Upgrading your Website: Writing User Stories
Now that we’ve identified our SMART website goals and our main users or user groups, we can start getting to the nitty-gritty of your new website.
It’s time to start writing requirements for your website keeping all of your goals and users in mind.
“That’s easy, I’ll just write everything we need the website to in a document” I hear you say.
Wrong!
For me, I believe one of the biggest causes of failed website builds comes from two points:
- The specifications that a client gives their agency (They usually focus on the how and who not the why)
and
- The agency not taking time to help their client deliver a better brief so they are able to fully understand what their client wants from their new website.
So if you’re creating a brief for your new website project, one of the best things you can do is create user stories.
An agency or developer doesn’t want to be told how to build it, they want to understand how you expect it to work in a variety of scenarios. User stories help you to do this without using complicated, technical jargon. Usually, developers are more ‘logical thinkers’.
Dani interviewed Dan Pala and Mark Byrne in our latest podcast to explain what user stories are, why they’re important and how to write them.
What is a simple example of a user story?
User Stories should follow the format of
As a <particular class of user>, I want to <be able to perform/do something>; so that <I get some form of value or benefit>
Examples could include:
As a customer, I would like a one-click purchase option so that I can save time when buying online.
For example, a returning customer to Domino’s Pizza wanting to easily reorder their favourite pizzas with one-click.
As an editor of a publications website, I would like to review content before it is published so that I can assure it has correct spelling, grammar and tone of voice.
As a customer, I would like to be able to share content so that I can pass on relevant information to people I think would benefit from it.
Be silent and listen. You will hear the keys to success…
To find out why user stories matter, some examples of user stories and what risks there may be read our blog and listen to our podcast:
