Story maps can help prioritize product backlogs by providing more context than traditional lists. They visualize activities, tasks, and stories on a map to clearly show what is needed for minimum viable products and future releases. Just in time analysis uses simple, low-fidelity artifacts and conversations rather than extensive upfront documentation and analysis to support collaboration on large teams. Daily stand-ups, story mapping sessions, and ad-hoc discussions allow teams to analyze needs as they work rather than trying to anticipate all future questions.
6. Story maps
Activity Sign in
Task Register Log in Log out
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Stories basic account secure page
Can log out
Email Can reset
confirmation password
Capture
company
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welcome
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message
@benmathews80
Huge array of stories of different sizesLittle traceability of stories that have been decomposedToo detailed to get an overview – lacks context - Hard to see gapsHard to prioritise “log in is just as important as register new user”
Asking a product owner to prioritise some stories is meaningless to them. E.g. register vs log inAs we break large stories down, the resulting workable stories can lose context and obscure the bigger picture (smell – lots of stories with the same value statement)Hard to spot gaps where the stories meet, assumptions about where one story ends and another begins
Tolkien produced a detailed map of Middle Earth to give readers context and to help visualise the journey the fellowship took.Story maps aim to do something similar for a project.Jeff Patton (circa 2005 although used before)
Start with main activities – do this for all the activities in the systemIdentify the tasks the user does as part of that activityGenerate stories for those activitiesIdentify what stories are releasable and those that aren’tI’m never asking my PO to prioritise log in vs log out.
Produced high level estimates based on the tasksStarted to build up a list of questions and risks
Started to get estimates on the first release of storiesQuestions answered visibleString indicates MVP
Our usual team size is 4 devs plus QA, PO, BA, SMThis project has 8 devs, bigger than recommended scrum size (12 people)Several apps, CRM, eCommerce, Fulfilment, Job Management, FinanceAcceptance criteria usually created in backlog session, too many people to manage that effectivelyProblems to solveHow do I know what people need to know? How do we share that information without making peoples heads explode?When do we capture acceptance criteria and who needs to know them?
Touch points previously mentioned are opportunities to request informationFocus on simple documentation at the point at which it’s neededSpend more time making sure we have conversations. My mornings blocked out for huddles and sitting with pairs to see if they need anything.
Backlog sessions now just about high level understanding of scope and sizing. Some technical discussion.PO catch ups make sure I’m in sync with the PORetrospectives (I didn’t understand…)Conversation during the day (co-location for the win)Story huddles – as story starts, dev pair, QA and BA discuss and write acceptance criteria.