INVEST is an acronym that represents the characteristics of well-formed user stories in Agile software development. Each letter in INVEST stands for a specific attribute that contributes to creating user stories that are clear, valuable, and actionable.
- Independent: User stories should be independent of each other, meaning that they can be developed and delivered separately without dependencies on other stories. This allows for flexibility in prioritization and helps to manage dependencies more effectively.
- Negotiable: User stories should be flexible and open to negotiation, rather than being overly prescriptive. This allows for collaboration and feedback from the team, stakeholders, and customers during refinement and development.
- Valuable: User stories should provide value to the end users or customers. They should represent a specific need or feature that delivers tangible benefits and align with the overall product vision and goals.
- Estimable: User stories should be able to be estimated in terms of effort and complexity, which helps the team plan and manage their work effectively. They should be clear and well-defined to enable accurate estimation.
- Small: User stories should be small enough to be developed and delivered within a single sprint or iteration. This allows for incremental and iterative development and ensures that progress is visible and measurable.
- Testable: User stories should be clear and specific enough to be tested effectively. They should have clear acceptance criteria that define the desired outcomes and provide a basis for testing and validation.
Investing in user stories that adhere to these INVEST principles is important because it helps create user stories that are well-defined, manageable, and aligned with the Agile development approach. This leads to more effective planning, development, and delivery of valuable software products that meet the needs of end users and customers. Well-formed user stories also facilitate communication, collaboration, and alignment among team members, stakeholders, and customers, leading to more successful Agile projects.