User stories are a cornerstone of Agile. They’re powerful because they capture value, build empathy, and focus on the “why” of the work. A well-crafted user story with a persona and clear value can help teams align on purpose and deliver meaningful outcomes.

But what happens when the work isn’t tied to a direct user? What about tasks like connecting to a database, rewriting an API, or other technical efforts? Do they fit into the “As a [persona] … I want … so that …” format?

The Problem: Losing the Point

Sometimes, technical tasks shoehorned into the traditional user story format lose their clarity. For example:

“As a developer, I want to connect to the database so that I can retrieve data.”

Sounds forced, doesn’t it? The persona and value feel redundant or obvious. This can dilute the purpose of the story format, making it more of a formality than a helpful tool.

Why It Happens

This issue arises because technical work doesn’t always have a direct, user-facing value. The impact is indirect; enabling other functionality or supporting the system as a whole. That’s why using a strict user story format for all tasks can sometimes miss the mark.

This challenge is even more pronounced for teams handling deep backend work. The nature of their tasks is often abstract and highly technical, making it difficult to frame them in a way that feels tangible or relatable. Unlike frontend tasks with visible outcomes, backend work requires extra effort to clarify its purpose and impact within the broader system.

Reframing the Approach

For technical work, consider these alternatives:

1. Define the “why” differently:

Instead of forcing a persona, frame the story around system value or team enablement:

“As a team, we need to connect to the database to enable data retrieval for user features.”

2. Use technical narratives:

Write technical tasks as clear goals with acceptance criteria. For example:

“Implement a connection to the database with appropriate security protocols and performance benchmarks.”

3. Leverage Enablers or Spikes:

In SAFe, “Enablers” are work items that support technical infrastructure or research. Spikes help teams explore solutions. Using these terms instead of “user stories” can reduce confusion.

4. Enhance Your Stories with Context and Clarity:

To make your stories more effective, include the essential details that will help your team understand and implement them. Add implementation steps, visuals such as screenshots or recorded videos, and any relevant references for further study. Attach business or technical documents, and don’t forget to link related work or dependencies. Providing this context not only improves comprehension but also fosters collaboration and alignment across the team.

The Takeaway

User stories are a tool not a rule. They work wonderfully for user-facing features, but technical work often requires flexibility. By focusing on the intent of user stories clarity, alignment, and value you can adapt the format to fit your needs without losing sight of the goal.

Conclusion

Agile is all about collaboration and delivering value, not rigid adherence to templates. Whether it’s a traditional user story, a technical task, or an enabler, what matters is understanding the “why” and ensuring everyone is aligned.

Let’s stop forcing “stories” where they don’t fit and start crafting work items that make sense for the team and the task at hand.