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Agile
User Story
Quick Definition
A short, simple description of a feature or requirement told from the perspective of the end user who desires the new capability.
Detailed Explanation
User stories follow the format: 'As a [type of user], I want [some goal] so that [some reason].' They are intentionally brief — detailed requirements emerge through conversation between the team and Product Owner.
Stories are refined with acceptance criteria (specific conditions that must be met for the story to be considered complete), estimates (often in story points), and priority. The INVEST criteria (Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, Testable) guide good story writing.
Larger items that need to be broken down are called Epics. Stories are the building blocks of the Product Backlog.
Related Terms
Relevant Frameworks
Scrum GuideXP