User story

About: User story is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1078 publications have been published within this topic receiving 23717 citations.

Sharing Knowledge Through Tangible Models: Designing Kickoff Workshops for Agile Software Development Projects

Abstract: In software engineering, the programmer depends on precise descriptions of the system to be built. To get these descriptions, analysts condense the knowledge about the domain from observations and discussions with the users, the people that will eventually work with the software. The users have to communicate their knowledge about the domain and express their needs. With TBPM we have shown that it is possible for end users to express themselves by means of process models. We now transfer these findings to other fields in software engineering. We investigated in the discipline of requirements engineering, especially in the context of agile software development approaches. From practitioners we learned that during the first iterations, code tends to be thrown away completely since the initial requirements gathering phase is intentionally kept lean. We therefore introduced the concept of need-finding iterations and tackle this problem in our research. We develop a holistic workshop methodology to kick off agile software development projects in which a shared understanding among stakeholders is to be fostered. Discussions that would arise after a software prototype has been implemented are encouraged to be conducted at an earlier stage by making use of an adequate modeling solution. We propose story prototypes which essentially enrich user stories with control flow information and thereby are enhanced to show the big picture rather than just individual aspects of the system to be built. In such a kickoff workshop we encourage a detailed need-finding together with the customer by means of shared model building.

Context-aware computing: opportunities and open issues

Abstract: A 2011 Gartner report [3] describes context-aware computing as a game-changing opportunity for enterprises to improve both productivity and profits. Context-aware computing is about making applications and content more relevant to a user's context, e.g., when and where the user is, thereby improving user experience. For instance, a coupon delivered to a user at a wrong time or at a wrong location is considered a nuisance. On the contrary, receiving a timely, usable coupon before purchasing a merchandise is a treat. Context-aware computing is not a new concept, but the ongoing mobile revolution makes it both necessary and feasible. • Necessary because the mobile phone display is small and information must be delivered with much higher relevance and precision to meet user needs. • Feasible because small, light-weight mobile devices allow users to almost always carry them around, and much can be learned via a phone about its user's habits and states.Context-aware computing involves first acquiring context and then taking context-dependent actions. For instance, a phone can sense a user's location and turn off its GPS unit to conserve power when the user enters a building, or it can collect EKG signals of a user and trigger an alert if the user's heart beats irregularly. Similarly, a restaurant can send a coupon to a user when that user is queued up in front of a nearby restaurant. The useful context can be divided into three categories: information on the user (knowledge of habits, emotional state, biophysiological conditions), the user's environment (time, location, co-location of others, social interaction), and the user's tasks (transportation mode, engaged tasks, general goals) [4]. Context-aware computing can be applied to benefit applications in many areas including but not limited to information retrieval, facility management, productivity enhancement, in addition to the aforementioned three examples representing power management, health care, and commerce, respectively.

Software engineering meets user services: a methodology for developing user

Abstract: This paper will address the task of applying Software Engineering techniques of requirements analysis to one aspect of the User Services Consultant's job: analyzing a problem situation and recommending some course of action, often computer-related. While User Services consultants do not typically develop systems for users, they are frequently approached by individuals who suspect that a problem they are experiencing might be solved through the use of a computer. Consultants then attempt to help the user articulate the problem, identify data and equipment needs, and recognize personnel constraints. Various recommendations might be made, including discouraging automation, encouraging user self-implementation (i.e., user learns a package and implements on his or her own), or referring the project to M.I.S. for further analysis. The quality of this process is not carefully monitored and users receive various levels of assistance based on the particular expertise of the consultant.As a case study, I have selected a project in the Psychology Department to analyze. The result has been the development of a Requirements Specification Form which can be used in User Services. Its primary function is to force the consultant to ask the relevant questions such that an appropriate recommendation will be arrived at. It is expected that this methodology will markedly improve User Services' ability to deliver quality service in this important area.

Ethical Challenges in Collaborative Storytelling

Abstract: Collaborative storytelling using user generated audio-visual narratives is becoming a popular medium for creative social sharing, hyper-local TV, and collective awareness. Through two storytelling user experiments, we recognized that the challenges around ethics and copyrights in managing user data are far more pressing than the simple technical feasibilities of a storytelling platform. Recognizing the importance of some actual and anticipated ethical problems we attempted to address the issue in our experiments using purpose-built technical features and a specifically designed consent form as the code of conduct. The resultant platform effectively maintains the life-cycle and dependencies of the narratives and composite user stories.

A Technical Story

Abstract: Across the agile community there has been a lot of discussion regarding the use of technical stories. While the community seems split into two camps of for and against, the majority of extreme programmers favour to define the system using only the traditional customer focused user stories. In some cases the technical story arguments are academic, but our experience report demonstrates clearly why sticking to user stories has its benefits. Our experience using Scrum and XP has been that allowing technical stories into the process can de-rail the ability to deliver constant, measurable business value per iteration, as well as inhibit the planning process. Once technical stories are allowed, the customer and business can be alienated very quickly, especially when they have no engineering background. Furthermore, when problems occur and the technical stories begin to slip, the customer can be left in a very difficult position, not knowing how to re- prioritise or direct the process. It is therefore our intention to highlight some of the pitfalls that can result from using technical stories.