tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791723.post111766714537411583..comments2023-09-22T11:01:30.370-07:00Comments on Val the C# Gal: A User Story Without the User?Valerie Vogthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14342788492213089415noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791723.post-1119933148515806392005-06-27T21:32:00.000-07:002005-06-27T21:32:00.000-07:00This is a really interesting dialog.There is a who...This is a really interesting dialog.<BR/><BR/>There is a whole sub-industry related to user experience design and traditional product design. One of their cornerstones is observing the user and creating the specs from those observations. Check out cooper.com, uie.com, ok-cancel.com, ixdg.org, ideo.com (product design), and many more. I started building a tool so that you could use video, audio, and screen to record user design sessions, focus groups or whatever and communicate those design sessions back to all team members the actual user experience/story (www.usersfirst.com). It has a bent towards software usability, but I so want it to be used more in the design phase, with participatory design, focus groups, contextual inquiry, ethnographic research, blah blah blah. --smile-- But, I have to get the product completed first.<BR/><BR/>Valerie, I think your thought about sitting with the user and analyst is a great idea. Adapt the story medium to however the user wants to communicate it, draw pictures, write it out, whatever. As you have said, it is so important that their needs/goals are communicated, and are leading the product design and ultimately the development.<BR/><BR/>Best regards,<BR/>Pete Gordon<BR/>usersfirst.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791723.post-1118756243089931052005-06-14T06:37:00.000-07:002005-06-14T06:37:00.000-07:00Mike-I was able to sit down with my end user in a ...Mike-<BR/><BR/>I was able to sit down with my end user in a meeting to discuss requirements, rather than sitting down with only the analyst. This is a first on this project, and I appreciated the opportunity. We uncovered a lot of detail in the meeting, and at the end of the meeting, I gave the user and my analyst the to-do of writing the user story together. My user was happy to help.<BR/><BR/>My analyst, however, did not include the user in her writing of the user story. <BR/><BR/>I think that my solution to the missing end user is only going to be solved if I sit together with the end user and analyst to write the user stories together.<BR/><BR/>Do you have any similar experiences?<BR/><BR/>Thanks-<BR/>ValerieValerie Vogthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14342788492213089415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791723.post-1118697230796214932005-06-13T14:13:00.000-07:002005-06-13T14:13:00.000-07:00Any news or developments on this issue?Any news or developments on this issue?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791723.post-1117717193273687112005-06-02T05:59:00.000-07:002005-06-02T05:59:00.000-07:00Mike-That is EXACTLY my concern, as well. I am ac...Mike-<BR/><BR/>That is EXACTLY my concern, as well. I am acting as the project lead and am in charge of managing the client relationship. The problem we have run into is getting our client sponsor to understand that it is not good enough for them to provide us with their analyst's time. We need their end users. The client sponsor is reluctant to ask his end users to be part of the project team because they are employees paid only on commission. Commission only employees would much rather spend thier time out following leads than working with our tool. Thus far, we have made lemonade. I do continue to push for at least one end user to be involved because you are right; if we do not have the END user's story, then we are writing what the analyst feels the end user needs rahter than what the end user feels they need.<BR/><BR/>--ValerieValerie Vogthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14342788492213089415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791723.post-1117716796674078572005-06-02T05:53:00.000-07:002005-06-02T05:53:00.000-07:00If a business analyst is writing the stories, the ...If a business analyst is writing the stories, the obvious problem is that you can't tell if the business analyst is giving you the correct story. If the users aren't willing to write the stories, how do you know that they're willing to meet with the business analyst?<BR/><BR/>If I was asked to write a story as a developer, I would refuse (in a tactful way) and bring the issue up to the project manager or whoever is leading the project. <BR/><BR/>If user stores are going to be used, then they should be used correctly. If not, then whoever is leading the project probably isn't buying into the concept of user stories - otherwise the users would be cooporative. If 100% of the project team won't buy into it, then I'd assume that you won't reap any of the benefits that user stories provide - either because they won't be used correctly or they won't be used at all.<BR/><BR/>If an analyst or developer writes the stories, its ultimately the end user who suffers in the end because they will receive a product built to somebody else's specifications (because somebody else is writing the tests). <BR/><BR/>In your situation, I'd bring up the issue to the project leader or project manager. If you can't get buy-in from them, then I'd explain to them that the end-users will suffer and project quality will fall. If you still don't get buy-in, then.... make lemonade out of lemons? :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com