Exploring Extreme Programming
Today we’ll look at how to implement state machines as direct code. In part 1, we looked at what state machines are. In part 2, we looked at how you might implement them with an interpreter that process a data Continue reading State Machines, Part 3: Direct Code
Some teams try to start projects directly with user stories, but many important things need to happen earlier to make those effective. Chartering (aka Liftoff) provides a better way to structure the start of a project. Beyond that, there are Continue reading Chartering and more: What happens before user stories?
Many user stories fit the model of trigger and response: the user does something, the system responds. For example, if you type a letter, the word processor inserts it; if you press the “Buy” button, the system processes your order. Continue reading Is Trigger vs Response a Good Story Split?
I’ve been involved with several projects over the last few months, and each has user stories associated with it. People often ask for examples of user stories, so I thought I’d share these. The Form By default, I use the Continue reading Examples of User Stories 2020
Evolutionary design is a strategy to enable incremental delivery of capabilities. Consider two delivery strategies. In one, we plan everything we need, develop, then deliver when everything is ready. In the other, an incremental strategy, we first deliver a minimal Continue reading Evolutionary Design: Techniques and Example
How do stories fit in with other stories, or small stories with bigger ones? How can we move from skinny stories to richer ones? This is part of Scalability of stories. One way to think about story relationships is to Continue reading Connecting Stories
How do you think about stories? We’ve talked about different levels of stories. Scalable stories let us gradually increase the intensity and utility of system behaviors. As before, I’ll use LinkedIn.com for examples. (This is a reverse-engineering exercise; I have Continue reading Scalable Story Examples
Stories Have Multiple Granularities User stories may seem like they are about specifications but they’re really a lightweight way to explore possibilities. Many teams get too focused on the “card” aspect, using tools to turn user stories into an atomized Continue reading Multi-Level Stories
Teams often don’t pay enough attention to language. A team can improve its language by using what Eric Evans calls Ubiquitous Language: “A language structured around the domain model and used by all team members to connect all the activities Continue reading Ubiquitous Language – A Triple-Play for Words
The vocabulary of your user stories frames the domain of discourse: what are your stories about? It’s helpful to think of “the headline” and “the rest”. “The headline” is what you’d write on an index card or as a title Continue reading User Story Vocabulary: Problem, Solution, or Widget?