by Jason Gardner (ed.)
User stories are an essential part of an agile development process. They work as a communication bridge between the development team and other stakeholders, and they influence the design and implementation of software products. But creating user stories that are well-structured, clear, and actionable can be a challenge. That’s where the INVEST criteria come in: INVEST is a set of guidelines that help improve the quality of user stories. In this blog post, we’ll define INVEST and go over each criterion in detail, giving you all the information you need to create powerful user stories.
I – Independent: Independent user stories are self-contained and don’t depend on other user stories. Each user story should have a unique purpose. This guideline ensures that the development team can work on each user story separately without encountering issues related to dependencies or incomplete information. Independent user stories are also easier to prioritize and manage, allowing the team to better adapt to changing customer needs.
N – Negotiable: User stories should be open to negotiation and changes. This guideline ensures that the development team and other stakeholders can provide feedback and modify user stories as needed, without compromising their value or quality. Negotiable user stories allow the team to adjust their approach and adapt to any new requirements or challenges that arise during the development process, improving the chances of success.
V – Valuable: User stories should provide value to the end-users or customers. The value criterion ensures that user stories are aligned with the user’s needs and goals, providing useful and relevant functionality. Valuable user stories also help prioritize requirements based on their positive impact on the users, avoiding unnecessary features and minimizing waste.
E – Estimable: User stories should be estimable in terms of effort and complexity. This criterion ensures that the development team can accurately estimate the effort required to complete each user story, allowing product owners to forecast development activities more effectively. Estimable user stories also promote transparency and accountability between the development team and stakeholders, avoiding nasty surprises or delays.
S – Small: User stories should be small, concise, and focused. This criterion ensures that user stories are easily understandable, testable, and implementable, reducing the risk of misinterpretation or errors. Small user stories also make it easier to track progress and demonstrate value to stakeholders, providing continuous feedback and improving the visibility of the development process.
T – Testable: User stories should be testable and verifiable. This criterion ensures that the development team can validate the functionality and quality of each user story using different testing techniques, such as acceptance tests or unit tests. Testable user stories also improve the quality of the product, reducing the risk of errors or defects.
The INVEST criteria represent a powerful tool for creating clear, actionable, and valuable user stories. By following these guidelines, development teams can improve communication, reduce risks, and increase the chances of success. Creating high-quality user stories is a key step in delivering software products that meet the user’s needs and expectations. Whether you are starting a new project or refining an existing one, using the INVEST criteria will guide you toward creating user stories that truly matter.
