The INVEST criteria are a set of criteria used to evaluate the quality of user stories in agile projects. These criteria help to ensure that user stories are clear, understandable and implementable, which improves the efficiency and quality of the team’s work.
The 6 INVEST criteria
Independent
- Description: A user story should be as independent as possible from other user stories. This means that it can be developed, tested and deployed independently without being dependent on other stories.
- Advantages: Independent user stories make planning and prioritization easier, as they can be implemented flexibly in different sprints. They minimize dependencies and prevent blockages in the development process.
Negotiable
- Description: A user story should be negotiable and not set in stone. It serves as a reminder of a discussion and can be adapted according to new findings and feedback.
- Advantages: Negotiable user stories promote collaboration and communication between the development team and stakeholders. This enables flexible adaptation to changing requirements and priorities.
Valuable
- Description: A user story should deliver recognizable value to the end user or customer. Each story should have a clear benefit that contributes to the achievement of business goals.
- Advantages: Valuable user stories ensure that development work is focused on creating features and improvements that actually add value and increase user satisfaction.
Estimable
- Description: It should be possible to estimate the effort required to implement a user story. This means that the team should be able to roughly estimate the amount of work involved, even if there are still uncertainties.
- Advantages: Estimable user stories enable better planning and resource allocation. They help the team to set realistic sprint goals and track progress.
Small (Small)
- Description: A user story should be small enough to be implemented within a sprint. Large user stories should be divided into smaller, manageable units.
- Advantages: Small user stories promote the continuous delivery of working software and allow for faster feedback and customization. They reduce the risk of delays and increase flexibility.
Testable (Testable)
- Description: A user story should be testable, i.e. there should be clear acceptance criteria that make it possible to check whether the story has been implemented correctly.
- Advantages: Testable user stories ensure that the requirements are clear and measurable. This promotes quality assurance and ensures that the developed functionality meets expectations.
Objectives of the INVEST Criteria
Applying the INVEST criteria helps to ensure the quality and feasibility of user stories. They promote efficiency and flexibility in the development process and support the team in defining clear and valuable requirements that offer the greatest benefit for the end user and the business.
