User Story Mapping Explained: Activities, Tasks, and Releases
Understand the structure of a user story map and how teams use it to plan valuable product releases.
Activities
Activities are the large steps in a user journey. They form the backbone of the map and are usually arranged from left to right.
Tasks
Tasks are the meaningful things a user does within an activity. They help the team discuss the journey without jumping immediately into implementation details.
User stories
User stories are smaller slices of value that can be discussed, designed, built, and tested. Several stories can sit under one task.
Release slices
Release rows help the team decide what belongs in the MVP, what comes next, and what can wait. The goal is to make trade-offs visible and keep a release focused on user value.
Open the User Story Mapping Workshop to create a map with your team.
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