What is in a story?
Or what it means to be a product storyteller!
When we take a role with ‘product’ in its name, the truth is that we become storytellers. If you are a product owner, product manager, product lead or even a VP of product, then you are a storyteller. Like in a movie or book, we have the characters, the background story, the plot, the arcs and an outcome. The difference is that we want to avoid drama or suspense as much as possible. The end must be happy at all times, the audience must be thrilled, and you can use cliffhangers sometimes.
Here are some thoughts on user stories. It is not a tutorial or lesson but rather an essay with a few (crazy?) ideas put together. Does it make sense? You can tell me in the comments as I’m eager to learn as much as possible.
As product storytellers, we’ve got to understand who the characters are, their goals, fears, and their characteristics. Let’s dive in for a bit into what kind of characters we have in this context. The first characters you’ll have to worry about are the final users of your product/feature.
Final User
Your top priority is to ensure this character has their goals accomplished; therefore, we must understand where they want to get to. They will not tell you what solution they expect but what their problem is. You and your team will propose and eventually implement a solution. Talk to them, and learn about their background, wishes, and fears. It will give you the insights you need to help them better. Remember: your product only exists because there’s a need, and they’re the ones with that need. So, be good to them!
The Villain
Yes, your story might have one or more villains. Villains in this context are the associated risks with implementing the story. What could possibly go wrong? Are there regulations that might affect how we implement it? Are there security concerns? Do we have enough confidence? Anything that can get in the way of your “happily ever after” is a possible villain, and we’ll have to be aware and address them early in the process. Don’t wait until the third act to take care of this. In our context, we need to be proactive.
Requirements
When writing a “user story”, it’s important to elaborate on what we need to fulfill that need the final user brought us. We should focus mainly (but not only) on the functional requirements. What do we need to accomplish that goal? As a product person, you don’t need to go into fine details; your crew will do that. They’re the experts, but you’ll have to clarify what is essential and what is not. Which way they should follow and why. They must understand the need and your vision so they can apply their expertise to make it happen. If you’re clear enough, they’ll do a great job.
It’s essential to be attentive to the fact that a story might be so big that it deserves several episodes. Maybe it’s a trilogy; maybe it’s a season. You’ll figure that out once you really understand your user’s needs and what is at stake.
Acceptance Criteria
The ending of your story must be a happy one; for that, you have to make clear what it means to have a great end. Think of those TV shows that go great for many seasons only to ruin the series finale. Don’t let your audience become frustrated by your final episode. Deliver what they expect (you created the anticipation). For that, you have to write clear Acceptance Criteria. Your team will thank you and deliver.
Your Crew
Your crew members are the ones who will deliver your vision. A successful user story has not one writer, but it’s crafted by several hands (and brains). Make sure to include your team in your creative process; you’ll learn quite a lot as they’ll bring valuable ideas that might even take you in another direction.
The Executives
As a product person, it’s not always easy to roll your stories as you imagine. We will face “executives” who try to interfere with your masterpiece, and we must learn how to deal with that. They might have valid reasons or not; there are costs to be considered, priorities, the current market conditions and so on. Take the time to talk to them. The challenge is to put all of this together and deliver high-quality products, to have happy final users, satisfied executives and a motivated team.
Once this story (or epic) is done, the next one comes. Build on previous experiences to amaze your audience with well-crafted stories that deliver on the promise. It’s a challenge but a rewarding one. There’s nothing better than a happy user and a healthy business.
Storytelling is a fascinating topic, one that deserves constant improvement. We want to delight our audience while having fun and a sense of fulfilment. What are your thoughts on the storytelling of a product?
