AI is revolutionizing how teams develop products. In this blog we’ll introduce a set of prompts you can use to understand your users, prepare to interview real users, generate a product backlog, add acceptance criteria, and evaluate your own user stories.

Throughout this blog, I’ll use a consistent example so you can see how results from one prompt feed into the next. For our example, let’s imagine our team is developing a new product for valet-attended parking garages. We’ll validate our product by selling initially to independent parking garages such as at boutique hotels.

For the examples here, I will be using ChatGPT’s GPT 5.2 Thinking model.

Building a Persona

It remains imperative for teams to understand a product’s users and customers by interviewing, surveying, and observing them. A team can supplement these interactions by training an AI on what’s been learned and then interacting with a user-proxy AI. Team members could, for example, ask their user-proxy AI questions such as:

What do you think of this feature?
How often would you use this feature?
What could make this feature more useful?
Which of these features would you find more useful?
Would you be willing to pay for this feature?

The general form of our prompt to create a persona is:

Our product is [product description]

Build me a persona of [ persona description]. List their hopes, concerns, emotional triggers, and decision criteria for choosing our product.

Here’s what I used for the parking valet app:

Our company is developing software for valet-attended parking garages. To validate our product we will sell initially to independent operations such as boutique hotels.   

Build me a persona of the owner or manager of such a parking garage. List their hopes, concerns, emotional triggers, and decision criteria for choosing our product.

The Results

I was given a persona, Carlos Martinez, who owns and operates a valet-attended garage with 80–200 spaces at a boutique hotel. Carlos has 10–25 years in parking and hospitality. He has a team of 5–25 valet attendants, who are a mix of full-time and high-turnover part-time staff.

The point about high-turnover part-time staff is an insight I might have overlooked. I think about a hotel I visit often: there are four attendants I see every trip, and I’d recognize them away from the hotel. The other attendants blur together. I bet they’re the high-turnover part-time ones.

You can view the full persona description in the popup below.

I particularly like seeing our persona’s hopes and aspirations. My personality is such that I always want to get right down to what a user needs, but understanding their hopes and aspirations is helpful. There were a few things in this persona I might not have identified on my own:

Reducing the dependency on one “supervisor who knows everything”
Win or renew hotel contracts more easily (I might have thought of this later but I would have been initially too focused on operating the garage to have thought about Carlos’s big concern: renewing the hotel’s contract with him)
Predictable labor costs. If our product includes the right analytics, we can definitely help with this feature I might not have thought about.

Interviewing the Persona

Once AI has created the persona, tell it:

Please act as [persona name] and let me interview you.

You can see an excerpt of my interview with Carlos.

The downloadable prompt pack includes some sample questions I’ve found useful you can use to get started.

An Interview Guide for Real Users

You can also use AI to prepare interview questions of real users or customers who match a persona. To do that, I use this prompt:

I plan to interview some actual users who match this persona. Please prepare an interview guide I can use.

Include key points I should make initially about confidentially, time commitment, purpose, and that there are no right or wrong answers. 

Identify questions I can ask about the current process and pain points with it. As appropriate, include suitable follow-up questions that probe for more depth. 

Include questions that will help me understand their desired future state including goals and success criteria. 

Include questions about constraints (regulatory or other) that I should ask. 

Finally, include questions or statements I can use to wrap up the session.

You can see the interview guide for the owner-operator of the valet-attended parking garage. I’ve prepared well over a hundred of such interview guides over the years. Looking at this makes me realize how much better prepared I could have been had AI been available.

Writing User Stories

On an agile project, we eventually want to get to the level of writing specific product backlog items, typically user stories and job stories. To do that, we’ll use this prompt:

You are a business analyst responsible for writing clear, high-quality user and job stories. 

Each user story must strictly follow this exact format: 

As a [USER ROLE] I want [WHAT] so that [WHY]. 

Each job story must strictly follow this format:

When [SITUATION], I want to [MOTIVATION] so I can [EXPECTED OUTCOME].

Each user and job story must satisfy the INVEST criteria as follows: 

- Independent: one feature or need per story. 
- Negotiable: open to discussion, avoid overly detailed solutions. 
- Valuable: clearly benefits the user or business. 
- Estimable: scoped well for effort estimation. 
- Small: completable within one sprint. 
- Testable: imply verifiable outcomes (acceptance criteria not required). 

Use clear, concise language suitable for agile development teams.  

Produce stories in the exact format below with no numbering, bullet points, commentary, or blank lines. 

Choose between user and job stories for each need as appropriate. 

Do not deviate from these formats or add anything else. 

The product is [describe the product].

Focus on this functional area of the product: [describe a subset of the product].

Your task is to generate as many stories as needed to for [attach a persona PDF or name the persona].

The majority of this prompt provides guidance on what user and job stories are, describes the INVEST criteria of good stories and then instructs the AI to produce stories without extra information or formatting. This allows them to be easily copied and imported into a backlog management system.

The last few lines of the prompt are where things get interesting.

Product Description

Describe the product or service being developed. You can alter the prompt to include this as a file if you have a detailed description.

Functional Area

Instruct the AI to focus on a subset of the product. If you’re developing a word processor, for example, you might focus on printing. The process can be repeated for each area of the product.

Persona

Finally, mention the persona (or user role) for whom you want to write stories. If you created the persona in the AI chat, you can just name the persona (e.g., “for Carlos”).

However, since you’ll likely repeat this process, it’s useful to save the persona description in a file and upload the file.

Stories for the Valet Parking Example

For our ongoing parking valet example product, here’s how I filled in the last part of the prompt:

You are a business analyst … [same as above]

The product is a new software product to be sold to valet-attended parking garage owner/operators. To validate our product, we will initially sell it to independent operations such as boutique hotels. 

Your task is to generate as many stories as needed for the persona attached.

I did not instruct the AI to focus on a subset of the garage owner/operator’s needs in this case. I felt like the owner’s needs were small enough I could let the AI tackle them all. Here’s what I got:

When vehicles are dropped off by guests, I want each handoff recorded clearly so I can reduce disputes about responsibility.
As an owner-operator I want proof of vehicle condition at drop-off so that I can protect the business from false damage claims.
When a valet retrieves a vehicle for a guest, I want the retrieval time tracked so I can monitor guest wait times.
As an owner-operator I want to know which valet handled each vehicle so that I can hold staff accountable if issues arise.
When peak check-in or check-out periods occur, I want the drop-off and retrieval process to stay fast so I can meet hotel service expectations.
As an owner-operator I want visibility into vehicles currently in valet custody so that I can answer hotel or guest questions confidently.
When a guest reports a problem during pickup, I want access to a clear record of the vehicle’s history so I can resolve the issue quickly.
As an owner-operator I want the drop-off and retrieval workflow to be simple for valets so that new or temporary staff can use it correctly.
When I am not on-site, I want to see what vehicles are being dropped off and retrieved so I can feel in control of operations remotely.

You can see the prompt gave AI enough detail that it could correctly vary between user and job stories. It chose job stories when a trigger or situation was more important than the specific user performing a story. For example when vehicles are dropped off and when I am no on-site.

Adding Acceptance Criteria

I prefer adding acceptance criteria as a separate step after I have stories for one part of the product. AI can easily add these as a simple bulleted list or in Gherkin format (given-when-then).

I find the simplicity and terseness of a simple list preferable when I’ll review the stories with users. You can also ask AI to convert them into Gherkin format later.

To generate acceptance criteria within the same AI session, you can use this prompt:

Please add acceptance criteria to the stories you wrote expressing them as [just a list][in Gherkin format].

Example Acceptance Criteria

Here’s the example acceptance criteria as a simple list and in Gherkin format for this story:

As an owner-operator I want proof of vehicle condition at drop-off so that I can protect the business from false damage claims.

List

Vehicle condition evidence is captured at drop-off
The evidence is associated with the correct vehicle record
The evidence can be viewed after the vehicle is returned

Gherkin

Feature: Capture vehicle condition at drop-off

Scenario: Record vehicle condition evidence during drop-off

Given a vehicle is being dropped off by a guest
When the valet completes the drop-off process
Then the system captures evidence of the vehicle’s condition
And the evidence is associated with the correct vehicle record

Scenario: View vehicle condition evidence after drop-off

Given a vehicle has been dropped off with condition evidence recorded
When the owner-operator views the vehicle record
Then the vehicle condition evidence is displayed
And the evidence is clearly identifiable as taken at drop-off

Given a damage claim is reported by a guest
And vehicle condition evidence exists from drop-off
When the owner-operator reviews the claim
Then the owner-operator can access the drop-off condition evidence
And the evidence includes a timestamp indicating when it was captured

Having AI Evaluate Your Own Stories

Artificial Intelligence doesn’t have a monopoly on creativity. So naturally you will need to write some user or job stories yourself. When you do, it can be helpful to have AI evaluate your stories. You can even have AI evaluate its own stories–after all, it’s not perfect.

We’ll have AI evaluate our stories against the well-known INVEST criteria. These indicate that stories should be:

Independent
Negotiable
Valauble
Estimable
Small
Testable

Here’s the general form of the prompt for evaluating stories:

You are an expert agile coach specializing in user story quality. Your task is to evaluate user and job stories against the INVEST criteria below:

- Independent: Story stands alone without dependencies.
- Negotiable: Story is open to discussion and refinement.
- Valuable: Story delivers clear user or business value.
- Estimable: Effort can be reasonably estimated.
- Small: Story can be completed within one sprint.
- Testable: Story has clear, verifiable completion criteria.

[Optional: Examples of good and bad output are in the attached file.]

For each user story and its acceptance criteria

1. Identify only the INVEST criteria that the story does NOT meet.
2. For each unmet criterion, provide a concise, specific explanation (1-2 sentences) focused on why the story fails it.
3. Suggest one concrete, actionable change that would make the story fully meet all INVEST criteria, directly addressing the unmet points.

Format your response exactly as follows:

Story: [repeat the story]

INVEST Criteria Not Met: [criteria separated by commas]

Explanation:

Suggested Improvement: [Concrete, actionable change]

Do not provide feedback on criteria the story already meets.

Avoid verbose or generic explanations. Suggest only one focused change.

Here are the stories and their acceptance criteria:

[Stories followed by their acceptance criteria]

This prompt supports optionally including a file containing examples of good and bad user stories and acceptance criteria. I suggest initially evaluating your stories without bothering to do this. The results will likely be good enough.

However, it’s easy to slowly assemble a document of good and bad examples by adding one or two each time you do this. The AI Prompt Pack: User Stories shows an example format for the examples.

You can see how AI evaluated three of its own stories.

A Practical Partner, Not a Replacement

AI won’t replace the need to talk with real users, make judgment calls, or exercise product sense. What it can do is dramatically reduce the friction between those activities. It helps teams move faster from vague ideas to concrete artifacts, exposes blind spots we might otherwise miss, and raises the baseline quality of our work—especially when time or experience is limited.

Used well, AI becomes a tireless collaborator: one that remembers every persona detail, never runs out of patience for rewrites, and can instantly shift from big-picture thinking to precise backlog items. The prompts in this blog are not meant to be followed blindly, but adapted, challenged, and refined—just like any good agile practice.

If there’s one mindset shift to take away, it’s this: don’t ask whether AI can replace part of your product discovery or backlog refinement process. Ask how it can help you show up better prepared for the conversations that still matter most—with users, stakeholders, and your team. That’s where its real value lies.

Need Help Using AI to Accelerate Your Team?

Coaching teams on tools and approaches like this is what we do. If you want to discuss how we can help your team incorporate AI into its agile work, let’s talk.

Persona: Independent Valet Parking Owner / General Manager

Snapshot

Name: Carlos Martinez
Role: Owner–Operator / General Manager
Business: Valet-attended garage serving a boutique hotel (80–200 spaces)
Experience: 10–25 years in parking & hospitality
Team: 5–25 valet attendants, mix of full-time and high turnover part-time staff
Tech Savviness: Moderate – uses tools that “just work,” skeptical of flashy software
Buying Authority: Final decision-maker (sometimes with hotel GM input)

Core Reality of Their Job

Carlos lives in the space between hospitality expectations and operational chaos.

Guests expect luxury-level service
Staff is often inexperienced or rotating
Margins are thin
One lost key, one damaged car, or one angry VIP can ruin a relationship with the hotel

He doesn’t wake up thinking about “software.”
He wakes up thinking about keeping the operation smooth, staff accountable, and hotel partners happy.

Hopes & Aspirations

What Carlos wants—even if he doesn’t always say it:

Operational

Fewer daily fires to put out
Smooth peak periods (check-in/out, events)
Less dependency on one “supervisor who knows everything”

Financial

Reduce revenue leakage (missed tickets, cash mishandling)
Lower insurance claims and disputes
Predictable labor costs

Reputation

Be known as the reliable operator hotels trust
Win or renew hotel contracts more easily
Avoid embarrassment in front of guests or hotel management

Personal

Go home without late-night phone calls
Spend more time growing the business instead of babysitting it
Feel in control of what’s happening when he’s not physically there

Key Concerns & Fears

These are the emotional landmines your product must avoid triggering negatively:

Operational Risks

“My staff won’t use it correctly.”
“It’ll slow us down during rushes.”
“If the system goes down, I’m dead.”

Financial Risks

Ongoing subscription fees eating margins
Hidden costs (hardware, training, support)
Paying for features he doesn’t need

Trust & Change

“Every software vendor says they’re different.”
Fear of being the guinea pig
Past bad experiences with parking or POS systems

Relationship Risks

Hotel complains about guest wait times
Damage disputes with no proof
Loss of a hotel contract due to perceived incompetence

Emotional Triggers (What Makes Him Lean In)

These are powerful moments where your product clicks emotionally:

Pain-Based Triggers

“We lost a key last week.”
“A guest claims we scratched their BMW.”
“I can’t tell who’s actually good on my staff.”
“I wasn’t there and nobody can tell me what happened.”

Aspiration-Based Triggers

“I want hotel managers to trust us completely.”
“I want real visibility without micromanaging.”
“I want proof when something goes wrong.”

Relief Triggers

“That would save me so many arguments.”
“That would’ve helped last weekend.”
“So I wouldn’t have to be on-site all the time?”

How They Evaluate Software (Decision Criteria)

Carlos doesn’t buy features — he buys risk reduction.

1. Speed & Simplicity (Top Priority)

Can valets use it with minimal training?
Does it work fast during peak times?
Is it usable on phones they already have?

❌ Complex workflows \= immediate rejection

2. Proof & Accountability

Photos of vehicle condition
Time-stamped handoffs
Clear audit trail (who parked what, when)

“When there’s a dispute, can I prove what happened?”

3. Reliability

Works offline or during poor connectivity
No crashes during rush hours
Strong support when something breaks

“I can’t explain tech failures to hotel management.”

4. ROI Clarity

He wants to know:

Will this reduce claims?
Will it speed throughput?
Will it reduce staffing headaches?

Even better if you can say:

“One avoided damage claim pays for this.”

5. Fit for Independent Operations

Not designed only for massive garages
Pricing that scales reasonably
Doesn’t require IT staff or complex setup

6. Credibility & Trust Signals

Other boutique hotels or similar operators using it
References he can call
Clear understanding of valet workflows (not generic parking talk)

Buying Process (How He Actually Decides)

Triggered by a pain
(damage claim, hotel complaint, staff issue)
Wants a demo that looks like his operation
- Not a generic enterprise pitch
- Real valet flow, real constraints
Asks:
- “How fast can we be live?”
- “What if my staff hates it?”
- “What happens when something breaks?”
Tests trust
- Responsiveness of sales/support
- Willingness to adapt
- Honesty about limitations
Decides quickly if it feels safe
- Small operators don’t run long procurement cycles
- Emotional confidence matters as much as logic

How to Position Your Product to Win

Speak in outcomes, not features:

“Reduce damage disputes”
“Protect your hotel relationship”
“Know what’s happening without being on-site”
“Designed for real valet speed”

Avoid:

Over-promising automation
Enterprise jargon
Long setup timelines

*Do you use any software currently?

Yeah, we do — but I wouldn’t say we love it.

Right now we’re using a pretty basic valet system. It handles digital tickets and payments, mostly. We also still lean on paper more than I’d like during busy times because it’s just faster and everyone knows it.

For damage, honestly, it’s a mix. Sometimes we take photos, sometimes we don’t. It depends on who’s working and how slammed we are. There’s no consistent process, which is part of the problem.

From my side, I’ll look at reports at the end of the day or week, but I don’t really have a live view unless I’m on-site. If I’m not there, I’m relying on the supervisor to tell me what’s going on.

So yeah — we’re using software, but it doesn’t really feel like it’s built for how valet actually works under pressure.

What’s your one biggest pain point with your current software?

If I had to pick one thing?

It doesn’t hold up when we’re busy.

During rushes — hotel check-in, check-out, events — the software becomes more of a suggestion than a system. Screens load slowly, steps feel clunky, and my guys just default back to paper or memory because they’re trying to keep cars moving.

That’s when mistakes happen:

Photos don’t get taken

Tickets get skipped

Later, when there’s a problem, the record is incomplete or useless

So the biggest pain point is this gap between how the software expects us to work and how valet actually works when there’s pressure. If it can’t be trusted during the busiest moments, it’s not really protecting me when I need it most.

You mentioned not having a live view unless you’re onsite. Does that mean you need remote access so you can see how things are going when you’re at home perhaps?

Yeah — that’s exactly what I mean.

When I’m at home or off-site, I’m basically blind. If everything’s smooth, great, I don’t hear anything. But if something’s going wrong, I usually find out after the fact — or I get a stressed phone call with half the story.

What I’d want isn’t a bunch of charts or complicated stuff. I just want to be able to pull out my phone and see, at a glance:

How many cars are in the system right now

Whether retrievals are backing up

If something unusual is happening

That way I can decide:

Do I need to call in extra help?

Is this a real problem or just a busy moment?

Do I need to head in, or can it wait?

So yeah, remote visibility would be huge — not so I can micromanage, but so I’m not guessing.

You mention your phone. Do you prefer an app or a website?

Honestly? My phone — but I don’t really care whether it’s an app or a website, as long as it works well on my phone.

If it’s an app:

It needs to open fast

Not crash

Not need constant updates right when I need it

If it’s a website:

It has to be truly mobile-friendly

No tiny buttons, no desktop layouts squeezed onto a phone

Needs to work reliably on spotty cell service

What I don’t want is something that technically works on mobile but clearly wasn’t designed for it.

For me, the priority is:

Fast access

Clear, simple information

Works wherever I am

If you can give me that, I’m not going to argue about app versus web.

Valet Parking Owner Interview Guide

Target audience: Independent valet garage owners or general managers (e.g., boutique hotels)
Duration: 30–45 minutes
Mode: In-person or video (phone is okay but harder for follow-ups)

1. Opening & Framing (2–3 minutes)

Read or paraphrase this. Don’t skip it.

Key Points to Cover

Purpose
“We’re exploring how valet parking operations actually work day to day, especially under pressure. This is research, not a sales call.”
Confidentiality
“Everything you share will be kept confidential. We won’t attribute comments to you or your business.”
Time Commitment
“This should take about 30–45 minutes. I’ll keep an eye on time, and we can stop anytime.”
No Right or Wrong Answers
“There are no right or wrong answers. I’m interested in what really happens, not what’s ideal.”
Permission to Probe
“I may ask follow-up questions or push for examples—just to make sure I understand.”

Transition

“To start, I’d like to understand your operation as it exists today.”

2. Background & Context (5 minutes)

Core Questions

Can you tell me about your parking operation?
- Size of the garage?
- Type of property you serve (hotel, event space, mixed-use)?
- How many valets on a typical shift?

Follow-Ups

How long have you been running this operation?
How involved are you day to day?
What does a good day look like for you operationally?

3. Current Process (10–12 minutes)

Goal: Understand reality, not workflows on paper.

Intake & Retrieval

Walk me through what happens when a guest arrives and hands over their car.
What happens from the moment a guest requests their car back?

Follow-Ups

Where do things most often slow down?
What steps are sometimes skipped when you’re busy?
Who decides how the process actually runs during a rush?

Tools & Systems

What tools or software are you currently using?
What do you still do on paper or manually?

Follow-Ups

What do staff like about your current setup?
What do they complain about?
When does the system not get used—and why?

4. Pain Points & Friction (10–15 minutes)

Goal: Get concrete stories, not feature requests.

Core Pain Questions

What’s the most frustrating part of running this operation?
Where do problems tend to show up most often?

Deep Probing Follow-Ups

Can you tell me about the last time that happened?
What was the impact—financially, emotionally, or with the hotel?
How often does that occur?
How do you usually find out there’s a problem?

Risk & Stress

What keeps you up at night about this business?
What kinds of issues make your phone ring after hours?

Follow-Ups

How do you handle disputes with guests?
How do hotel managers usually get involved?
What happens when you don’t have clear information?

5. Rush Hours & Failure Modes (5–7 minutes)

This is often where the real truth comes out.

Core Questions

Tell me about your busiest times.
What breaks down during rush periods?

Follow-Ups

What do staff do differently when it’s slammed?
Which rules or steps become “optional”?
What’s the cost of those shortcuts later?

6. Desired Future State (7–10 minutes)

Goal: Understand outcomes, not solutions.

Vision Questions

If everything worked perfectly, what would be different?
What would make you say, “This operation is under control”?

Success Criteria

How would you know things were better?
What metrics matter most to you?
- Wait times?
- Fewer claims?
- Fewer calls?
- Hotel satisfaction?

Follow-Ups

What would staff notice was different?
What would hotel management notice?
What would you personally notice day to day?

7. Constraints & Realities (5 minutes)

These questions prevent building something unusable.

Operational Constraints

What limits what you can change today?
- Staffing?
- Budget?
- Training time?

Regulatory / Compliance

Are there any regulations that affect how you operate?
- Data privacy?
- Insurance requirements?
- Local or hotel-specific rules?

Technical Constraints

What devices do staff actually use?
How reliable is internet or cellular service in the garage?

Follow-Ups

Have constraints killed a solution you tried before?
What’s non-negotiable in your operation?

8. Buying & Decision-Making (Optional but Valuable – 5 minutes)

If appropriate:

How do you usually decide to try new software or tools?
Who else is involved in that decision?

Follow-Ups

What makes you hesitant?
What builds confidence?
What would make something a “no-brainer” for you?

9. Wrap-Up & Close (3–5 minutes)

Reflection

Is there anything important we didn’t cover?
If you could give advice to someone building software for valet operations, what would it be?

Validation

“I may summarize what I heard—tell me if this sounds right.”

(Briefly reflect back 2–3 key pains you heard.)

Next Steps

Would you be open to a follow-up conversation or seeing an early concept?
Is there anyone else you think I should talk to?

Thank You

“Thank you—this was extremely helpful. I really appreciate you being candid.”

Interviewer Tips (Important)

Ask “Tell me about the last time…” often
Sit in silence after answers — owners often add more
Avoid pitching or validating solutions
Capture exact phrases — they’re gold for messaging

Guest-Facing Stories — Acceptance Criteria (Bulleted List)

1. Fast, Frictionless Drop-Off

Job Story:
When I arrive at my destination, I want to hand over my car quickly and smoothly, so I can move on without delays or awkwardness.

Acceptance Criteria

Drop-off requires minimal steps from the guest.
Valet can complete intake without slowing vehicle flow.
Guest is not required to download an app or create an account.
Drop-off feels organized and efficient, even during busy periods.
Guest interaction time is short and predictable.

2. Clear Confirmation That My Car Was Checked In

User Story:
As a guest, I want confirmation that my car has been properly checked in, so I know the valet has my vehicle recorded correctly.

Acceptance Criteria

Guest receives clear confirmation that check-in is complete.
Confirmation includes an identifiable reference to the vehicle.
Guest understands how to retrieve their car later.
Confirmation does not require additional effort from the guest.
No ambiguity about whether the car was successfully accepted.

3. Confidence My Car Will Be Returned in the Same Condition

Job Story:
When I give my keys to the valet, I want confidence that my car’s condition is documented, so I don’t worry about damage disputes later.

Acceptance Criteria

Vehicle condition is documented at intake.
Documentation occurs without delaying the guest.
Guest perception is that the process is fair and professional.
Condition records can be referenced if a question arises.
Process increases guest trust rather than anxiety.

4. Feeling That My Car Is in Professional Hands

User Story:
As a guest, I want the valet process to feel organized and professional, so I trust the people handling my car.

Acceptance Criteria

Valet interactions feel confident and well-coordinated.
The process appears consistent across different staff members.
Tools and procedures look intentional, not improvised.
Guest perceives competence even during busy periods.
The experience aligns with expectations of the venue.

5. Simple, Low-Effort Car Retrieval

Job Story:
When I’m ready to leave, I want requesting my car to be easy and obvious, so I don’t feel stuck or unsure what to do.

Acceptance Criteria

Guest clearly understands how to request their vehicle.
Retrieval request requires minimal steps.
Guest does not need to remember complex information.
Retrieval process works the same way every time.
Guest does not feel dependent on finding the “right” person.

6. Predictable Wait Time for Car Return

User Story:
As a guest, I want to know what to expect when retrieving my car, so I’m not frustrated or left guessing.

Acceptance Criteria

Guest receives a clear expectation of wait time.
Changes or delays are communicated clearly.
Waiting feels intentional rather than forgotten.
Guests are not left without information.
The process reduces uncertainty even if waits are longer.

7. Assurance That My Car Hasn’t Been Forgotten

Job Story:
When I’m waiting for my car, I want reassurance that it’s being retrieved, so I don’t feel ignored or forgotten.

Acceptance Criteria

Guest receives clear signals that retrieval is in progress.
There is visible activity indicating progress.
Guests do not need to repeatedly ask for status.
Waiting experience feels acknowledged.
The system prevents vehicles from being overlooked.

8. Smooth, Fast Payment Experience

User Story:
As a guest, I want payment to be quick and straightforward, so it doesn’t slow down my departure.

Acceptance Criteria

Payment requires minimal time and steps.
Payment methods are clear and commonly accepted.
Payment does not delay vehicle retrieval.
Guest understands when and how payment occurs.
Payment feels like part of a smooth exit, not a hurdle.

9. Respectful Handling of My Vehicle and Belongings

Job Story:
When I leave my car with valet, I want to trust that it will be handled carefully and respectfully, so I feel comfortable using the service again.

Acceptance Criteria

Vehicle handling appears careful and deliberate.
Guest belongings are not disturbed.
Staff behavior reinforces respect for the vehicle.
The process discourages misuse or rough handling.
Guest leaves with confidence in how their car was treated.

10. Clear Resolution If Something Goes Wrong

User Story:
As a guest, I want issues to be addressed calmly and transparently, so I feel treated fairly if there’s a problem.

Acceptance Criteria

Guests are listened to without defensiveness.
Clear steps for resolution are communicated.
Relevant information can be reviewed if needed.
Guest understands what will happen next.
The interaction preserves trust even in disagreement.

11. Consistent Experience Across Different Staff Members

Job Story:
When different valets handle my car, I want the experience to feel consistent, so service quality doesn’t depend on who’s working.

Acceptance Criteria

Core steps of the experience are the same regardless of staff.
Information about the vehicle is shared across staff members.
Guests do not need to re-explain themselves.
Variability in service quality is minimized.
Experience feels standardized but not robotic.

12. A Valet Experience That Matches the Venue

User Story:
As a guest, I want valet service that feels appropriate to the hotel or venue, so it reflects the quality of where I’m staying.

Acceptance Criteria

Valet experience aligns with the tone of the venue.
Communication style matches guest expectations.
The process feels intentional and polished.
Nothing about valet detracts from the venue experience.
Valet feels like an extension of the property, not a separate operation.

13. Minimal Waiting in Public or Uncomfortable Spaces

Job Story:
When I’m retrieving my car, I want to spend as little time waiting outside as possible, so the experience ends comfortably.

Acceptance Criteria

Retrieval timing minimizes unnecessary waiting.
Guests are not left standing without guidance.
Waiting areas feel intentional or temporary.
Retrieval is coordinated to reduce idle time.
The end of the experience feels efficient and considerate.

14. Feeling Valet Is a Convenience, Not a Hassle

Job Story:
When I choose valet parking, I want it to feel easier than self-parking, so it’s worth the cost and effort.

Acceptance Criteria

Overall experience is simpler than self-parking.
Guest effort is minimized from arrival to departure.
The process saves time or mental effort.
Guest feels the service added value.
Guest would choose valet again in a similar situation.

Guest-Facing Stories — Acceptance Criteria (Gherkin)

1. Fast, Frictionless Drop-Off

Job Story:
When I arrive at my destination, I want to hand over my car quickly and smoothly, so I can move on without delays or awkwardness.

Scenario: Guest drops off vehicle quickly

Given a guest arrives at the valet stand

When the valet accepts the vehicle

Then the drop-off process completes with minimal interaction from the guest

And the guest is not required to download an app or create an account

And vehicle flow is not slowed during busy periods

2. Clear Confirmation That My Car Was Checked In

User Story:
As a guest, I want confirmation that my car has been properly checked in, so I know the valet has my vehicle recorded correctly.

Scenario: Guest receives confirmation of check-in

Given a guest hands over their vehicle

When the check-in process is completed

Then the guest receives clear confirmation that the vehicle is recorded

And the confirmation includes an identifiable reference to the vehicle

And the guest understands how to retrieve the vehicle later

3. Confidence My Car Will Be Returned in the Same Condition

Job Story:
When I give my keys to the valet, I want confidence that my car’s condition is documented, so I don’t worry about damage disputes later.

Scenario: Vehicle condition is documented at intake

Given a guest drops off a vehicle

When the valet completes intake

Then the vehicle’s condition is documented

And the documentation does not delay the guest

And the process feels fair and professional to the guest

4. Feeling That My Car Is in Professional Hands

User Story:
As a guest, I want the valet process to feel organized and professional, so I trust the people handling my car.

Scenario: Guest perceives a professional valet experience

Given a guest interacts with valet staff

When the vehicle is checked in or retrieved

Then the process appears organized and consistent

And staff behavior conveys competence

And the experience matches expectations of the venue

5. Simple, Low-Effort Car Retrieval

Job Story:
When I’m ready to leave, I want requesting my car to be easy and obvious, so I don’t feel stuck or unsure what to do.

Scenario: Guest requests vehicle retrieval easily

Given a guest is ready to leave

When the guest initiates a retrieval request

Then the process is clear and requires minimal steps

And the guest does not need to remember complex information

And the retrieval process is consistent each time

6. Predictable Wait Time for Car Return

User Story:
As a guest, I want to know what to expect when retrieving my car, so I’m not frustrated or left guessing.

Scenario: Guest is informed of expected wait time

Given a guest has requested their vehicle

When retrieval is in progress

Then the guest receives a clear expectation of wait time

And any delays are communicated

And the guest is not left without information

7. Assurance That My Car Hasn’t Been Forgotten

Job Story:
When I’m waiting for my car, I want reassurance that it’s being retrieved, so I don’t feel ignored or forgotten.

Scenario: Guest receives reassurance during retrieval

Given a guest is waiting for their vehicle

When retrieval is underway

Then the guest receives signals that progress is being made

And the guest does not need to repeatedly ask for status

And vehicles are not overlooked or forgotten

8. Smooth, Fast Payment Experience

User Story:
As a guest, I want payment to be quick and straightforward, so it doesn’t slow down my departure.

Scenario: Guest completes payment efficiently

Given a guest is ready to depart

When payment is required

Then payment can be completed quickly

And payment does not delay vehicle retrieval

And the guest understands when and how payment occurs

9. Respectful Handling of My Vehicle and Belongings

Job Story:
When I leave my car with valet, I want to trust that it will be handled carefully and respectfully, so I feel comfortable using the service again.

Scenario: Vehicle is handled with care

Given a guest leaves their vehicle with valet

When the vehicle is parked and retrieved

Then the vehicle appears to have been handled carefully

And personal belongings are not disturbed

And staff behavior reinforces respect for the vehicle

10. Clear Resolution If Something Goes Wrong

User Story:
As a guest, I want issues to be addressed calmly and transparently, so I feel treated fairly if there’s a problem.

Scenario: Guest raises a concern or issue

Given a guest reports a problem

When valet staff respond

Then the guest is listened to respectfully

And clear next steps are communicated

And relevant information can be reviewed if needed

11. Consistent Experience Across Different Staff Members

Job Story:
When different valets handle my car, I want the experience to feel consistent, so service quality doesn’t depend on who’s working.

Scenario: Guest interacts with multiple valets

Given different staff members handle the same vehicle

When the guest interacts with valet service

Then the core experience remains consistent

And information about the vehicle is shared across staff

And the guest does not need to re-explain themselves

12. A Valet Experience That Matches the Venue

User Story:
As a guest, I want valet service that feels appropriate to the hotel or venue, so it reflects the quality of where I’m staying.

Scenario: Valet experience aligns with venue quality

Given a guest uses valet at a specific venue

When interacting with the valet service

Then the experience matches the tone and quality of the venue

And valet feels like an extension of the property

13. Minimal Waiting in Public or Uncomfortable Spaces

Job Story:
When I’m retrieving my car, I want to spend as little time waiting outside as possible, so the experience ends comfortably.

Scenario: Guest minimizes idle waiting

Given a guest is retrieving their vehicle

When the vehicle is being prepared

Then unnecessary waiting is minimized

And the guest is not left standing without guidance

And retrieval timing feels coordinated

14. Feeling Valet Is a Convenience, Not a Hassle

Job Story:
When I choose valet parking, I want it to feel easier than self-parking, so it’s worth the cost and effort.

Scenario: Guest evaluates valet as a convenience

Given a guest chooses valet parking

When comparing the experience to self-parking

Then valet requires less effort from the guest

And the process saves time or mental effort

And the guest would choose valet again

Last update: January 13th, 2026