what is user story in scrum

What is a User Story?

A User Story is a short, simple description of a feature or requirement written from the end user's perspective. It helps Agile teams understand who needs something, what they need, and why they need it.

A User Story in Project Management is a concise requirement describing a feature from the user's perspective. In Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) training, one gets to deep dive into user stories and gets an understanding how the requriements are managed in Agile methodology.

Key Characteristics of a User Story:

✔ User-Centric – Focuses on end-user needs
✔ Concise & Simple – Written in non-technical language
✔ Value-Driven – Explains the benefit to the user
✔ Testable & Estimable – Can be evaluated and implemented

User Story Template (Format)

A standard user story follows this format:

🔹 "As a [user role], I want [feature] so that [benefit]."

This structure ensures the who, what, and why are clearly defined.

🔹 Example:
"As a registered user, I want to reset my password so that I can regain access to my account if I forget it."

Examples of User Stories in Different Domains

1️⃣ E-commerce Website

🔹 "As a customer, I want to filter products by price so that I can find affordable options quickly."

2️⃣ Banking App

🔹 "As a user, I want to receive SMS alerts for transactions so that I can track my account activity."

3️⃣ Healthcare System

🔹 "As a doctor, I want to access patient history digitally so that I can make informed treatment decisions."

4️⃣ Learning Management System (LMS)

🔹 "As a student, I want to track my course progress so that I can complete my learning modules on time."

INVEST Criteria for a Good User Story

A well-written user story follows the INVEST principle:

Breaking Down a User Story: Epics, Features & Tasks

A user story can be part of a larger initiative:

🔹 Example Breakdown:

📌 Epic: User Authentication
📌 Feature: Login & Security
📌 User Story: "As a user, I want to enable two-factor authentication so that my account is more secure."
📌 Tasks:

✅ Implement OTP generation
✅ Design authentication UI
✅ Integrate with SMS/email service

User Story vs. Use Case vs. Requirement

Acceptance Criteria in User Stories

Acceptance Criteria define conditions that must be met for the user story to be considered "Done."

🔹 Example User Story with Acceptance Criteria:
"As a user, I want to receive an email confirmation after placing an order so that I have a record of my purchase."

✅ Acceptance Criteria:

• The system sends an email after order completion.
• The email contains the order summary and tracking link.
• The email is delivered within 2 minutes.

Benefits of Writing Good User Stories

✔ Aligns team with user needs
✔ Encourages collaboration between business & development
✔ Simplifies backlog management
✔ Improves prioritization of work

Common Mistakes to Avoid

🚫 Writing overly broad or vague stories – "Improve checkout experience" is unclear.
🚫 Forgetting the why – A story should always explain the value to the user.
🚫 Ignoring acceptance criteria – Leads to misunderstandings.
🚫 Creating technical stories instead of user-focused ones – Avoid "Implement database schema changes."

For learning more such industry-relevant aspects, join our live project management courses.