User story mapping is a technique which was introduced by Jeff Patton and often used in Scrum processes. The story mapping helps to visualize the entire product/service as a series of tasks which are completed by a user. The aim is to develop a common understanding of users and their desired results which they want to achieve at each phase. So, it is about mapping actions which users are trying to get done along a customer journey.
The following article will explain how a User Story Map can look like and which advantages it creates for a company.
What is a User Story Map?
The following example shows a story map of an ecommerce website.
On the first line, the story map illustrates a backbone, which maps the user´s high-level activities which are conducted when the user is using the product or service. The backbone consists of product search, product page and checkout. Under each of those backbone activities user stories which concretizes the user journey are created. The stories should show which actions a user wants to get done at each backbone activity. For example, under the activity “Product search” following story items are included:
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The stories are usually developed with customer interaction as well as interaction with all relevant stakeholders. Stories with the highest priority and stories which should be delivered in the first release are near to the backbone line. The example shows that the story map is split horizontally to demonstrate which stories belongs to each release and which does not. In the Scrum theory, a releasable product increment (Release) is the outcome of a sprint, a time-boxed event where a development team is intensively working on the defined user stories.
Advantages of a User Story Map
A user story map shows all user activities which a user goes through in engaging with a product or service and maps all desired results which users want to achieve in each phase. Therefore, it helps to develop a common understanding of the customer. It helps to give a holistic visual and space to think about how things fall in place. Moreover, a user story map gives information about tasks which have to be done. It can be seen as a readily-available work strategy which is related to the delivery. Furthermore, a story map enables a project manager/product owner to make sure that every team member knows on which stories they have to work at each release as well as to keep track of the progress. It leads to a better conversation between the product owner and the development team.
Sources retrieved on 27th May 2018:
https://manifesto.co.uk/user-story-mapping/
https://blog.seibert-media.com/2017/01/30/agile-user-story-maps-understanding-clients-needs/
http://www.agiletrailblazers.com/blog/7-benefits-of-user-story-mapping