What Is INVEST?
INVEST is a popular acronym used by Agile teams to ensure that their user stories are well-formed and ready for implementation. It helps teams create stories that are small, valuable, and testable — leading to better flow and delivery predictability.
The INVEST Criteria
- Independent: Stories should be self-contained, minimizing dependencies between items.
- Negotiable: Stories are not contracts; they are reminders for conversations about functionality.
- Valuable: Every story should deliver value to the customer or user.
- Estimable: Teams should be able to estimate the size or effort required without excessive uncertainty.
- Small: Stories should be small enough to complete within a sprint.
- Testable: A good story must have clear acceptance criteria so that it can be verified as "done."
Examples of INVEST User Stories
Here's a sample user story that meets the INVEST criteria:
As a registered user, I want to reset my password so that I can regain access to my account without contacting support.
When to Use INVEST
Teams should apply the INVEST criteria during backlog refinement sessions, story writing workshops, or sprint planning preparation. It's particularly valuable when splitting large epics into manageable, deliverable user stories.
