--- name: "agile-product-owner" description: Agile product ownership for backlog management and sprint execution. Covers user story writing, acceptance criteria, sprint planning, and velocity tracking. Use for writing user stories, creating acceptance criteria, planning sprints, estimating story points, breaking down epics, or prioritizing backlog. triggers: - write user story - create acceptance criteria - plan sprint - estimate story points - break down epic - prioritize backlog - sprint planning - INVEST criteria - Given When Then - user story template - sprint capacity - velocity tracking ---

Agile Product Owner

Backlog management and sprint execution toolkit for product owners, including user story generation, acceptance criteria patterns, sprint planning, and velocity tracking.

---

Table of Contents

• User Story Generation Workflow
• Acceptance Criteria Patterns
• Epic Breakdown Workflow
• Sprint Planning Workflow
• Backlog Prioritization
• Reference Documentation
• Tools

---

User Story Generation Workflow

Create INVEST-compliant user stories from requirements:

1. Identify the persona (who benefits from this feature)
2. Define the action or capability needed
3. Articulate the benefit or value delivered
4. Write acceptance criteria using Given-When-Then
5. Estimate story points using Fibonacci scale
6. Validate against INVEST criteria
7. Add to backlog with priority
8. 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:

1. Define epic scope and success criteria
2. Identify all personas affected by the epic
3. List all capabilities needed for each persona
4. Group capabilities into logical stories
5. Validate each story is ≤8 points
6. Identify dependencies between stories
7. Sequence stories for incremental delivery
8. 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:

1. Calculate team capacity (velocity × availability)
2. Review sprint goal with stakeholders
3. Select stories from prioritized backlog
4. Fill to 80-85% of capacity (committed)
5. Add stretch goals (10-15% additional)
6. Identify dependencies and risks
7. Break complex stories into tasks
8. 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

...