Are user stories obsolete?
Not at Atono. In fact, we consider them first-class objects.
Stories have been a part of human culture for thousands of years, helping us share experiences, build connections, and pass down knowledge. They engage different parts of our brains tied to emotions, memories, and sensory experiences, making them a powerful way to understand and remember information.
In software development, stories are just as important. At Atono, we use them to communicate customer value, set clear goals, and keep our teams connected throughout the development process. Let’s dive into what stories are, why they matter, and why we’re all about them at Atono.
What’s a story in software development?
A story is the building block of deployable functionality. In Atono, stories are a big deal – you’ll see them as one of the main workflow items. Each story has three key parts: a title, a user story, and acceptance criteria.
Title
The title is the first thing you see. It should quickly convey what happens when a product owner or engineer flips a feature flag.
User story
A user story is a simple statement that describes a feature or functionality from the end user’s perspective. The goal? To express customer value.
Think about it: To be worth paying for, software should make someone’s life easier or better. That’s easy to forget when you’re deep in the technical weeds. A user story is our way of keeping that top of mind.
User stories are short, use clear language, and follow a straightforward format that tells us what the user needs and why it’s important. Here’s how we structure them at Atono:
As a {persona}, I want to {perform an action}, so that {rationale}.
This format includes three essential parts:
Persona: Helps us empathize with the user – their goals, constraints, and role.
Goal: Gives us a clear vision of what the user wants to achieve.
Rationale: Explains why the user wants to achieve this goal, whether it’s part of a bigger plan or just getting a specific task done.
Acceptance criteria
Solutions don’t exist in a bubble, and acceptance criteria (ACs) set clear boundaries to ensure what we build meets cost, time, and system requirements. They also define how users will interact with the solution, providing a clear definition of ‘done’ and reducing ambiguity.
Who writes stories?
Anyone can write a story. As we build out our MVP at Atono, our product owners take the lead on writing stories and ACs. They’ve spent the most time talking to our ideal customers and researching the market.
In a perfect world, everyone working on a product would get to interact with customers. But let’s be real – that’s not always possible. Stories are a crucial link between the people who talk to customers and the developers who don’t.
Unique benefits of stories
Project management tools and issue trackers do a lot of great things – they help us break down work into deployable units, support iterative development, and keep a searchable archive of past decisions for historical context. They also give us ways to measure success and integrate user feedback, which helps us evolve with our users’ needs. This is all solid stuff.
But in addition to all that, stories offer something more. Here’s what makes them special:
Focused goals, tangible value: Stories tie goals directly to user value and the bigger project vision, keeping everyone on the same page about what we’re aiming for and why it matters.
Bridging the gap: Stories are designed to connect product owners (the voice of the user) with the development team, making them essential for turning user needs into real features.
Team harmony: Stories foster cross-functional alignment, ensuring that everyone – from product owners to developers – shares a common understanding. This is a lot harder to achieve when you’re just focused on tasks.
Smart discussions: Stories spark conversations about user needs and system requirements in a way that’s focused on users, which can get lost in more technically-focused systems.
Common critiques
We’ve found that stories are great for keeping development aligned with user needs, but they do get some criticism. And that’s okay – not everyone’s a fan of everything. Sometimes, though, the criticism comes from misunderstandings or misusing stories. Let’s look at the common concerns and how to address them thoughtfully.
User stories are time consuming: Writing stories might take more time than straightforward issues because they require framing tasks from the user’s perspective and gathering team input. But we think this investment pays off with clearer direction, fewer misunderstandings, and less rework later. Plus, well-defined stories help prevent scope creep by setting clear boundaries for each task.
User stories obscure tasks: Some worry that user stories might obscure technical work. But they’re not meant to detail every task or dictate how to build a solution. Breaking down stories into subtasks and ACs can cover both user-facing and technical needs. Involving the whole team in refining stories ensures nothing is missed, keeping the focus on delivering real value.
User stories lack technical detail: User stories are simple by design, making them accessible to everyone. If developers need more detail, pairing stories with detailed ACs fills that gap. At Atono, every story includes ACs, and we often add technical specs or hold follow-up discussions to make sure developers have the clarity they need.
User stories create silos: Some think user stories might create silos by isolating teams. But at Atono, we’ve found the opposite to be true. Our cross-functional teams use stories to align everyone – from product owners to developers. By involving all team members in story refinement and regular stand-ups, we keep communication open and ensure everyone is working together.
User stories encourage a mechanical approach: We see this criticism as more suited to task-based systems focused on isolated tasks, but perhaps the problem arises when stories are treated as rigid instructions rather than flexible guidelines. We view stories as a way to foster creativity and critical thinking by focusing on user outcomes and the bigger picture, helping us avoid a rigid, task-oriented mindset and stay aligned with delivering real value.
User stories can be misinterpreted: Anything that’s written poorly can be misinterpreted! Because user stories are often written in plain language, it’s possible they can be open to interpretation. But with clear ACs, regular check-ins, and discussions, any misunderstandings get sorted out before they impact development. Regular communication among team members, including planning and review sessions, also helps keep everyone on the same page.
While stories aren’t without challenges, many of the common criticisms stem from how they’re applied rather than from flaws in the concept itself. By approaching stories thoughtfully and pairing them with the right practices, teams can overcome these issues and fully leverage the benefits they offer.
Stories that matter
At Atono, stories aren’t just a project management tool – they’re the foundation of how we build software that truly matters to our users. By focusing on the end user's perspective, aligning goals with tangible value, and fostering collaboration across our teams, stories ensure that every feature we develop has a clear purpose and a meaningful impact.
Sure, they might get some criticism, but when used thoughtfully, stories are an invaluable asset in delivering software that not only meets technical requirements but also resonates with the people who use it. In the end, it’s the stories we tell – and the stories we build – that help us create solutions that make a real difference.