Creating a User Story Map in Software Ideas Modeler

Help|Tutorials|Diagramming|Video Tutorials| 11 September 2024 | Dusan Rodina - softwareideas.net
In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of creating a User Story Map using Software Ideas Modeler. Whether you’re managing a complex project or organizing tasks for a team, this guide will show you how to structure your epics, user stories, and sprints efficiently. We’ll also cover how to manage user roles effectively by linking them as model entities.

What Are User Stories?

A user story is a short, simple description of a feature or task written from the perspective of the end-user. In Agile development, user stories are often used to break down large tasks, known as epics, into smaller, manageable parts. They help teams stay focused on the user’s needs and the value that a feature provides. Typically, a user story follows this format:

  • As a [user], I want to [action], so that [benefit].

Example:

As a receptionist, I want to register a new patient so that their information is accurately

captured for further processes.

Now, let’s go through the steps of creating a User Story Map using Software Ideas Modeler.

Step 1: Creating a New User Story Map Diagram

  • Open Software Ideas Modeler and go to the Project tab located in the ribbon at the top of the window.
  • Click on the Add New Diagram button.
  • In the New Diagram dialog, select User Story Map from the Other category. You can quickly find it by typing "User" in the Find box at the top-left corner of the dialog.
  • Once you find it, click on User Story Map from the list.
  • In the Name box, type Hospital Management System (or the name of your project).
  • Click OK to create the diagram.

Step 2: Adding Epics

  • Once the diagram is open, you’ll see a blank canvas. We’ll start by adding epics, which are the larger tasks or features of the project.
  • In the Toolbox on the left side of the screen, find and click on Epic.
  • Drag and drop the Epic button onto the diagram canvas.
  • Name the first epic Patient Admission and Management.
  • Add a second epic by repeating the process and name it Medication and Inventory Management.
  • The epics will automatically align themselves into rows, keeping everything organized.

Step 3: Adding User Stories

  • Now, let’s start adding user stories under each epic. User stories break down epics into smaller, actionable tasks.
  • In the Toolbox, find User Story and drag it onto the canvas, placing it below the first epic (Patient Admission and Management).
  • Name the user story Register and press the Tab key.
  • In the next field, type the role responsible for this task. For this story, the role is Receptionist.
  • Press Tab again to enter the action. For this example, type register a new patient.
  • Optionally, add the reason by starting with so that. For example: “so that their information is accurately captured for further processes.”

Repeat this process for each user story you want to add. Each user story should clearly define:

  • The user role responsible for the action.
  • What the action is.
  • The reason (optional but recommended).

Step 4: Adding Sprints

Sprints represent specific time periods or iterations in your project, helping you organize when certain user stories will be completed.

  • In the Toolbox, find Sprint and drag it onto the diagram.
  • The default name is fine for now, but you can rename it if you prefer.
  • Add two more sprints following the same steps.
  • To assign a user story to a sprint, simply drag the user story onto the row corresponding to the desired sprint. Alternatively, you can enter the sprint name in the bottom-left field, or use the Properties dialog to manage the assignment.

Step 5: Managing User Roles as Model Entities

One of the powerful features of Software Ideas Modeler is that user roles in your user stories aren’t just text—they’re actually model entities created in the background. This feature allows you to update user roles in one place, and those changes will automatically reflect across the entire project.

Here’s how you can manage and rename user roles:

  • Navigate to the Project Sidebar and switch the view to Element List. This will show all the elements in your project, including user roles.
  • In the Find box, search for a specific user role, for example, Doctor.
  • Right-click on the Doctor node in the project tree and choose Rename from the context menu.
  • Rename the role to something else, such as Hospital Doctor, and press Enter.
  • As you can see, the role is automatically updated in all related user stories across your project. This saves you time when you need to make adjustments to user roles.

Complete User Story Example

Hospital Management System (User Story Map example)
Hospital Management System (User Story Map example)

Download Example

You can download the project file with the example user story map here:

Hospital Managment System (User Story Map)

New Comment

Comment