Foundations of Agile Ticket Writing: Small
This is a multipart series covering the importance of ticket writing with explanations and examples using INVEST principles. Part 2 of 4.
Next on our INVEST principles journey is S=SMALL.
What does small really mean? Companies may have different definitions of small, so I will give you Heady’s definition.
We consider small as something that can be completed within a two-week sprint. Anything that will take longer than two weeks will most likely have unknowns and be broken into additional steps. This is not a hard-fast rule, but a helpful guideline for keeping tickets manageable and not taking on too much at once.
We can also test small with Acceptance Criteria (more detail on this later) and should ideally keep the ticket’s Acceptance Criteria below 8. We can break this rule in some cases, but 8 is a good, quick litmus test.
Let’s return to our example from the user value post, and build on it:
As a repeat shopper, I want to sign up so that I can make my purchase more quickly
Everyone reading this has experienced many different signup flows, including here on Medium. Signup flows vary. Therefore, it is hard to say definitively whether this user story is small. As with most things in life, it depends.
Extra Credit: As a Product Manager, you should have some basic understanding of how data flows. More often than not it is via APIs . However, if you are just starting out, look at a design, and think about the user action at each stage. Discuss assumptions with your engineer team until you get more comfortable with the lingo.
So let’s look at two different signup screens:
Even someone with minimal tech knowledge can easily see one screen requires many more inputs than the other.
The right screen is probably small enough to be one user story. The left screen, on the other hand, probably needs to be broken up into multiple user stories to keep the tasks small and manageable. Examples of additional user stories we may create for the left signup screen are:
As a shopper, I want to add my address so that check out faster
As a shopper, I want to add my credit card information so that I can check out faster
As a shopper, I want to include preferences so that I can get product recommendations
Takeaway
Keeping user stories small is helpful to product development in many ways. Small user stories make it easier to track your team's work, avoid additional back and forth because of multiple unknowns, and address delays (if any) more quickly.
NOTE:
- In an ideal world, the design will always be signed off on before starting ticket work
- Final designs should be attached to the ticket to keep all the information in one place
- Breaking down the design is the best way to identify INVEST-able units of work
VALUE Part 1 of 4
INDEPENDENT & NEGOTIABLE 3 of 4
ESTIMABLE & TESTABLE 4 of 4
