How to split user stories? Part 3: By business rules variation

When it comes to Netflix app, we have several options where we can apply this division. In the first example, we can look at:

• playing movies
• playing TV shows
• or playing trailers or ads.

Although not in Netflix directly but in a similar app, I can imagine:

• watching paid content,
• watching free content,
• playback of influencers’ content.

And perhaps the easiest example is viewing the available titles by genre, actor, year, rating, etc.

In banking application, the business division rule is applied most often. And underestimated at the same time. In many people’s opinion, it is necessary to cover all business variations first before publishing the product. And this is exactly what limits the bank’s competitiveness.

A lot of times it is better to target the product to a narrower customer segment and build a basic framework in IT products that can be ‘packed’ with many exceptions later.

So, for example, getting a loan can be developed:

1. at first for regular bank clients without liabilities,
2. then for clients who have a credit card and pay for it on monthly basis,
3. then for clients who have a loan in another bank and want to transfer it to us,
4. and then for others.

Or we can focus on students, then employees and later on small and medium-sized businesses. Or the product can be delivered to the owners of platinum cards, then corporate and gold, and the last ones to have credit card will be students.

Insurances, insurances and their exceptions. You know it yourself from your personal experience. Just think about travel insurance:

• Do you want year-round insurance or just insurance for your next trip?
• Is it a business or private trip?
• Family insurance?
• Baggage insurance, damages, missed flights, accidents?

The eCommerce world is very similar to the one in the bank. Many products, related or unrelated services, types of clients. All of this gives us a good assumption for easy division of requirements and its better prioritization and consequently faster delivery. The only thing you need to do is to apply the principle of minimal product.

In Amazon app it can be the popular ‘Buy Now’, ‘Buy’, or ‘Buy with a discount code’. Or postal delivery, DHL, DPD, UPS, or personal pickup. Likewise, the app may behave in a different way for a registered client, company, or partner.

And what can a Product Owner do with a telecom carrier app to manage their own account? From our experience we know that a telecom operator often has hundreds of products and their variations

Just signing in provides multiple choices. Signing by your name and password, phone number, Google or Facebook.

Products, or parts of them e.g. calling, texting, calls abroad, Internet with various data packages, TV product packages and revival of your credit.

Similarly, a variation of business rule may be support via chat or an operator, i.e. Dial me the support program.

Even in HR we can find various variations of the business rule. It can be, for example, the support via chat or an operator, i.e. Dial me support program.

Or the hiring process. For some it can only be an interview, for different professions it can also be tests. Other times observation while working with a team, or working on a test trial.

Similarly, termination of work by dismissal, retirement, violation of labour regulations, or changing your job.

References:

1. Cover photo by Gabriella Clare Marino on Unsplash