Online User Story Mapping
Usually, teams use user story maps for release planning.A user story map arranges user stories into a useful model to help understand the functionality of the system, identify holes and omissions in your backlog, and effectively plan holistic releases that deliver value to users and business with each release.
The user story mapping workshops are very collaborative and engaging. The team needs everyone's input to make sure all types of features are added to the backlog.
Remote teams can use online tools, for instance,StoriesOnBoard for creating story maps. I mostly use this tool with my distributed teams and it is as effective as using a physical story map with collocated teams. Below is the example of a story map created by using StoriesOnBoard online tool.
Regular backlog refinement with the whole team
Whoever is part of product development should participate inbacklog refinementalong with business liaison. During backlog refinement meetings, teams usually discuss the below areas:
- Understand user stories
- Order product backlog
- Split big user stories into smaller user stories
- Write acceptance criteria
- Estimate
Through the list, it is very clear that the whole team is required to participate in the discussion regardless of their location.
To smoothly run refinement meetings in distributed teams, similar to the product visioning exercise, teams can use video conferencing with online boards. On top of that, teams can also use online product backlog management tools, for instance,Jira,Version One,Trelloetc.
Apart from the above-mentioned practices, teams should focus on the below important activities:
- User feedback communication rhythm: invite users in the demos and encourage the whole team communicate with them. Alternatively, record videos of users giving feedback and using the product and share that with all teams.
- Use tools like confluence to have a complete overview of all artefacts related to your product, for example, vision , goals, roadmap, personas, marketing collaterals.
- Find out the comfortable time slots for product reviews and planning ceremonies.
- Scrum Master should make sure high bandwidth communication happens between the development team and business representatives.
Please share how you are developing your products with distributed teams.