Using User Stories with PRINCE2 – Part 2
What is a User Story?
I’m glad you asked!
A User Story is a requirement that is expressed from the perspective of an end user goal, and so is just a well-expressed requirement.
It is here that the power of User Stories come into their own, as they provide the following:
- It focuses on the perspective of a role and that will use or be impacted by the solution
- The requirement language is written to be understood by those holding the above role
- It clarifies the true reason for the requirement
- It assists definition of high-level requirements without low level detail at the start
User stories consist of three elements:
- Card
- Conversion
- Confirmation
The format of a PRINCE2 User Story
These are written as a statement in the following format:
As a < role>
I need < requirement or feature>
So that < goal/value>
As you can see from this format, these are designed to work collaboratively with the PRINCE2 Senior User role and the user community, as a tool to tease out clear statements of exactly what the users really need.
This User Story part will be brief and used as a placeholder for more detailed discussion later, which is the Conversion step
Much of the detail of these user stories usually emerge as stage plans and/or team plans/work packages are created.
I’m assuming here that you are not running a full blown Agile project, nor applying PRINCE2 Agile, but rather running a traditional project (whatever that really means!), and wish to harness the power of user stories to increase the success of your project.
By increasing the success of your project, I mean that the full business benefits will be realized.
However, just like an Agile project, the full power of user stories need full involvement and interaction with the specialist team, as it is they who will be creating the PRINCE2 products that will manifest the requirements within the user stories.
Needless to say, the most important role driver here, is the Project Manager.
The use of User Stories is simply a technique to assist in the planning, management and control the project, so the Project Manager needs to champion their use.
The strategy documents within the PROJECT INITIATION DOCUMENTATION will describe user stories use within the project.
I do not intend to go into detail, but if this were a full blown PRINCE2 Agile project, then the requirements stated within the user stories should be prioritized so that Timeboxes can fix their delivery dates by flexing requirements.
