Story Writing
To ensure Better User Stories training leads to real backlog improvement, Mountain Goat Software offers a post-course engagement: Performance Accelerator – Story Writing.
Delivered over 1–2 sprints, this works directly with your team—and relevant stakeholders—to apply story writing and refinement techniques to your actual backlog.
Performance Accelerator
Add a Performance Accelerator to your MGS engagement.
How it Works
Work on Your Real Backlog
We run hands-on sessions using the team’s actual product work, not generic examples.
Apply Core Techniques in Context
We facilitate story writing, story mapping, and refinement directly where the work happens.
Reinforce Progress Early
Delivered over 1–2 sprints, the engagement ensures early improvements stick and don’t drift.
What We Do With Your Team
Core: Establish Backlog Clarity and Structure
Core focuses on immediate backlog improvement through guided implementation using the team’s real product work.
Story Writing Working Session
A collaborative session using the team’s real backlog to improve how stories are written, ensuring they are clear, appropriately sized, and focused on delivering value.
Story Mapping Session
We facilitate a story-mapping session with the team and key stakeholders, focused on a meaningful product area to improve shared understanding, sequencing, and prioritisation.
Backlog Refinement Working Session
A hands-on session to improve backlog readiness, strengthen acceptance criteria, and ensure a consistent, shared understanding of upcoming work.
Extended: Reinforce and Sustain Backlog Improvement
Extended builds on Core with additional reinforcement, coaching, and stakeholder alignment to sustain improvements over time.
Second Refinement Session
A follow-up session to reinforce story splitting and strengthen consistency in how backlog items are refined.
Product Owner Coaching (2 Sessions)
Focused sessions to strengthen prioritisation decisions and improve stakeholder alignment.
ScrumMaster or Team Coach Coaching
Coaching to strengthen facilitation and reinforce effective refinement practices within the team.
Stakeholder Alignment Session
A structured session to reduce backlog churn, clarify expectations, and improve alignment across stakeholders.
What You’ll Walk Away With
- A structured story map for a meaningful product area
- Well-written, value-focused user stories in the actual backlog
- Improved story splitting to enable smaller, more predictable delivery
- Clearer acceptance criteria and stronger shared understanding
- A backlog better prepared for effective refinement and planning
- Improved alignment between Product Owner, team, and stakeholders
The Result
Instead of leaving the course with improved concepts alone, teams leave with stronger stories in their actual backlog, clearer scope, more effective refinement conversations, and a practical approach they can continue using.
The Performance Accelerator – Story Writing ensures your training investment results in measurable backlog improvement and sustained delivery impact.