Why do we have different types of Stories?
We often get asked this question, or “why do I care if it is an Enabler Story, a User Story, or Technical Debt?” This simple answer is Capacity Allocation. Capacity Allocation is the allocation of work by the type of work. While we typically begin to think about Capacity Allocation for the ART Backlog, we want to understand how it impacts the Team Backlog as well.
By looking at the different types of stories in our Team Backlog (or Iteration Backlogs), we can ensure that we maintain a balance between delivering customer value and improving the system architecture.
If we are only focused on new functionality, then we might not be considering the long-term sustainability of the solution, which can lead to decreased velocity over time. Whereas if we are focused on delivering infrastructure, our customers may go elsewhere if they don’t get new Features and functionality.
Pro tip
As a Coach, when I first launch...