Create a Compelling User Story in 3 Steps

As instructional designers, it is our job to solve business problems through the learning experiences we create. These experiences are valuable not just to stakeholders but to the learners as well. Typically, the learners will identify problems in the processes and procedures they are working with long before the stakeholders do, which is why their input is so important to designing and developing learning experiences.

Think of learners as our customers. We want to provide them with the right solution to their problem, creating a happy customer (or value). We can do this by creating user stories, a goal or purpose of the learning experience expressed from the learner’s point of view. They clearly and succinctly define the problem and the value for the learner in one sentence.

The user story is like a mantra that kicks off the learning experience process. Let it guide you through the entire project. Keep it someplace highly visible to you and your team, and refer to it frequently. This ensures that you value the learner’s voice through every project step.

Agile coach Rachel Davies’ user story template is the most well-known for its simplicity:

· As , I want , so that .

However, as instructional designers, we like to work within reasonable time constraints. So, I would recommend modifying this template:

• As , I want in , so that no later than .

So, how does this look in action?

• As a data administrator, I want to locate a person’s address in the database in under 30 seconds, so my team can quickly send them voter rights information by the last week of October.

Now that we know the problem, we can work to resolve it.

Creating a compelling user story requires you to communicate with your learners on a deeper level than just learning the tasks they perform daily. But it doesn’t need to be intimidating. Here’s how to create a user story in three simple steps.

1. Know your learners.

Who are they? What are their pain points? What do they value? This is a great time to develop a learner persona if necessary.

Begin by conducting a learner analysis. In this type of analysis, you want to determine who the learner is (characteristics and demographics), what motivates them, what their comfort level with technology is, and how they perform their job (tasks and environment). You may send out surveys, conduct interviews, or observe learners in their environment.

After you have gathered this information, you want to analyze it for common trends and outliers. What are the general attitudes, beliefs, and opinions of your learners? What skills do they possess? What skills do they lack? What are their goals and reasons for wanting training? Do they even want training?

Most often, personas are tied to a specific image that symbolizes all learners. I agree with experts Sharon Boller and Laura Fletcher on not using an image to avoid bias. You can create a rich, useful learner persona without tying it to a photo.

2. Keep it simple.

A user story is not meant to be a long, complex document. You are not listing requirements. Instead, keep your learner in mind. What is it that they need to be able to do?

This is when the learner persona you created in the first step comes into play. By now, you should have a pretty good idea of who your learners are and what they are struggling with. You can begin putting together your user story following the first part of the template:

• As , I want in ,

3. Mind the value.

This is arguably the most important step because you need to be able to justify why the learners need to be able to do what they are requesting. What is the value added here, not just to the learners but to the business?

What is the measurable goal? It should be aligned with the business’ needs and the learners’ desires. Review the learner persona you created and your notes (or recordings) from your initial conversations with stakeholders. Can you find the intersection between the business’ and the learners’ needs?

If not, then you need to have further conversations with your stakeholders and learners. If you their goals are aligned, then you’re ready to complete your user story:

• so that no later than .

By knowing your learners through conducting a learner analysis, keeping it simple, and focusing on a measurable goal, you can create an effective user story. User stories are meant to highlight the voice of the learners and help you, the instructional designer, focus on advocating and designing for their needs. Creating a user story helps ensure you add value to the lives of your learners and stakeholders.