User Story Writing — Practical Guide

Writing great user stories is a core Agile skill. Clear stories reduce rework, increase predictability, and keep the team aligned on value.

1. What is a User Story?

A user story expresses a small piece of value from the user’s perspective — not a technical task.

Standard Format:
As a <type of user>,
I want <some capability>,
So that <benefit/value>.
        

2. The INVEST Checklist

A good user story is:

  • Independent
  • Negotiable
  • Valuable
  • Estimable
  • Small
  • Testable

3. Acceptance Criteria (AC)

AC defines the boundaries and expected behaviors of a story.

Given <context>
When <action>
Then <expected outcome>
        
Good AC Traits:
  • Clear and unambiguous
  • Testable
  • Define business behavior, not code

4. Story Writing Examples

Example 1 — Login

As a returning user,
I want to log into my account,
So that I can access my dashboard.
        

Example 2 — Notifications

As a project member,
I want to receive task updates,
So that I stay aware of progress.
        

5. Common Mistakes
  • Stories too big — need slicing
  • Technical tasks disguised as stories
  • Missing acceptance criteria
  • Ambiguous or unclear value
  • Not testable

6. Story Slicing Techniques
  • Slice by workflow step
  • Slice by data variation
  • Slice by simple → advanced behaviors
  • Slice by rules vs exceptions
  • Slice by platform/device