deliver-user-stories
Generates user stories in the standard persona, action, benefit story format from product requirements or feature descriptions. Use when breaking a feature into stories for sprint planning, writing tickets, or communicating scope to engineering. For testable Given/When/Then acceptance criteria on a
By product-on-purpose · 775 installs
npx skills add product-on-purpose/pm-skills --skill deliver-user-stories
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<! PM Skills https://github.com/product on purpose/pm skills Apache 2.0
User Stories
User stories are concise descriptions of functionality from the user's perspective. They capture who needs something, what they need, and why without prescribing how to build it. Good user stories enable teams to break large features into estimable, deliverable increments while maintaining focus on user value.
When to Use
After PRD approval, when breaking down features for implementation
During sprint planning to create actionable work items
When writing tickets for engineering teams
When communicating requirements to stakeholders in accessible terms
When prioritizing a backlog based on user value
When NOT to Use
You need deeper, QA ready Given/When/Then coverage for a single story or slice use deliver acceptance criteria
You need the feature wide catalog of boundary conditions and failure scenarios use deliver edge cases
The feature itself is not yet specified use deliver prd first; stories should trace back to documented requirements
You want refinement session outcomes (estimates, scope decisions, open questions) use iterate refinement notes
Instructions
When asked to create user stories, follow these steps:
1. Understand the Feature Context
Review the PRD or feature description. Understand the overall goal, target users, and scope boundaries. User stories should trace back to documented requirements.
2. Identify User Personas
Determine which users interact with this feature. Each story should be written for a specific persona, not generic "users." Different personas may need different stories for the same feature.
3. Break Down by User Goal
Decompose the feature into distinct user goals. Each story should deliver a complete, valuable capability something the user can actually do when the story is done.
4. Write Story Statements
Use the format: "As a [persona], I want [action] so that [benefit]." The benefit clause is critical it explains why this matters and helps prioritize.
5. Define Acceptance Criteria
Write specific, testable criteria using Given/When/Then format. Acceptance criteria define "done" if all criteria pass, the story is complete.
6. Apply INVEST Criteria
Validate each story against INVEST: Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, Testable. Revise stories that don't meet these criteria.
7. Add Context and Notes
Include relevant design references, technical considerations, and dependencies. These help implementers understand the full picture.
Output Format
Use the template in references/TEMPLATE.md to structure the output. A complete output carries, per story: Story Header; User Story Statement; Context & Background; Acceptance Criteria; Design Notes; Technical Notes; Dependencies; Out of Scope; and Open Questions where any remain. Multi story documents nest these sections under one heading per story, as the example shows.
Quality Checklist
Before finalizing, verify:
[ ] Each story follows "As a... I want... so that..." format
[ ] Stories are independent (can be built in any order)
[ ] Acceptance criteria use Given/When/Then format
[ ] Each criterion is testable (someone can verify pass/fail)
[ ] Stories are small enough to complete in one sprint
[ ] No implementation details in the story statement
[ ] Benefit clause explains why this matters to the user
Examples
See references/EXAMPLE.md for a completed example.