Have you ever developed software? Otherwise, are you planning to engage in software development now? In both cases, chances are that you might have heard about “User Story” and “Epic”. If you have contacted an IT outsourcing company, chances are that you have seen these terms in their estimates. The reason is that these two terms are popular in the tech world. People participating in software development and coding teams use them regularly.

Of course, these two terms are popular in the tech world. But, the problem is that people mean different things when they use these terms. It does not mean that they are hiding things. But Development teams use terms that they are convenient with. However, this approach can lead to misunderstanding and miscommunication in instances. This can happen particularly between clients and software developers. In turn, there can be an ill effect on the outcome.

Before we understand the difference between Epic and User Story, let us first gain a basic understanding of these two terms.

Epic and User Story are terms used by Software Developers. Particularly, those engaged in Agile software development use them very frequently. Agile teams use these terms for referring to needs that deliver value to end-users. The key factor that differentiates these two is that User Stories are small and lightweight needs, while Epics are larger.

What are User Stories?

User Story is nothing but a lightweight need that is phrased in a manner that pays attention to the end-user. Also, it focuses on the desired outcome. You might think that end-users are users of your product. But, end-users are those who come in contact with your products. They can be internal and external end-users and even your business partners.

Typically, User Stories present in the Product Backlog. Also, they should be voiced in an easily understandable manner. Further, they should sketch how they generate value and for whom.

Nevertheless, in User Stories, teams should remember one thing. They should realize that User Story phrasing is just the initial stop. When you take the case of traditional waterfall methodology, you might have noticed one thing that the needs were used for bringing the conversation to a conclusion. But, when it comes to User Stories, they should instigate conversations.

When it comes to describing the elements of the User Story, the three C’s explained by Ron Jeffries can be of great help. They are cards, conversation, and confirmation.
 

• First C is Card:
  It denotes the place in which the story has been written. Businesses normally use index cards to write them. However, nowadays, tickets are used as index cards in an issue tracker in the backlog.
   
• Second C is Conversation:
  The conversation is the real communication happening between Developers and Product Managers with customers.
   
• Third C is Confirmation:
  It denotes the acceptance test. Confirmation is given to a particular part of the conversation. This C will explain how the team will test whether or not the User Story has been fulfilled.
   

What Is Epic?

Epic is a bigger User Story. Yes, this term is often used for denoting very long stories. In our day-to-day lives, we use the term Epic to denote big stories written many centuries ago. When it comes to software development, the bigger the story, the bigger is the chance that you are looking into an Epic. The size is the key difference between Epic and User Stories.

It is as simple as it is. You need not have spent time figuring out whether a particular thing is a User Story or an Epic. Let us consider that it is something that can add value to your business. Also, if it should be added to the Product Backlog, it is a User Story. However, if it is big, you should consider it as an Epic.

In simple terms, a story point is an Epic and not a User Story when:
 

• The story points are more than 8 in number
• Also, a story that cannot be completed in a single Sprint
   

Epics can differentiate in size. You can fit them in a Sprint with ease. Otherwise, you can also fit them into high-level Epics with large features included.

Benefits to Expect from Epics and User Stories:

Advantages of Epics:

When you follow Agile methodology, Epics can help you keep track of loosely defined large ideas in your backlog. However, you need not have to overpopulate the backlog with many items. During backlog refinement, your teams get the chance to split the huge Epic into smaller User Stories for easy accomplishment.

Also, when you have Epics, they will allow you to create a hierarchy for your backlog items. In turn, Epics can represent the real idea that is closely related to a particular result. The User Stories that connect with the Epics denote the different elements of the solution you should deliver. Otherwise, they can also denote the options you have for meeting your particular needs.

Further, when using Epic, you can also see the idea of themes used for bringing together User Stories that deal with the same topic. The theme idea is regularly used for bringing User Stories that were recognized individually together. Also, it can be used as a decision filter for sorting the stories to be brought under a specific Sprint.

Benefits of User Stories:

When it comes to User Stories, you can expect the following benefits:

User Stories will help with the delivery of the highest value by paying attention to immediate and small customer needs. Your Agile team can easily break down the user needs into smaller tasks or features. So, they can implement them and can deliver the same within a few days or even hours. To enhance the value delivered by a team, the Product Owner can prioritize User Stories. In this prioritization process, he can consider factors like business value, risk and user value. These things can be done within the first few Sprints.

User Stories are popular for the minimalist characteristic feature. So, they will inherently open up opportunities for collaboration among product Development teams, Users, and Product Owners. In traditional product development, teams were relying on detailed documents and electronic tools. But, in the Agile platform, they are able to collaborate with Users. In turn, they are able to better plan and implement things to deliver value to customers.

Also, with the User Story, it will be possible to bring Users close to each other. Further, it helps with building blocks so that the final product will become wholesome in multiple ways. Shared understanding and a boost in transparency are other benefits of User Stories in Agile.

Difference Between Epic and User Story:

You are here to do an Epic Vs User Story comparison. Let us consider whether you are a Product Owner or a Product Manager. Otherwise, if you own a small company, you might be holding both of these positions. In this role, you might be in constant conversion with users. You do this as a method to identify opportunities. You feel that when conversing with users you can engage in continuous discovery of the requirements of your users.

Let us consider that your business is helping homebuyers in some way or another. When conversing with users, you find that most of them face a common issue. The issue is that most of them have a tough time finding a mortgage institution. Many of them have a hard time finding the best mortgage rates and conditions. Even after choosing a bank, they still continue to think about whether their decision is right.

Now, in this example, you have an opportunity. Using the User Story model, you can articulate your findings. For instance, you can provide the best experience to the users by helping them in one way. They should be able to get a good overview of all mortgage conditions and rates. Also, they can decide on the bank to choose from without having to engage in any guesswork.

So, here you are framing a User Story based on what real users feel. It will help with clearly articulating the type of users you talked to. Also, it will express the objective of users and why the solution you develop will help them.

However, the problem here is that we cannot add this to a Sprint. Rather, you will have to further work on it to gain a better understanding of the area of issue. Also, you will have to engage in many other activities. This is where Epic can help you.

How? A good Epic template will guide you through these stages. Even, the right Epic template will let you capture the conversations you had with users. It will also aid the project management with the coordination needed. They can coordinate with solution developers, designers, and stakeholders. Also, it will guide your team through the right solution.  

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Conclusion:

As against working on the difference between Epic and User Story, the best thing your team can do is to use both. When both these are used together, they will create a tandem of efficiency for your Scrum team. In turn, the best user experience can be achieved for your projects.