A user story is a short, easy-to-understand description of a requirement from the user's perspective. It is a key tool in agile working (Scrum, SAFe, Kanban) and often follows this format:
"As [role], I want [function] to [benefit]."
Example: "As a customer, I want to be able to track my order online so that I know the delivery status at any time."
User stories help teams focus on customer benefits rather than technical details.
Practical relevance
In practice, user stories are not detailed specifications, but rather topics for discussion. They are intended to stimulate discussions between the product owner, business, and team. In addition, acceptance criteria are defined that clearly describe when the story is considered complete.
The INVEST model summarizes important characteristics:
• Independent – independent of other stories
• Negotiable – not set in stone, negotiable
• Valuable – delivers value for the user
• Estimable – estimable in terms of effort
• Small – small enough for one iteration
• Testable – testable through clear acceptance criteria
Typical misunderstandings
❌ "User stories are mini-specifications" – they do not replace technical concepts, but promote dialogue.
❌ "Always in the format 'As...I want to...'" – the format is helpful, but clarity of benefit is more important.
❌ "Stories contain all the details" – details emerge in discussions (refinement), not in the story text.
❌ "Every story must be perfect" – stories are deliberately lightweight and are gradually fleshed out.
Relevance for organizations
• Customer focus: Stories draw attention to the benefits, not to internal perspectives.
• Communication: They are a tool for exchange and mutual understanding.
• Flexibility: Stories are lightweight and fit into agile planning cycles.
• Prioritization: They are easy to compare, estimate, and sort in the backlog.
Especially in large organizations or SAFe contexts, user stories form the operational level, while features and epics represent the higher levels.
Practical example
In an e-commerce project, the team initially formulated technical tickets ("customize API," "expand database"). After switching to user stories in customer language, greater clarity emerged: "As a shop visitor, I want to save my credit card details so that I can shop faster." The result: stakeholders immediately understood the benefits, prioritization became easier, and discussions focused more on value for the customer.
Use outside of traditional frameworks
Even organizations that do not work with Scrum or SAFe can benefit from user stories. Examples:
• Project work: Requirements can be formulated in a user-centered way.
• Product development: Storyboards or design thinking processes use similar narratives.
• Change projects: Internal change measures can also be described in story form ("As a manager, I want a dashboard so I can make fact-based decisions.").
This creates a universal tool that promotes a focus on users and value in all contexts.
CALADE perspective
At CALADE, we don't use user stories dogmatically, but rather contextually. The key idea is that requirements should always be formulated with a focus on users and value. We combine user stories with methods such as personas, impact mapping, or Living Transformation® to ensure that they fit the context. This makes them a pragmatic tool that provides guidance to teams and helps organizations make complex requirements understandable and deliverable.
Related terms
• Feature (SAFe)
• Epic (SAFe)
• Acceptance Criteria
• INVEST model
• Backlog refinement
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