As useful as this stuff is, it is often not used.
The relation between Stories and Scenarios
The Scenario Recipe
These are the three ingredients to writing a Scenario:
- Given a context and set of circumstances
- When something happens
- Then the outcome is
Given <one or more contexts here> when <something is done>
then <the outcomes go here>
Some examples
The following examples start from a User Story, which is where they should start of course.
User Story: Refund on a wheel
As a customer I want return a purchased wheel so that I can get a refund.
Scenario #1
Given I am a Platinum user and I have purchased a new wheel, when I wish to return the wheel within 30 days of purchase, then I can do so without a penally.
Scenario #2
Given I am not a Platinum user and I have purchased a new wheel, when I wish to return the wheel within 30 days of purchase, then I can do so without 75% penally.
Scenario #3
Given I am a Platinum user and I have purchased a new wheel, when I wish to return the wheel after 30 days of purchase, then I can do so with a 75% penally.
Scenario #4
Given that I am a customer who has returned a wheel, when I am given a refund, then I get a notification email.
User Story: Order an out of stock item
As a customer I want to be informed on the status of out-of-stock items so that I can cancel the order if it takes too long.
Scenario #1
Given that I have ordered an out of stock item, and I have been told the wheel's delivery is 2 weeks, when the wheel is not in stock on despatch day - 1, Then email me and apologise and offer to cancel the order.
etc....
So why bother
There is a lot more information in these Scenarios and the process of getting people together and talking about these is hugely productive. You do not need a highly paid analyst or a developer guru for this stuff. You just need to start thinking, talking and recording. If it's incomplete and your project environment is evolving, then just starting is a great step forward.
Advice
What you can do, is pick a fictitious project, a small project, and go through the motions. This will be quite instructive.
Testing
In an earlier post I mentioned the INVEST acronym which stands for Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Sized, and Testable. This technique of writing Scenarios enables Testing and it go somewhere to assist Estimating.
I think the next post should be about using these User Stories and estimating work. I might wait for a week or so.
Scenario #2
Given I am not a Platinum user and I have purchased a new wheel, when I wish to return the wheel within 30 days of purchase, then I can do so without 75% penally.
Scenario #3
Given I am a Platinum user and I have purchased a new wheel, when I wish to return the wheel after 30 days of purchase, then I can do so with a 75% penally.
Scenario #4
Given that I am a customer who has returned a wheel, when I am given a refund, then I get a notification email.
User Story: Order an out of stock item
As a customer I want to be informed on the status of out-of-stock items so that I can cancel the order if it takes too long.
Scenario #1
Given that I have ordered an out of stock item, and I have been told the wheel's delivery is 2 weeks, when the wheel is not in stock on despatch day - 1, Then email me and apologise and offer to cancel the order.
etc....
So why bother
There is a lot more information in these Scenarios and the process of getting people together and talking about these is hugely productive. You do not need a highly paid analyst or a developer guru for this stuff. You just need to start thinking, talking and recording. If it's incomplete and your project environment is evolving, then just starting is a great step forward.
Advice
What you can do, is pick a fictitious project, a small project, and go through the motions. This will be quite instructive.
Testing
In an earlier post I mentioned the INVEST acronym which stands for Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Sized, and Testable. This technique of writing Scenarios enables Testing and it go somewhere to assist Estimating.
I think the next post should be about using these User Stories and estimating work. I might wait for a week or so.
No comments:
Post a Comment