User Story

What is a User Story?

User Story is a simple way to describe the needs and wants of the user in the form of a short story, focusing on the practical value they expect when using a product or feature. This is a popular tool in Agile and UX, helping teams understand “who is using – what do they want – and why is it important.”

A user story usually follows a standard structure:

“As a [user type], I want [desire] so that [reason].”

A User Story is not a description of features

A common mistake is to confuse a user story with a technical description. For example:

❌ “Wants the app to have an export PDF button”
✅ “As a user, I want to export a PDF report so that it is easier to share”

The difference lies in putting the user and their goals first, rather than just listing functionalities.

Take an example

Suppose you are designing a digital banking application:

“As a freelancer, I want to quickly generate an income report so that I can send it to my client for invoicing.”

From this story, you will understand:

• Who is the main user? → Freelancer

• What do they want to do? → Create an income report

• Why? → To send an invoice to the client

This leads to designing a feature for quickly generating PDF reports that are easy to share – rather than just presenting beautiful data.

Why is the User Story important in UX/UI?

During the design process, writing user stories helps you:

• Stay focused on the user rather than just thinking about the interface.

• Prioritize features based on the value the user receives.

• Facilitate clear communication between designers, developers, and stakeholders: everyone understands the user's goals.

• Define success criteria more clearly when testing the product or prototype.