Definition
It is about taking a series of user stories and putting them together in a meaningful and visual way. It offers a representation of the sequence of the activities and their adequate solution. By breaking down a process, this technique grants a global view, from end-to-end vision to detailed user stories.
Story Mapping is used to help understand a product’s functionality or the flow of usage. It also assists the prioritization of products’ delivery. Therefore, it is often exposed to the delivery team during versions planning sessions.
Why use Story Mapping?
Provides clarity and meaning to your user stories.
Helps to plan and prioritise requirements according to their importance and value.
Allows for understanding and explaining the functionalities of a system.
Easier and more versatile than a long text.
Fosters cooperation by involving all the members of your team.
Evaluates and helps to manage risks. This is achieved by analysing the stories through the delivery context of the business value.
Prevents for losing yourself in the details of user stories and to get away from the global context.
Although story mapping pictures a flow, it cannot analyse or illustrate the dependencies between the requirements. Nevertheless, it can be used to facilitate such an analysis.
Contexts that are not process-oriented may find Story Mapping less useful.
How to use Story Mapping
Building a Story Mapping
Example
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On top of the brief description of the method, access to:
- an explanation of when and how to use it,
- a practical example,
- tips and recommendations for use,
- downloadable checklists and templates,
- references for further reading,
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