User Story Map

User Story Map Template

Visualize your consumer journey and improve your product with user story mapping. Bring a user-centric approach to your business and build products people will love.

About the User Story Map Template

First popularized by Jeff Patton in 2005, user story mapping is an agile way to manage product backlogs. But what are user story maps, and how can you create one with your Product Team?

Keep reading to learn more about the User Story Mapping Template.

What is a user story map?

Quite simply, user story mapping is a framework that product teams use for release planning. It helps them stay focused on the business value and release features that customers care about. 

The map consists of user stories written in the following way:

As a < type of user >, I want < some goal > so that < some outcome >. 

Here is an example: 

As a creative professional, I want to organize my schedule, so that I have more free time. 

This framework helps teams get a shared understanding of what needs to be done to satisfy customers' needs.

When to use the User Story Map Template

Gone are the days when teams could easily congregate in a conference room and map user stories together on a whiteboard. 

This User Story Map Template allows teams to save time by collaborating remotely, in real-time on a digital, interactive whiteboard. Product Managers and Scrum Masters use user journey mapping to map stories, automatically connect with Jira, and work side by side, even if they can’t be in the same place.

Benefits of user story mapping

Product and design teams use user story mapping as a visual guide in their roadmaps when iterating and formulating a product. 

Identify each step in the customer journey

One of the significant benefits of user story mapping is that it walks you through each customer touchpoint and gives you a holistic view of the customer experience. 

For designers and product developers, it’s easy to lose track of the backlog, so having an overview of the customer experience from early on is critical to shape a better product.

Visualize & manage product backlog

User story mapping also helps teams map out specific tasks that need to be completed dynamically and visually. With a user story map, you can identify large projects, break them into constituent tasks, and assign them to specific team members, all with the overarching customer-centric framework driving the process. 

Brainstorm & prioritize tasks

Plotting out the user flow through your product via a user story map helps you identify gaps in the journey. Your team can see the map from end-to-end and brainstorm tasks and projects to fill in gaps and prioritize these tasks collaboratively.

Common challenges of user story mapping

Here are some common problems that the team encounters when user story mapping and how to fix them. 

Lack of user personas

A clearly-defined user persona is the basis of a successful user story map (it’s the “user” part of “user story mapping!). 

Different personas may have different journeys through your product, so that multiple personas may require various user story maps. But if you don’t have a clearly-defined user persona, you’ll struggle to understand your users’ goals with your product. 

Lack of clear objective

User story mapping should also have a clear objective. Whether you’re trying to solve a specific problem, identify and fix gaps within the customer journey, or find ways to reduce churn, you need to start the process with a clearly-stated goal. 

Not enough stakeholders involved

A user story map should bring in different parties from your company. Marketing and sales, UX & UI, product development, and customer service teams all have unique insights on the multiple touchpoints users have with your product, so they all should be consulted for a holistic view.

How to create your user story map board in Miro

Miro’s user story mapping tool allows you to manage stories collaboratively online. Here’s how to create your team canvas using the User Story Map Template:

1. Add the User Story Map Template to a Miro board

Get started by clicking “Use This Template.” Or, on a blank Miro board, install a framework from the Miro Marketplace, and it’ll be added to your toolbar.

The template starts with blank cards to add user activities, tasks, and stories. 

2. Identify your user persona, then describe step-by-step user tasks

Group user tasks by goals or activities of the user. Expand a card to write more text and quickly format it. Then, add valuable details by filling in due dates, assignees, tags, and links.

3. Prioritize the stories for a sprint

To edit the structure of your map, drag and drop individual cards or groups of cards, and the template will adjust automatically. 

Insert sections for upcoming releases and versions. Note that user story mapping is different from feature planning.

4. Get ready for a sprint

If you work with Jira, paste an issue URL or convert cards to Jira issues right from the board. 

5. Collaborate with your team

Invite your team to contribute and work together in real-time or asynchronously. Refer to the user story map over time as you create new product iterations, update it based on new data or findings as users try the product.

FAQ about User Story Mapping

How do you use user story maps in Agile?

Agile is about getting your product backlog organized and prioritizing delivery. User story mapping helps to prioritize the backlog. The product teams know what matters to users and what to work on first through the user story map. It’s important to note that user story mapping is about user stories, not features.

User Story Map Template

Get started with this template right now.

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