Do Your User Stories End in a Coffee Break? - Mike Cohn
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Jul 23, 2025
Discover how to write user stories that actually lead to tangible outcomes. Learn the difference between closed and open stories, and why clarity is key in Agile projects. The discussion highlights red flag words that indicate ambiguity, helping teams avoid misunderstandings. Find out how breaking down broad tasks can lead to meaningful results, allowing for that well-deserved coffee break. Tune in for strategies to enhance clarity and effectiveness in your Agile processes!
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insights INSIGHT
Open vs. Closed User Stories
Open user stories lack a clear, finished result and cause teams to never finish them.
Closed user stories deliver meaningful goals allowing users to complete tasks and take breaks.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Avoid Vague Verbs in Stories
Avoid vague or broad verbs like manage, maintain, or administer in user stories.
Break these into smaller stories with tangible outcomes, each earning a 'coffee break'.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Break Epics Into Clear Stories
Break epics or open stories into clear, consumable user stories before building.
Clear outcomes in stories prevent misunderstandings and reduce rework.
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Do Your User Stories End in a Coffee Break? - Mike Cohn
Ever write a user story that the team never finishes? That’s a sign you’re dealing with an open story—one that doesn’t deliver a clear, finished result to the user. Let’s fix that.
A closed user story is one where the user completes a meaningful goal. Think: “Ah, I finished reviewing resumes. Time for a coffee break.” Contrast that with this story: “As a recruiter, I can manage the job ads I’ve placed.” That’s not closed. Why? Because “manage” never ends. You don’t manage something and then say, “Great! That’s done forever.”
For Here are some red flag words to watch out for:
manage
maintain
administer
configure
monitor
As a recruiter, I can review resumes so I can pass good candidates to the hiring manager.
I can change the expiration date of an ad to keep it visible—or close it when we’re done.
I can delete unqualified applications so the team doesn’t waste time.
I can update ad descriptions to attract better candidates. Each one finishes with something tangible.
Closed Stories Let Users Take a Coffee Break Red Flag Words to Watch These words signal that your story might be too broad or too vague. How to Close Open Stories Break “manage job ads” into stories with meaningful outcomes:
Each one earns that coffee break. Why Closed Stories Matter Closed stories avoid misunderstandings. A vague story like “manage ads” might mean running reports to the product owner; the same story might mean UI tweaks to the team. That gap in understanding leads to rework. And yes—open stories have a place as epics early in a project. But when it’s time to build, break them down into stories with clear outcomes. That’s how teams build clarity—and succeed with agile.
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