---
title: 04. User Stories
---

:::caution[Programme Sunset]
The open Mentorship Programme has been sunset and is no longer accepting new participants. These pages remain available as reference material.

I'm now running a private, personalised professional development programme on an invite-only basis - hand-selecting a small number of participants so the shape of each journey can be built around them. There is no application process; participation is by direct invitation only.

Being active in my [Discord community](https://chat.nhcarrigan.com/) increases your chances of being invited.
:::

**ESTABLISHING USER STORY DEVELOPMENT PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME PARTICIPANTS**

## 1. INTRODUCTION AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK

### 1.1. Policy Overview

This User Stories Documentation (hereinafter referred to as "the Documentation") establishes mandatory procedures and requirements for user story development within our Mentorship Programme. This Documentation operates within our comprehensive legal and policy framework, incorporating our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, Community Code of Conduct, Mentorship Programme Terms and Conditions, and all applicable legal protections by reference.

### 1.2. Scope and Applicability

This Documentation applies to all participants in our Mentorship Programme following completion of project planning procedures. All participants should complete the user story development process set forth in this Documentation to proceed with technical breakdown and development stages.

**IMPORTANT: This is a self-guided process. You will create user stories independently using provided templates and examples. No review or approval is required to proceed. For comprehensive information about the self-guided programme structure and how to get the most value from your mentorship experience, please refer to our [Mentorship Programme Terms and Conditions](/about/mentorship).**

## 2. USER STORY DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS

### 2.1. Purpose and Importance

Creating user stories is a crucial step in project planning that:

- Helps visualise and understand application requirements
- Breaks down requirements into digestible, isolated components
- Maintains a smaller, manageable scope of work for each task
- Facilitates effective project management and development workflow

### 2.2. User Story Issue Creation

**Mandatory Requirement:** Based on your approved project plan, you must create an individual issue on your GitHub repository for each user story.

**Issue Creation Requirements:**
- Each user story must be created as a separate, individual Gitea issue
- If your project plan contains thirty (30) user stories, you must create thirty (30) separate issues
- Each issue must be clearly titled and contain the complete user story description
- Issues must be created in the repository designated for your flagship project

## 3. USER STORY DEFINITION AND FORMAT

### 3.1. User Story Definition

A user story is an application requirement written from the perspective of an end user. User stories follow a standard format that describes:

- The user role or persona
- The desired functionality or capability
- The value or benefit to the user

### 3.2. User Story Examples

The following examples illustrate proper user story format:

**Example 1:**
- As an unauthenticated user, I can see a button to go through the login or registration flows.

**Example 2:**
- As an authenticated user, I can fill out a form to schedule an appointment and select from available dates and times listed on a calendar.

**Example 3:**
- As an administrator, I can review posts for their content and remove the ones that violate our policies.

## 4. ISSUE SEPARATION AND WORKFLOW

### 4.1. Separate Issue Requirement

**Question: Why separate issues? Can I not use a single issue with a list?**

**Answer:** Maintaining separate issues, or tickets, is required for the following reasons:

- **Pull Request Linking:** Each user story can be linked to a specific pull request
- **Scope Management:** Ensures that changes remain within the scope of a specific story
- **Workflow Standardisation:** Follows common industry practices for project management
- **Progress Tracking:** Facilitates accurate tracking of development progress and completion

### 4.2. Workflow Benefits

Separate issues provide:

- Clear traceability between requirements and implementation
- Better organisation and management of development tasks
- Improved collaboration and communication regarding specific features
- Enhanced ability to prioritise and schedule development work

## 5. USER STORY COMPLETION

### 5.1. Optional Review Process

**No Review Required:**
- You do not need to request review or approval to proceed
- Once you have created all user stories as individual issues, you are ready to proceed to technical breakdown
- Your user stories are a living document that you can update as needed

**Optional Review:**
- If you would like feedback on your user stories, you can:
  - Request review in the #⚗️│alchemy-lab channel in Discord
  - Ask community members or alumni for peer review
  - Review user story examples in the resource library for comparison
- Reviews are optional and available upon request, not required

### 5.2. Next Steps

**Proceeding to Technical Breakdown:**
- Upon creating your user stories, you are ready to proceed to technical breakdown
- Technical breakdown procedures are outlined in our [Technical Breakdown Documentation](/mentorship/05-technical-breakdown)
- You can always return to refine your user stories later if needed

## 6. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND DISCLAIMERS

### 6.1. Reference to Comprehensive Liability Framework

**IMPORTANT: Comprehensive liability limitations, damage exclusions, and maximum liability caps are set forth in our Limitation of Liability and Indemnification Policy, which is incorporated herein by reference.**

### 6.2. User Story Development Disclaimer

This Documentation establishes user story development procedures and requirements. However:

- Programme leadership reserves the right to modify user story development procedures at any time
- User stories are created by participants and serve as guidance, not guarantees
- Programme leadership is not responsible for participants' ability to complete user stories as planned
- Individual results may vary based on participant effort, circumstances, and other factors
- Reviews and approvals are optional and available upon request

## 7. CONCLUSION

This User Stories Documentation establishes the procedures and requirements for user story development within our Mentorship Programme. All participants must complete these procedures to progress to technical breakdown and development stages.

Questions about user story development procedures should be directed to programme leadership through designated communication channels. For comprehensive programme terms and conditions, please refer to our [Mentorship Programme Terms and Conditions](/about/mentorship).

---

*For questions about user story development procedures or programme participation, please contact programme leadership through the designated channels outlined in our Community Code of Conduct.*

:::tip[Helpful Links]
- [Join Discord](https://chat.nhcarrigan.com/) - Select the mentorship role to get started
- [Donate](https://donate.nhcarrigan.com/)
:::