agile-product-owner

$2c

What Makes This Skill Different

• Capacity math that aligns with reality: sprint capacity is based on velocity × availability factor, not hope.

• Acceptance criteria scaled by story size: minimum AC counts map to story points to avoid under-spec'ing large items.

• Weighted prioritization that stays consistent: value 40%, impact 30%, risk 15%, effort 15% keeps tradeoffs explicit.

• Systematic epic splitting techniques: five concrete split patterns prevent oversized stories.

• INVEST validation baked into workflows: every story includes a validation step, not just guidance.

User Story Generation Workflow

Create INVEST-compliant user stories from requirements:

• Identify the persona (who benefits from this feature)

• Define the action or capability needed

• Articulate the benefit or value delivered

• Write acceptance criteria using Given-When-Then

• Estimate story points using Fibonacci scale

• Validate against INVEST criteria

• Add to backlog with priority

• Validation: Story passes all INVEST criteria; acceptance criteria are testable

User Story Template

As a [persona],

I want to [action/capability],

So that [benefit/value].

Example:

As a marketing manager,

I want to export campaign reports to PDF,

So that I can share results with stakeholders who don't have system access.

Story Types

Type

Template

Example

Feature

As a [persona], I want to [action] so that [benefit]

As a user, I want to filter search results so that I find items faster

Improvement

As a [persona], I need [capability] to [goal]

As a user, I need faster page loads to complete tasks without frustration

Bug Fix

As a [persona], I expect [behavior] when [condition]

As a user, I expect my cart to persist when I refresh the page

Enabler

As a developer, I need to [technical task] to enable [capability]

As a developer, I need to implement caching to enable instant search

Persona Reference

Persona

Typical Needs

Context

End User

Efficiency, simplicity, reliability

Daily feature usage

Administrator

Control, visibility, security

System management

Power User

Automation, customization, shortcuts

Expert workflows

New User

Guidance, learning, safety

Onboarding

Acceptance Criteria Patterns

Write testable acceptance criteria using Given-When-Then format.

Given-When-Then Template

Given [precondition/context],

When [action/trigger],

Then [expected outcome].

Examples:

Given the user is logged in with valid credentials,

When they click the "Export" button,

Then a PDF download starts within 2 seconds.

Given the user has entered an invalid email format,

When they submit the registration form,

Then an inline error message displays "Please enter a valid email address."

Given the shopping cart contains items,

When the user refreshes the browser,

Then the cart contents remain unchanged.

Acceptance Criteria Checklist

Each story should include criteria for:

Category

Example

Happy Path

Given valid input, When submitted, Then success message displayed

Validation

Should reject input when required field is empty

Error Handling

Must show user-friendly message when API fails

Performance

Should complete operation within 2 seconds

Accessibility

Must be navigable via keyboard only

Minimum Criteria by Story Size

Story Points

Minimum AC Count

1-2

3-4 criteria

3-5

4-6 criteria

8

5-8 criteria

13+

Split the story

See references/user-story-templates.md for complete template library.

Epic Breakdown Workflow

Break epics into deliverable sprint-sized stories:

• Define epic scope and success criteria

• Identify all personas affected by the epic

• List all capabilities needed for each persona

• Group capabilities into logical stories

• Validate each story is ≤8 points

• Identify dependencies between stories

• Sequence stories for incremental delivery

• Validation: Each story delivers standalone value; total stories cover epic scope

Splitting Techniques

Technique

When to Use

Example

By workflow step

Linear process

"Checkout" → "Add to cart" + "Enter payment" + "Confirm order"

By persona

Multiple user types

"Dashboard" → "Admin dashboard" + "User dashboard"

By data type

Multiple inputs

"Import" → "Import CSV" + "Import Excel"

By operation

CRUD functionality

"Manage users" → "Create" + "Edit" + "Delete"

Happy path first

Risk reduction

"Feature" → "Basic flow" + "Error handling" + "Edge cases"

Epic Example

Epic: User Dashboard

Breakdown:

Epic: User Dashboard (34 points total)

├── US-001: View key metrics (5 pts) - End User

├── US-002: Customize layout (5 pts) - Power User

├── US-003: Export data to CSV (3 pts) - End User

├── US-004: Share with team (5 pts) - End User

├── US-005: Set up alerts (5 pts) - Power User

├── US-006: Filter by date range (3 pts) - End User

├── US-007: Admin overview (5 pts) - Admin

└── US-008: Enable caching (3 pts) - Enabler

Sprint Planning Workflow

Plan sprint capacity and select stories:

• Calculate team capacity (velocity × availability)

• Review sprint goal with stakeholders

• Select stories from prioritized backlog

• Fill to 80-85% of capacity (committed)

• Add stretch goals (10-15% additional)

• Identify dependencies and risks

• Break complex stories into tasks

• Validation: Committed points ≤85% capacity; all stories have acceptance criteria

Capacity Calculation

Sprint Capacity = Average Velocity × Availability Factor

Example:

Average Velocity: 30 points

Team availability: 90% (one member partially out)

Adjusted Capacity: 27 points

Committed: 23 points (85% of 27)

Stretch: 4 points (15% of 27)

Availability Factors

Scenario

Factor

Full sprint, no PTO

1.0

One team member out 50%

0.9

Holiday during sprint

0.8

Multiple members out

0.7

Sprint Loading Template

Sprint Capacity: 27 points

Sprint Goal: [Clear, measurable objective]

COMMITTED (23 points):

[H] US-001: User dashboard (5 pts)

[H] US-002: Export feature (3 pts)

[H] US-003: Search filter (5 pts)

[M] US-004: Settings page (5 pts)

[M] US-005: Help tooltips (3 pts)

[L] US-006: Theme options (2 pts)

STRETCH (4 points):

[L] US-007: Sort options (2 pts)

[L] US-008: Print view (2 pts)

See references/sprint-planning-guide.md for complete planning procedures.

Backlog Prioritization

Prioritize backlog using value and effort assessment.

Priority Levels

Priority

Definition

Sprint Target

Critical

Blocking users, security, data loss

Immediate

High

Core functionality, key user needs

This sprint

Medium

Improvements, enhancements

Next 2-3 sprints

Low

Nice-to-have, minor improvements

Backlog

Prioritization Factors

Factor

Weight

Questions

Business Value

40%

Revenue impact? User demand? Strategic alignment?

User Impact

30%

How many users? How frequently used?

Risk/Dependencies

15%

Technical risk? External dependencies?

Effort

15%

Size? Complexity? Uncertainty?

INVEST Criteria Validation

Before adding to sprint, validate each story:

Criterion

Question

Pass If...

Independent

Can this be developed without other uncommitted stories?

No blocking dependencies

Negotiable

Is the implementation flexible?

Multiple approaches possible

Valuable

Does this deliver user or business value?

Clear benefit in "so that"

Estimable

Can the team estimate this?

Understood well enough to size

Small

Can this complete in one sprint?

≤8 story points

Testable

Can we verify this is done?

Clear acceptance criteria

Reference Documentation

User Story Templates

references/user-story-templates.md contains:

• Standard story formats by type (feature, improvement, bug fix, enabler)

• Acceptance criteria patterns (Given-When-Then, Should/Must/Can)

• INVEST criteria validation checklist

• Story point estimation guide (Fibonacci scale)

• Common story antipatterns and fixes

• Story splitting techniques

Sprint Planning Guide

references/sprint-planning-guide.md contains:

• Sprint planning meeting agenda

• Capacity calculation formulas

• Backlog prioritization framework (WSJF)

• Sprint ceremony guides (standup, review, retro)

• Velocity tracking and burndown patterns

• Definition of Done checklist

• Sprint metrics and targets

Tools

User Story Generator

# Generate stories from sample epic

python scripts/user_story_generator.py

# Plan sprint with capacity

python scripts/user_story_generator.py sprint 30

Generates:

• INVEST-compliant user stories

• Given-When-Then acceptance criteria

• Story point estimates (Fibonacci scale)

• Priority assignments

• Sprint loading with committed and stretch items

Sample Output

USER STORY: USR-001

========================================

Title: View Key Metrics

Type: story

Priority: HIGH

Points: 5

Story:

As a End User, I want to view key metrics and KPIs

so that I can save time and work more efficiently

Acceptance Criteria:

  1. Given user has access, When they view key metrics, Then the result is displayed

  2. Should validate input before processing

  3. Must show clear error message when action fails

  4. Should complete within 2 seconds

  5. Must be accessible via keyboard navigation

INVEST Checklist:

  ✓ Independent

  ✓ Negotiable

  ✓ Valuable

  ✓ Estimable

  ✓ Small

  ✓ Testable

Sprint Metrics

Track sprint health and team performance.

Key Metrics

Metric

Formula

Target

Velocity

Points completed / sprint

Stable ±10%

Commitment Reliability

Completed / Committed

>85%

Scope Change

Points added or removed mid-sprint

<10%

Carryover

Points not completed

<15%

Velocity Tracking

Sprint 1: 25 points

Sprint 2: 28 points

Sprint 3: 30 points

Sprint 4: 32 points

Sprint 5: 29 points

------------------------

Average Velocity: 28.8 points

Trend: Stable

Planning: Commit to 24-26 points

Definition of Done

Story is complete when:

• Code complete and peer reviewed

• Unit tests written and passing

• Acceptance criteria verified

• Documentation updated

• Deployed to staging environment

• Product Owner accepted

• No critical bugs remaining

Related Skills

• Scrum Master (project-management/scrum-master/) — Velocity data and sprint ceremonies complement backlog management

• Product Manager Toolkit (product-team/product-manager-toolkit/) — RICE prioritization feeds backlog ordering