Project Management
User Stories
Since agile projects are surrounded by uncertainty, requirements and priorities within project are subject to a high degree of change. Agile project teams utilize a unique and effective method to identify, capture and manage project requirements. User stories provide the team the tool to effectively adapt and deliver relatively quick incremental product value to product owners.
This course is designed to provide participants with the ability to work effectively with user stories. Students will participate in hands-on activities and facilitated discussion focused on key elements of user stories within the scrum framework of project management. Efforts during this course are specifically focused on the most effective creation, management and usage of user stories, including methods to improve scrum team estimating, planning and delivery of “done” features and products.
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Facilitate team and product owner to develop user stories
- Create a definition of done for user stories
- Compare user stories, features and epics
- Effectively split features and epics into user stories
- Conduct user story workshops
- Write user stories for functional and non-functional features
- Apply the INVEST method to evaluate user stories
- Identify the “3 C’s” of user story elements
- Use relative sizing methods to estimate and assign story points to user stories
- Describe the process for using estimated user stories for a sprint
- Effectively slice compound and complex user stories
PREREQUISITES
Experience working in a project environment. Knowledge of agile principles, terms, and concepts. Knowledge and exposure to Agile Project Management concepts (desired).
AUDIENCE
This course is suitable for business analysts, systems analysts, project team members and project managers currently using or transitioning to the agile methodology of project management and interested in increasing the effective implementation of user stories.
Upon completion of the course, students can claim 14 Technical PDU’s from the Project Management Institute (PMI)®.
Agile and Scrum Overview
- Agile mindset and manifesto
- Scrum pillars and framework
- Scrum roles, artifacts and ceremonies
- Agile approach to requirements and change management
Basics of User Stories
- Life cycle of a user story
- Three questions and format of the cards
- Three “C’s” of user stories
- INVEST criteria
- Identifying epics and themes
- Stories vs requirements
Gathering and Creating User Stories
- Using personas – placing the customer first
- Conducting a story writing workshop
- How to split and amalgamate user stories
- Identifying missing stories
- Technical vs functional user stories
- Identifying and using spikes
- Capturing acceptance criteria
Managing the User Story Process
- Facilitating user story capture
- Managing changes to requirements
- Handling defects
- Sizing user stories to fit within iterations
- Using user stories to connect the team with the customer
Utilizing user stories
- Prioritizing the product backlog
- Relative estimating using story points
- Definition of Done
- Managing the product backlog
- How to build quality early
- When not to use user stories
Is there a discount available for current students?
UMBC students and alumni, as well as students who have previously taken a public training course with UMBC Training Centers are eligible for a 10% discount, capped at $250. Please provide a copy of your UMBC student ID or an unofficial transcript or the name of the UMBC Training Centers course you have completed. Asynchronous courses are excluded from this offer.
What is the cancellation and refund policy?
Student will receive a refund of paid registration fees only if UMBC Training Centers receives a notice of cancellation at least 10 business days prior to the class start date for classes or the exam date for exams.