From Backlog to Brilliance: Managing Tasks in Agile Development
Tasks in agile development are small, specific pieces of work required to complete a user story or deliver a particular feature. They are usually detailed and technical and often involve a specific action or procedure that needs to be performed. One person usually completes tasks in the team within a day. They differ from higher-level user stories and more abstract representations of a feature or requirement. User stories are used to define and prioritize the criteria for a project, while tasks help to break down and implement those stories.
To write practical tasks, it is essential to keep them simple and outcome-focused. The KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Silly) should be applied, and the task should be described straight and to the point. The outcome of the task should be clearly stated, and any notes or assumptions that support the task should be listed. Additionally, acceptance criteria should be included to define what a completed task would look like.
Using a template to document tasks is also recommended, including headings such as Outcome, Additional Notes, Assumptions, Acceptance Criteria, and Risks. These headings provide enough context to describe the job that needs to be done and give a clear understanding of the task’s objectives.
It’s also worth noting that tasks should not take more than one day.