get the story before you write the story: journalists' tips for software professionals
TRANSCRIPT
Get the StoryBefore you Write the Story
Reporters’ Tips for Software Professionals
PLEASE NOTESLIDES ≠ PRESENTATION
• These slides are designed to be viewed in conjunction with a human being talking and interacting with you.
• They may not make much sense to you if you were not at the live session.
FITFOR PURPOSE
What’s going on here?“Here’s something to test.” “Here’s something to check out.”
TESTER REPORTER
Today’s Story
Why stories?
Reporter techniques Exercise Use in
your world
Please hold your questionsuntil you have one
Image: https://help.rallydev.com/agile-primer
Functional TestsStory TestsPrototypesSimulations
Exploratory TestingScenarios
Usability TestingUser Acceptance Testing
Apha/Beta
Unit TestsComponent Tests
Performance + Load TestingSecurity Testing“ility” Testing
Business Facing
Technology Facing
Critique ProductSu
ppor
ting
the
Team
User Story Formula• As a ___________________
• I want to _______________
• So that _________________
WHOWHATWHY
People
Action
Expected outcome
User Story Formula 2.0 (Job Story)
• When _________________
• I want to _______________
• So that ________________
WHATWHATWHY
Circumstances
Motivation
Expected outcome
STORYSTORY
Curiosity is more useful than knowledge when you’re after a story!
Reporter Story Formula
• WHO?
• WHAT?
• WHEN?
• WHERE?
• WHY?
• Who are you?
• What do you want?
• What are you going to do about it?
As aI want to
So that
We’ve evolved to share information through stories
Image: Lascaux Caves, France
Our brains love a story!
Illustration: Nadir Balan
Why should we care about stories?
What’s the story here?
A story has a spine
Once upon a time . . . And ever since
then . . .
CURRENT REALITY BETTER FUTURE
The Spine of a Story
Everyday LifeEveryday Life is
Changed
CURRENT REALITY BETTER FUTURE
The Hero’s Journey
A dream come true
A dream come trueOnce upon a time, a man was cursed (he knew not how or by whom) to suffer restless nights of tossing and turning on the world's most uncomfortable bed. Morning after morning he awoke stiff and bleary-eyed and yawned his way through the tiresome days.
Many approached him with promises of a better night's sleep, but alas! Their promises were as empty as his wallet after forking over his hard-earned silver for "designer" mattresses that were as lumpy and unforgiving as a sack full of peas.
He had almost given up hope of ever having a good night's sleep. Until one day, he heard from a mysterious stranger about a merchant whose magical mattresses could break even the most powerful of sleeping curses. And he wouldn't even have to sign away his first-born child to purchase it!
The man was skeptical: who could break a powerful curse for such a reasonable price? Still, the merchant's offer was too good to refuse (a 100-day trial with full refund and free shipping!?), so he tried this special curse-breaking mattress, which the merchant had named "Casper." The man could tell that Casper was special the moment it arrived at his door. Its look, its feel - everything about it was so unlike any other mattress he had ever seen. Was it too much to hope that it could break his curse?
He lay down on it with trepidation. He had been made false promises before. But Casper embraced him gently, and he drifted off to sleep. That night,the man slept soundly. He dreamed dreams he had never dreamed before. And the next morning, he awoke more refreshed and invigorated than he could ever recall in his entire life. Casper had lifted his curse! This Casper was indeed a work of marvelous craftsmanship and unparalleled value. The man could not imagine having more wisely spent his silver. His restless nights were a thing of the past, and he lived happily ever after.
Group exercise • You’ll have 8 minutes.• Create a brief story that you imagine might have
led to the development of one of the products on the cards.
• Then we’ll share the stories.
Who should I talk with?• Anyone involved• People impacted• Ask, “Who else should I talk with?”
Sometimes, there is no “oracle”
Navigate through CURIOSITY
Marcus Raetz – Yes or No
Things are not always what they seem
How do I get people to talk with me?• “If you don’t tell your story, someone else will.”• “You’re affected. You’ll know what a good outcome will be for you.”• “This story/product will be better with your perspective.”• Relationships
What should I ask them?• Navigate through curiosity• Be like a child• Not the time to show off your knowledge• Rather than features, focus on value – relate to behaviour• Focus on helping those who use the products
Better stories create better users!
Different voices
Purpose
Motivations
Aspirations
Context
Emotion
FITFOR PURPOSE
Tiny Habits
• Pick one idea to start with
• Try it for a week
• Watch what happensAdapt
Deliver
Inspect
