This document discusses effective techniques for slicing stories into smaller pieces to improve agile workflow. It recommends slicing stories by acceptance criteria, user scenarios, workflow steps, and other factors. The "Hamburger Method" is described as a way to identify tasks within a story and slice it into smaller pieces or "bites" based on options, quality of solutions, and conversations with stakeholders. Slicing stories creates flexibility and allows teams to focus on early delivery of high value functionality.

1. effective
story slicing
Neil Killick, Agile Coach / Trainer
neilkillick.com / iterative.com.au
Copyright Neil Killick, Iterative, 2014
neil_killick

2. Why slice stories

3. Here’s why

4. Slicing creates options and
exposes goals from solutions

5. Why should we make
explicit slicing policies?
●
●
●
●
Better definition of “ready” and “done”
Measure cycle times for work types
We can inspect and adapt policies
Try and reduce instance of outliers

6. Shared definitions of work
types are important
“Theme”
User
registration
“Feature”
Forgotten
password
“Story”
Email user

7. Slice by
Acceptance Criteria
● Given Bob is a registered user,
When Bob logs in
Then he should be logged in.
● Given Bob is logged in,
When Bob chooses Profile
Then he should see his profile.

8. Each user scenario is
its own story

9. Keep vertically slicing (user
end-to-end functionality)

10. Workflow steps

11. Variation in business rules

12. Happy/unhappy flow

13. Input options/platform

14. Data types/parameters

15. CRUD operations

16. Test scenarios

17. Roles/personas

18. Other ways to slice
●
●
●
●
●
●
“Implement the 1st X, then the rest”
Delay performance considerations
Delay UI considerations
Look for “and”, “or” in scenarios
Browser compatibility
Usability

19. Hamburger Method

20. Step 1 - Identify tasks
● Story: Contact
dormant customers by
email
● Accomplishing all
tasks would meet goal
of story
Lettuce
V
e
r
t
i
c
a
l
s
l
i
c
e
Tomato
Burger
Onions
Tomato sauce

21. Step 2 - Identify options

22. Step 3 - Trim the burger
options

23. Trimmed, ready for 1st bite

24. Step 4 - Take the 1st bite

25. Each bite is a story the PO
may or may not want done
●
●
●
●
Keep taking a bite until “good enough”
Iterative = Be open to rework
Horizontal slices don’t deliver value
Conversations with the PO are key
○ Communicate technical risk
○ Focus on early value delivery

26. Group Activity
Make your own burger!
● Story: I want customers to be able to buy my
artwork from my website
● Use the Hamburger Method to slice this story
● You have 15 mins to:
○ Identify 5 or 6 tasks/stories
○ Identify options for each in order of quality

27. Neil Killick, Agile Coach / Trainer
neilkillick.com / iterative.com.au
Copyright Neil Killick, Iterative, 2013
neil_killick

28. References
● 8 useful strategies for splitting large user stories
(and a cheat sheet) - http://bit.ly/1jrdWOY
● Splitting user stories: the hamburger method http://bit.ly/1eL8HHW
● Splitting user stories by the quality of the
solution - http://bit.ly/1ejFRZ3