User stories are reminders of features, not full specifications. Avoid recording every detail up front because details change. We’ll capture the details later, when they matter.
When a story reads like a contract, it stops being a conversation. When it reads like a reminder, it invites one.
Follow the acronym “INVEST” as a quick check.
- I.NDEPENDENT
- N.EGOTIABLE
- V.ALUABLE
- E.STIMATABLE
- S.MALL
- T.ESTABLE
INDEPENDENT
User stories should be independent enough to let the team implement by business value, not by technical order. Independence means a story doesn’t force a strict implementation sequence. “Login” shouldn’t have to come before “Logout”.
That said, independence is a soft goal. Some stories naturally depend on others (“password recovery” leans on “login”). The trick is to split work so dependencies are minimal and explicit.
When builders keep stories small and separable, stakeholders can reorder priorities without causing costly rewrites. Independence creates flexibility: we can pick the highest-value story next and keep delivering.
Discussions for your team
- Is there a way to make more of our stories not require strict ordering?
- Can we organize the stories so the stakeholders can reorder them by business value safely?