user-story-mapping Skill

This skill guides the creation of a 2D map of user needs (The Backbone) vs details (The Body) to scope releases.

1. The Matrix (Backbone vs Body)

• X-Axis (Backbone): The narrative flow. "User Signs Up" -> "Searches Product" -> "Adds to Cart" -> "Checks Out".
• Y-Axis (Priority): Depth of implementation.
  • Slice 1 (MVP): "Sign up via Email".
  • Slice 2 (v1.1): "Sign up via Google".
  • Slice 3 (v2): "Sign up via SSO".

2. Process

1. Define the Persona: Who are we mapping for?
2. Map the Steps (Activities): High-level goals (e.g., "Manage Profile").
3. Break into Tasks: Concrete actions (e.g., "Upload Avatar").
4. Slice Lines: Draw horizontal lines to define Release 1, Release 2, Release 3.

3. Output Format

Use templates/product/USER_STORY_MAP_TEMPLATE.md to document the outcome.

4. The "Walking Skeleton" Strategy

• Goal: Implement a tiny slice of the entire backbone first.
• Why: Proves end-to-end connectivity (Frontend -> Backend -> DB) in Week 1.
• Example: "User clicks Buy -> DB records order -> Payment Stubbed -> Email Sent".

5. Prioritization Rules (MoSCoW)

• Must Have: Without this, it doesn't work.
• Should Have: Important constraints (Performance, key features).
• Could Have: Delightful add-ons.
• Won't Have: Out of scope for now.