placeholder for future discussions. Flexibility Use cases: Use cases are more rigid and may require additional effort to modify or update. Changes to use cases often involve revisiting and updating the entire document, potentially impacting other sections or related use cases. User stories: User stories are designed to be flexible and easily adaptable. They can be modified, re-prioritized, or split into smaller stories without significant impact on other parts of the system. This flexibility allows for incremental development and iterative improvements. Granularity Use cases: Use cases tend to cover larger and more complex scenarios. They often describe end-to-end interactions, involving multiple steps and actions to achieve a particular goal. User stories: User stories are typically more granular and focused on specific features or functionalities. They address a single user need or goal and can be developed and tested independently. Collaboration Use cases: Use cases involve collaboration between stakeholders, business analysts, developers, and testers. They provide a comprehensive description that requires input from various roles to ensure accuracy and completeness. User stories: User stories promote collaboration between the development team and stakeholders, especially product owners and users. They are written in a simple and understandable format that encourages conversations and shared understanding.

Last thoughts on the use case vs user story

In summary, while use cases and user stories both capture requirements and describe user interactions, they differ in their structure, level of detail, focus, flexibility, granularity, and collaborative aspects. Use cases provide a comprehensive view of system behavior, while user stories offer a concise user-centric perspective. The choice between the two depends on the project's needs, development methodology, and the desired level of detail and flexibility.

Additional reading

What is a user story and tips to create them

What is a user storyUser Goal Reason What is a user story, it is not full requirements Still asking what is a user story? Here are tips to create Last thoughts on user stories Additional content after what is a user story What is a user story? A user story is a concise and simple narrative used in Agile software development to capture the requirements and expectations of users. It is a way to express user needs from their perspective and provide a clear understanding of the desired functionality or feature. User stories are typically written in a structured format and serve as a means of communication between the development team and stakeholders.

What is a user story

A user story typically consists of three main elements: the user, their goal, and the reason behind that goal. It follows a simple template: "As a , I want so that ." Let's break down each component: User This describes the role or type of user who will benefit from the feature or functionality. It could be a specific user persona or a broader category. For example, "As a customer," "As an admin," or "As a first-time user." Goal This specifies what the user wants to achieve or the desired outcome. It should be concise and focused on a specific action or functionality. For example, "I want to view my order history," "I want to edit my profile information," or "I want to search for products by category." Reason This explains the purpose or benefit behind the user's goal. It helps the development team understand the underlying motivation and consider the user's perspective. For example, "so that I can keep track of my previous purchases," "so that I can update my contact information easily," or "so that I can find the products I'm interested in more efficiently." By using this format, user stories provide a clear context and help prioritize development efforts based on user needs. They are concise, user-focused, and avoid technical jargon or implementation details, which allows for flexibility and encourages collaboration between stakeholders and the development team. User stories are often written on index cards or digital tools, such as project management software or Agile management platforms. They are typically organized into a product backlog, which serves as a repository of all user stories. During sprint planning or backlog refinement sessions, user stories are reviewed, prioritized, estimated, and assigned to development iterations. What is a user story, it is not full requirements It's important to note that user stories are not comprehensive requirements documents but rather placeholders for conversations and collaboration. They provide a starting point for discussions between the development team and stakeholders, enabling them to clarify expectations, identify potential challenges, and make informed decisions throughout the development process. In summary, user stories are concise narratives that capture user needs and expectations in Agile software development. They follow a structured format, highlighting the user, their goal, and the reason behind it. User stories serve as a means of communication, facilitating collaboration and prioritization within the development team and with stakeholders. With the above, and the below tips, you don't have to keep asking what is a user story.

Still asking what is a user story? Here are tips to create

- Use the "As a, I want, so that" structure: Follow the standard format of user stories by clearly defining the user, their goal, and the reason behind it. This helps maintain consistency and ensures a clear understanding of the user's needs. - Focus on the user: Keep the user at the center of the story. Avoid technical jargon or solution-oriented language. Instead, concentrate on the user's perspective, goals, and expected outcomes. - Keep it concise: User stories should be short and focused. Aim for simplicity and clarity. Avoid including unnecessary details or specifications that can be addressed separately. - Make them independent: Each user story should stand on its own, without dependencies on other stories. This promotes flexibility and allows for easier prioritization and iteration. - Use actionable language: Ensure that user stories are actionable and provide a clear direction for development. Use active verbs and specific action words to describe what the user wants to achieve. - Prioritize based on value: Prioritize user stories based on their value to the user and the business. Focus on high-priority stories that deliver the most significant impact. - Add acceptance criteria: Include clear acceptance criteria that define the conditions for the story to be considered complete. These criteria help the development team understand what is expected and enable effective testing. - Collaborate with stakeholders: Involve stakeholders, such as product owners, customers, and end-users, in the creation of user stories. Their input and feedback are valuable for capturing the true needs and expectations. - Use personas: If applicable, create user personas to represent different types of users. This helps in tailoring the user stories to specific user groups and ensuring that their needs are adequately addressed. - Validate with user feedback: Continuously validate and refine user stories based on user feedback and testing. This iterative approach helps in incorporating user insights and improving the accuracy of the stories. - Avoid assumptions: Ensure that user stories are based on real user insights and data rather than assumptions. Validate assumptions through research, user interviews, or user testing. - Review and iterate: Regularly review and refine user stories as the project progresses. As new information and requirements emerge, update and adapt the stories to reflect the evolving needs of the users.

Last thoughts on user stories

Remember that user stories are living documents that can evolve and be refined throughout the development process. By following these tips, you can create effective user stories that capture user needs and guide the development of valuable and user-centric products.

Additional content after what is a user story

Week 6: Define the Projects

I re-designed my Target Audience Survey and published it solicit responses.

I made these changes to my Project Proposal:

I did LOTS, and LOTS, and LOTS of research into the wee hours of each morning this week.... and all previous weeks!

Next week, I look forward to further refinement, receiving more survey results, continuing my research and development, and maybe a kind-of Spring Break? Who am I kidding.... I will be working on this all next week as well!