Facilitated by Tox B.
Break down project features into epics and create a story map to visualize the user journey and prioritize features for maximum value.
From Problems to Solutions:
Now that we understand our users and their problems, it’s time to design solutions. Story mapping is the technique that helps us break down features, visualize the user journey, and prioritize what to build first.
What Are Epics:
• Large bodies of work that can be broken into smaller stories
• Represent significant features or capabilities
• Too big to complete in a single Sprint
• Provide structure for organizing the Product Backlog
• Help with long-term planning and roadmapping
Epics for Our Projects:
Donation Feature Epics:
• User Registration and Authentication
• Payment Processing Integration
• Donation Amount Selection and Checkout
• Confirmation and Receipt Generation
• Admin Dashboard for Tracking Donations
Resource Library Epics:
• Access Code System
• Resource Browse and Search
• File Upload and Management
• User Dashboard and Activity Tracking
• Auto-Revoke for Inactive Members
Story Mapping Explained:
• Developed by Jeff Patton to visualize product backlogs
• Arranges user stories in a 2D map based on user journey
• Helps identify gaps in functionality
• Makes it easier to prioritize and release plan
• Keeps teams focused on user value
How to Create a Story Map:
1. Identify user activities (the backbone)
2. Break activities into user tasks
3. Add user stories under each task
4. Arrange stories vertically by priority
5. Draw lines to define releases or sprints
6. Review and refine as a team
Workshop: Building Our Story Maps:
• Create story maps for donation and resource library features
• Identify the critical user journey (the backbone)
• Break journey into specific steps and tasks
• Generate user stories for each step
• Organize stories by value and dependency
Story Mapping Best Practices:
• Keep it visual and collaborative
• Focus on user flow, not technical architecture
• Use different colors for different user types
• Identify minimum viable product (MVP) scope
• Mark dependencies and risks
Prioritization Through Story Mapping:
• Horizontal slices = releases or sprints
• Top stories = highest value and priority
• Bottom stories = nice-to-haves for later
• Ensure each slice delivers coherent user value
• Balance foundational work with visible value
What You’ll Deliver This Week:
• Complete story maps for both features
• Identified epics for each project
• Prioritized list of user stories
• MVP scope defined (what we’ll build first)
• Dependencies and risks documented
Benefits of Attending This Session:
Participants will understand how to break down large features into manageable pieces, create visual story maps that guide development, prioritize based on user value, and plan sprints that deliver coherent functionality. Story mapping ensures we build the right things in the right order.