When we are writing down User Stories, or simply analyzing a new system, doing things different just might be the right touch to get the information you want on the table. People tend to do what they are used to, so we can assume a lot of assumptions are within the information they give you. There probably is something beneath all that. The trick is to get it out.
One of the fun thing to do is to change roles. Every time I did a session like this, it worked like a charm. People started to imagine, inspire and (ex)change points of view. And this is exactly what we need in that. This is, however, a type of session where you just need to be ‘weird’ enough to dare and just do it. Because no one will like it at first hand. But once you get into it, it can be a lot of fun and highly effective.
So, what do we do? Just change roles. Let the developer be the problem-owner and let them tell us how the business process works. let the end user be the UI designer, let them tell us how the screen should work. Let the project manager do a presentation, not on the problems ahead and how to solve these, but of the business value a solution will give. And you probably can get more examples yourself, if you think about it.
This session, doesn’t have to take more than one hour, gives us insight, aligns thoughts and vision and helps us developing the User Stories. It’s a win-win situation. And loads of fun too.
