Arlen Bankston Keep Austin Agile 2015

1. Story Mapping in Depth
Arlen Bankston

2. Meet your Speaker
Arlen Bankston
• Co-Founder of LitheSpeed, LLC
• User experience & product development
background
• 15 years of Agile experience
• Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Certified
Scrum Trainer
• Entrepreneur, Trainer, Consultant, Coach,
Writer, Designer
2

3. Agenda
• What is Story Mapping?
• Stories of Story Mapping
• How is a Story Map Created?
• The Story Mapping Experience

4. What is Story Mapping?

5. The Problems with Flat Backlogs
Traditional Product Backlogs are flat; a prioritized list.
Great for answering “what do we do next?”
Not so great for:
• Collaborative building & inspection
• Seeing how everything fits together
• Balancing a view of user-valued features with the need
for iteration-size stories
• Planning coherent value-based releases
5

6. Product Backlogs suck at showing the Big
Picture
Stuff
More Stuff
Even more
Stuff
6

7. Stakeholders are interested in Releases over
Sprints
Release
Sprint
Inspect and
adapt
Satisfy business
goals
7

8. A Broader View – Story Maps
8
• Minimize the time needed
to access patient records
• Minimize the customer
inputs necessary to
access patient records
Night Nurse
Robin
Robin leaves for work at
6pm, after sleeping during
the day. She works a 7pm-
7am shift in Labor &
Delivery, caring for
prospective mothers and
their babies. Complex
computer apps make
Robin grumpy.
User Goals
Persona
Epics
Workflow Sequence
Priority
Features &
User Stories
Access
record
Review
history
Provide
Nurse ID
Search
records
Provide
Patient
ID
Sort
records
Filter
records
Update
record
View
history
Add
comment
Search
history
Enter
updates
Referenc
e
validation
Notify of
updates
Medical
Referenc
e
Search
reference
Add
comment
Release
Boundary

9. User Stories
Business Goals:
Outcome
Product Goals:
Output
Product / Project
Marketable
Feature Sets
Product Vision or
Unique Value Prop.
Product Backlog
Story Map with
Releases
Business Vision
How Story Maps fit into Agile Planning
9Thanks to Xebia for this visualization.

10. Layers of Planning
10
“Now View”
Iteration / Sprint
What specifically will we build?
User Stories & Scenarios
Story Map
How will this Sprint move us
toward release objectives?
Sprint Plan
Development Tasks
“Pre View”
Release
What subset of business
objectives will each release
achieve?
Release Plan
Story Map
What user constituencies will the
release serve?
Personas, Stakeholders
What general capabilities will the
release offer? Epics, FeaturesProduct / Project
What business objectives will the
product fulfill?
Product Roadmap
Product Goals
Product Charter / Lean Canvas
Unique Value Proposition
How can we release value
incrementally?
Release Roadmap
Story Map
“Big View”
Product Portfolio
What is our mix of products?
Product Visions
Integrated Roadmap
Story Map

11. Stories of Story Mapping

12. Mobile application at a Weather Product Company
Whiteboards can work well,
but make them big; your
canvas scopes your
planning!

13. Butcher paper is handy for its size and
portability.

14. Story Mapping for a University IT Application
Connecting stakeholders
across silos in an open forum
can reveal hidden agendas.

15. Story Mapping for an Analytics Application
Some entire feature sets were
unneeded for initially targeted
user groups.

16. Planning to launch an Agile
Working Group at a large
sporting goods company.

17. | © 2010 Axway | All rights
reserved.
17
Project Portfolio Planning

18. | © 2010 Axway | All rights
reserved.
18
• Align and connect multiple product backlogs
• Assess Architectural & Marketing themes simultaneously

19. Coarse grained estimation, prioritization, &
team allocation on the map for release planning.

20. An ongoing visual
management system for your
product.
Use the story map to tie sprint
progress back to the big
picture.

21. Other Stories Illustrated
• Brand experience for washing detergents
• Internal logic for packet prioritization in a
cellular router
• Game play for Soda Crush
• College & job searches
• Business processes for redesign
Plan weddings
Arrange vacations

22. Top Reasons to Story Map
• Construct and visualize the big picture
• Collaboratively generate & organize user stories
• Manage varying stakeholder interests openly
• Support and drive iterative development
• Plan releasesthat attackyour biggest risks first
• Track project progress at a glance

23. How is a Story Map Created?

24. Setting up to Story Map
Developers
Analysts
Product
Owner
Sales
Designer
ScrumMaster
• Optimal Group Size: 4-8
• Representation across functions
and business/technology silos
• Include real users where possible
Post-it Notes (3+ colors) or
Index cards with magnets
Large wall or magnetic whiteboard (or tool)
Users
Sharpies

25. Step 1 – Describe Your Audience & Their Goals
•Minimize the time needed
to access patient records
•Minimize the customer
inputs necessary to
access patient records
Night Nurse
Robin
Robin leaves for work at 6pm,
after sleeping during the day. She
works a 7pm-7am shift in Labor &
Delivery, caring for prospective
mothers and their babies.
Complex applications make Robin
grumpy and endanger her
patients.
GoalsPersona

26. Step 2 – Generate User Tasks
Generate User
Tasks (Skeleton)
• Silent Brainstorming of major user tasks.
• Write one item per sticky note.
User Task is an action performed by user
User Tasks typically start with a verb
User Tasks = Features = Themes
Provide
Patient
ID
View
history
Add
comment
Search
records
Sort
records
Search
history

27. Step 3 – Derive User Activities
GroupUser
Tasks
• In groups of 3 – 5 people
• Group similar user tasks, Remove duplicates
Create User Activities
(Backbone)
• Name each group
• User Activity = Epic
Review
history
Provide
Nurse ID Provide
Patient
ID
View
history
Add
comment
Search
records
Sort
records
Search
history
Access
record
A User Activity is a cluster of related user tasks.

28. Step 4 – Organize User Activities
Organize User
Activities
• Arrange groups left to right in the order the user would
complete the tasks (or what makes sense to the group)
Access
patient record
Review medical
history
Update patient
record
Workflow Sequence

29. Step 5 – Check for missing features
Walkthrough
the skeleton
• Makesureeverything is accountedfor
• Fill inholes
Look for alternative tasks
Look for exceptions
Consider other users
Access
record
Review
history
Update
record
Notify
supervisor
Workflow Sequence

30. Step 6 – Add User Stories
Adduser stories • Add detailed user stories below
each user task
Access
record
Review
history
Provide
Nurse ID
Provide
Patient
ID
Update
record
View
history
Add
comment
Enter
updates
Search
records
Sort
records
Search
history
Referenc
e
validation
Notify of
updates
Workflow Sequence

31. Step 7 – Validate the Story Map
31
Workflow Sequence
Priority
Access
record
Review
history
Provide
Nurse ID
Provide
Patient
ID
Update
record
View
history
Add
comment
Enter
updates
What would Robin do
with our system?
“Robin provides her nurse ID
and a patient ID to access
Sujatha’s record.
She quickly reviews Sujatha’s
medical history (optionally
adding comments),
then updates the record with her
latest notes.”
Story maps let you visually walk
through a user’s tasks and
describe them
conversationally.

32. Step 8 – Plan your Releases
32
Workflow Sequence
Priority
Access
record
Review
history
Provide
Nurse ID
Provide
Patient
ID
Update
record
View
history
Add
comment
Enter
updates
Move User Stories below
the line to defer them to a
subsequent Release.
• Choose coherent
groups of features that
consider the span of
business functionality
and user activities
• Support all necessary
activities with the first
release
• Improve activity
support with
subsequent releases
Search
records
Sort
records
Filter
records
Search
history
Referenc
e
validation
Notify of
updatesRELEASE 1
RELEASE 2

33. Prioritization Criteria
Business Value
and User goals
Pick stories that
address both
business value
and user goals
Learning
Prioritize
learning spikes in
early iterations to
gain knowledge
Risk and
Assumptions
Pick stories that
address risks in
early iterations
Validate
assumptions in
earlier iterations

34. Story Mapping Tips
1. Start with what you know (stories, or goals, or
users), and make the rest fit
2. Don’t worry about story size at first;
clustering & splitting later is faster
3. Make releases smaller; independently useful
features can be released alone
4. Involve real users; they can help keep your
map and priorities grounded
34

35. The Story Mapping Experience

36. We’re going to plan a Drone Delivery Service!

37. The Story Mapping Drone Experience
The Setup
• Each group gets a set of clues.
• Work with other groups to figure out:
• Which stakeholders were targeted for the MVP
• Which slogan best matches the story map
• If any stories could be removed while
maintaining the core value

38. Alexei the Federal Aviaton Administrator
Alexei is a man of order. His father was a
judge, and instilled in him a respect for the law
and the greater good. Alexei listens to the
public voice, and does his best to execute the
duties of his office in a fair and balanced
manner. This means keeping the public safe
and happy while continuing to allow for
innovative business ventures.
Goals:
- Safety of civilian airspace
- Minimal noise profile
- Minimal environmental impact

39. Mack the Manufacturer
Mack runs a large plant that supplies boxes to
companies of every size, shape and
description. He aims to expand his rectilinear
empire in every dimension through the use of
the latest, cleverest technology available. His
boxes are exceedingly diverse, and so are his
customers and delivery locations.
Goals:
- Fast delivery
- Secure, safe shipping
- Cost effective shipping
- Personalized service

40. Patrice the Professional
Patrice runs a small delicatessen in New York,
similar to the one his father ran in Paris. He
takes pride in his work, his products and his
customers, and recognizes the value of a job
done well. While steeped in tradition, he’s not
mired by it, and embraces technology
wherever it can advance his business.
Goals:
- Efficient restocking
- Rapid access to unique items
- Cost effective shipping
- Broader geographic reach

41. Fred the Fisherman
Fred works hard as a hardware store owner
and volunteer fireman. So when he wants to
relax, he feels that he deserves to treat
himself. He goes fishing every available
weekend, often in remote locations. Fred is a
connoisseur of fine meals and relatively fine
beers, and likes nothing more than a nice boat-
bound picnic.
Goals:
- Remote delivery
- Food and alcoholic drink transport
- Minimal environmental impact
- Minimal noise profile

42. Alicia the Amazonian
Alicia is a woman of varied interests. While
currently working full-time as a legal assistant,
her husband’s recent good fortune has her
thinking about a sabbatical. She has a love for
design in all its forms, and the easy availability
of beautiful and unique items online is often a
lure she’s often loathe to resist.
Goals:
- Fast delivery
- Access to diverse unique goods
- Cost effective shipping
- Personalized service

43. Heather the Hipster
Heather lives in Portland, having grown up in
Austin. She is vegan, and leads a sloth
repopulation program. Her garb reflects her
personality, arranged with an eye towards
irony. She likes staying ahead of fashion
trends, and occasionally setting them. She
loves the earth and all its creatures , and wants
to do her part to protect it.
Goals:
- Fast delivery
- Access to diverse unique goods
- Minimal environmental impact
- Personalized service

44. References
Books/Articles:
• User Story Mapping – Jeff Patton
http://www.amazon.com/User-Story-Mapping-Discover-
Product/dp/1491904909
• http://www.agileproductdesign.com/presentations/user_story
_mapping/
Tools:
• http://www.featuremap.co
• http://bauer-information-technology.com
• http://www.storiesonboard.com

45. Thank You!

46. Contact Us for Further Information
46
Arlen Bankston
Vice President
Arlen.Bankston@lithespeed.com
Sanjiv Augustine
President
Sanjiv.Augustine@lithespeed.com
On the Web:
http://www.lithespeed.com
http://www.sanjivaugustine.com
"I only wish I had read this book when I started my career in software
product management, or even better yet, when I was given my first project
to manage. In addition to providing an excellent handbook for managing
with agile software development methodologies, Managing Agile Projects
offers a guide to more effective project management in many business
settings."
John P. Barnes, former Vice President of Product Management at Emergis,
Inc.