Walk through a User Story Map Example with Mike Cohn

Summary

In this tutorial, Mike Cohn introduces viewers to the concept of story mapping, using 'Yum Hub', a food delivery service, as an example. He explains how to read a story map, emphasizing its two-dimensional structure that outlines the main flow and alternative steps in a product development process. Mike guides through the creation of a story map, highlighting the importance of considering different user interactions and priorities. He also provides a tip on simplifying the mapping process by considering submaps within each card, as demonstrated with the 'browse restaurant' step, which includes filtering by cuisine, star rating, and price.

Takeaways

• 📍 The story map is a tool to help teams develop a product, as explained by Mike Con, who specializes in agile methodologies.
• 🍽 The example used in the video is 'Yum Hub', a food delivery service, which is relatable to many users.
• 📍 The 'backbone' of the story map outlines the main flow of the service: entering an address, selecting a restaurant, choosing food, setting a delivery time, confirming the order, and making a payment.
• 🔍 Users have different preferences for selecting a restaurant, such as searching by name or filtering by cuisine, which are represented as alternatives in the map.
• 📝 The story map is read horizontally, with the sequence of actions read as 'then' between cards.
• 📊 The map includes a second dimension that presents alternative steps or options for each action in the backbone, read vertically with 'or' between cards.
• 🛑 Priority order is important when adding alternative steps, with the most important options placed at the top.
• 💡 The video suggests considering each card as a potential submap, allowing for a deeper dive into specific steps, like 'browse restaurant'.
• 🔄 Users may perform steps in the map in different orders or may not perform some steps at all, emphasizing the flexibility of user interaction.
• 📈 Filtering options like cuisine, star rating, and price are presented as part of the 'browse restaurant' step, showing how users can customize their experience.
• 💰 Payment options are also considered with a priority order, reflecting different user preferences and the importance of offering multiple methods.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the story map in the provided script?

The purpose of the story map is to illustrate how a team can use it to develop a product, specifically for Yum Hub, a food delivery service, by outlining the main flow and alternative steps users might take.

Who is Mike Cohn and what does he help teams with?

Mike Cohn is the presenter in the script, and he helps teams succeed with agile methodologies.

What is the first step a user needs to do on Yum Hub?

The first step a user needs to do on Yum Hub is to enter the address where the food will be delivered.

What is the term used to describe the main flow of a story map?

The main flow of a story map is referred to as the 'backbone'.

How does the story map represent the sequence of actions a user takes?

The story map represents the sequence of actions by laying out the backbone horizontally and reading it as a series of 'then' connected steps.

What are the three ways a user can enter a delivery address according to the story map?

The three ways a user can enter a delivery address are by entering a new address, using a saved address, or using the current location.

Why is 'enter new address' placed at the top of the priority order for entering a delivery address?

'Enter new address' is placed at the top because it is considered the most important, as no one has saved addresses until they've ordered at least once, and the current location may not always be reliable.

What does the second dimension of the story map represent?

The second dimension of the story map represents alternative ways of performing each step in the backbone, offering different paths a user might choose.

How can users select a restaurant on Yum Hub according to the story map?

Users can select a restaurant on Yum Hub by browsing available restaurants or selecting from past orders.

What are the three filters that Yum Hub allows users to apply when browsing restaurants?

Yum Hub allows users to filter by cuisine, star rating, and price.

What is the tip given by Mike Cohn to simplify working with story maps?

The tip given is to think of each card on a map as possibly containing a submap within it, allowing for a deeper dive into specific steps, like 'browse restaurant'.

Why is it important to consider the order of steps in a story map?

It is important to consider the order of steps to make sense of the user's typical actions, but it's also crucial not to obsess over the sequence in cases where steps can be performed in different orders or not at all.

What advice does Mike Cohn give for gaining experience with story mapping?

Mike Cohn advises practicing by mapping existing parts of one's own product or a product used often to gain experience with story mapping.

How does Mike Cohn suggest reading the alternatives within a column of the story map?

He suggests reading down a column by mentally inserting 'or' between cards to understand the different alternatives for each step.

What are the three ways a user can pay for an order on Yum Hub as mentioned in the story map?

The three ways a user can pay for an order on Yum Hub are by paying with a credit card, which is considered a higher priority, and two other unspecified methods, one of which is implied to be less common, like paying with Bitcoin.

Outlines

00:00

📍 Introduction to Story Mapping with Yum Hub

In this introductory paragraph, Mike Con, an agile expert, presents a story map for Yum Hub, a food delivery service. The map illustrates the user's journey from entering a delivery address to selecting a restaurant, choosing food, setting a delivery time, confirming the order, and making a payment. The 'backbone' of the story map defines the main flow of actions a user takes, which are read horizontally with a 'then' sequence. The map is two-dimensional, allowing for alternative steps or options to be presented vertically, such as different methods of entering an address or selecting a restaurant. The importance of considering user priorities when arranging alternative steps is emphasized.

05:00

🔍 Deep Dive into the 'Browse Restaurant' Step

This paragraph delves deeper into the 'browse restaurant' step of the Yum Hub story map. It explains how users can filter their restaurant choices by cuisine, star rating, and price range. The paragraph highlights the flexibility of user interaction, where some may follow a specific sequence of filters, while others might prioritize one filter over the others or use none at all. The importance of mapping out as many steps and alternatives as possible is stressed, rather than fixating on the order of steps. The paragraph concludes with a tip on practicing story mapping by analyzing existing products and encourages viewers to like and subscribe for more agile tips.

Keywords

💡Story Map

A story map is a visual tool used to organize and communicate the key features and user interactions of a product. In the video, the story map is used to illustrate the development process of 'Yum Hub', a food delivery service. The map is laid out to represent the main flow of user actions, such as entering an address, selecting a restaurant, and ordering food, which are read horizontally as a sequence of 'then' actions.

💡Backbone

The backbone of a story map defines the primary sequence of user actions that form the main flow of the product experience. In the script, the backbone includes steps like entering an address, selecting a restaurant, choosing food, setting a delivery time, confirming the order, and making a payment, which are the essential steps a user would follow when using 'Yum Hub'.

💡Agile

Agile is a methodology for project management and product development that emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, and customer-centricity. Mike Con, the presenter, mentions helping teams succeed with Agile, indicating that the story map is a tool that can be used within an Agile framework to facilitate product development and team collaboration.

💡User Flow

User flow refers to the sequence of steps a user takes to complete a task or achieve a goal within a product. The video script describes the user flow for ordering food on 'Yum Hub', starting from entering an address to making a payment, highlighting the importance of mapping out this process to understand user interactions.

💡Priority Order

Priority order in the context of a story map indicates the importance or most likely sequence of steps a user would take. The script mentions that alternative ways of entering an address, such as 'enter new address', 'use a saved address', or 'use current location', are listed in a priority order, with 'enter new address' at the top, suggesting it's the most common or important action.

💡Alternatives

Alternatives in a story map represent different paths or options a user might choose at various steps in the process. The script discusses alternatives for selecting a restaurant, such as browsing available options or choosing from past orders, and emphasizes the importance of considering multiple alternatives to cater to different user preferences.

💡Submap

A submap is a detailed breakdown of a specific step or action within the main story map. The video script uses the example of 'browse restaurant', where a submap could include filters by cuisine, star rating, or price, to show how a single step can be further expanded for a deeper understanding of user options and interactions.

💡Filters

Filters are options that allow users to refine their search or selection based on specific criteria. In the context of the 'Yum Hub' story map, filters by cuisine, star rating, and price are mentioned as ways for users to narrow down their restaurant choices, demonstrating how filters can enhance the user experience by providing more personalized options.

💡Delivery Time

Delivery time refers to the option for users to specify when they want their order to be delivered. The script mentions that users can choose to have their food delivered as soon as possible or schedule it for a later time, indicating flexibility in the service that can cater to different user needs.

💡Payment Methods

Payment methods are the various ways in which users can make payments for their orders. The video script lists different payment options for 'Yum Hub', such as credit card or Bitcoin, and discusses the priority order of these methods, suggesting that some methods might be more commonly used or preferred by the service.

💡User Experience

User experience (UX) is the overall perception and interaction a user has with a product or service. The video emphasizes the importance of mapping out the user journey on 'Yum Hub' to improve the UX by understanding and catering to the different steps and alternatives users might encounter while ordering food.

Highlights

Introduction to the concept of a story map and its use in product development.

Introduction of the speaker, Mike Con, who helps teams succeed with agile.

The example story map is created for Yum Hub, a food delivery service.

Explanation of the user's initial interaction with Yum Hub, entering the delivery address.

Different methods users might use to select a restaurant, such as by name or cuisine type.

The backbone of the story map defines the main flow and is read horizontally.

The two-dimensional aspect of story maps, adding alternative steps under each card.

Prioritization of alternative steps, with the most important at the top.

The concept of reading down a column by mentally inserting 'or' between cards.

Different ways users can select a restaurant, including browsing or selecting from past orders.

Options for users to select food from the full menu, past orders, or most popular items.

The ability to schedule delivery immediately or for a later time.

Options for users to confirm or cancel their order after setting the delivery time.

Different payment methods available for users, prioritized according to importance.

The idea of each card on a map potentially containing a submap.

Drilling down into the 'browse restaurant' step to show submap examples.

Filters available for users when browsing restaurants, such as cuisine, star rating, and price.

The flexibility in the order of steps users might take when using the service.

The importance of mapping as many steps and alternatives as possible rather than focusing on sequence.

Advice on practicing story mapping with existing products to gain experience.

Encouragement to like and subscribe for more agile success tips.

Transcripts

let's take a look at an example story

map I'll walk you through how to read

this map and how a team would interact

with the story map to develop the

product if you're new to me my name is

Mike con and I help teams succeed with

agile the story map I've created is for

yum Hub a food delivery service you've

probably used a similar service the

first thing a yum Hub user needs to do

is enter the address where the food will

be delivered then the user needs to

select a restaurant you can probably

imagine there be a few ways different

users might want to do that one user

might want to search for a restaurant by

name another might want to see only Thai

restaurants keep these different ways of

selecting a restaurant in mind we'll

come back to them but first we want to

finish laying out the top row of the

story map after selecting a restaurant a

user will select the food they want

delivered I'll have the case ailla then

the user will set a delivery time

confirm the order and finally pay this

row of a story map is called the

backbone it defines the main flow

through a map and it's read horizontally

by mentally inserting the word then

between cards so we read this map as

first the user enters an address then

the user selects a restaurant then

selects food then sets the delivery time

and so on story maps are two-dimensional

so let's add the second dimension to the

map under each card in the backbone you

L see alternative ways of doing that

step step in the backbone starting with

enter address our map shows three ways

of entering the delivery address a user

can enter a new address use a saved

address or use the current location when

you're adding these cards you want to

put them in priority order highest at

the top lowest at the bottom here I've

put enter new address at the top because

I think that's the most important of the

three I don't think use a saved address

can be the top priority because no one

has any saved addresses until they've

ordered at least once and using the

current location is great but ever since

I accidentally sent panang curry to my

neighbor I don't always trust my

detected current location to be perfect

because the cards in a column are

alternatives we can read down a column

by mentally inserting or between cards

so here we would read that a user can

enter a new address or use a saved

address or use their current location

we'd continue reading the story map by

saying then they select a restaurant

then they select food and so on across

with then down with or in the next

column the user will select a restaurant

I've listed two ways of doing that the

user can browse the available

restaurants or the user can select a

restaurant from past orders again

they're in priority order and I put

browse restaurants first because a user

will not have passed orders the first

first time they use yum Hub yum Hub will

let users select the food they want from

either the full menu past orders or the

most popular items at the restaurant

then users can have the order delivered

as soon as possible or schedule it for

later delivery after setting the

delivery time users can confirm their

order or cancel their order and then

finally I've listed three ways a user

can pay for the order again these are in

priority order pay for my quesadilla

with Bitcoin seems lower priority than

paying with a credit card I want to give

you a tip that can really simplify

working with story Maps think of each

card on a map as possibly containing a

submap within it to see this let's drill

down into the browse restaurant step of

the map I like to think of being able to

metaphorically doubleclick on a map and

it turns into its own submap so inside

browse restaurant

we have this map yum Hub will let users

filter by Cuisine you're looking for

good Indian food I still want that case

AA yum Hub will also let users filter by

star rating which users can do by saying

they only want restaurants with let's

say four stars or they can ask to see

restaurants rated from four to five

stars finally users can also filter by

price they can do this by using preset

price ranges yum Hub will determine such

as $10 to $20 or a user can enter their

own custom price range remember I said

that you read across a map by mentally

inserting then between cards so here we

have filter by Cuisine then filter by

star rating then filter by price some

users will absolutely perform these

steps in that order but other users will

perform them in a different order maybe

filtering by Price first and others may

only filter by one or none of these

options it doesn't matter put the steps

on a story map in the order you think

makes sense or in the order you think a

typical user will perform them in but

don't obsess over the sequence in

situations where things can be done in

different orders if you're mapping an

email product yes write email needs to

come before send email but you'll

encounter many situations like the

browse restaurant's case in which users

May perform some all or no steps and can

do them in any order when story mapping

it's more important to think of as many

steps and Alternatives as you can rather

than debating the order in which users

might do variable steps story Maps look

deceptively easy but they can be harder

to create than they seem it's worth it

to take the time to get good at mapping

interesting situations in your story

Maps a good way to gain experience is to

practice by mapping existing parts of

either your product or a product you use

often if this video has been useful

please click the like button and if

you're new to the channel click

subscribe so you don't miss out on

future tips to help you succeed with

agile thank you for watching and I'll

see you next time