SPIDR Technique - in simple terms

SPIDR technique- Split user stories

PATH : Consider different Paths Example: As a customer i want to be able to pay to my products online so that i do not have to use bank transaction.

1. Happy Path: As a customer i want to be able to pay with Credit Cards and PayPal options. Again Credit cards: As a customer i want to be able to pay using different types of credit cards such as Master card or VISA card.
2. Unhappy Path: As a customer i want to be able to see an error screen so that i can have proof if my account is debited.

INTERFACE : Most applications have to support various platforms (Mobile phones - Android, iPhones) (Desktop - Windows, MAC OS, LINUX) and (Web applications - Chrome, Mozilla and Internet Explorer). User stories can be prioritized, Split depending on the Target group.

DATA : Datatypes to be returned or the parameters to be supposed to be handled.

Example: Consider a Webpage: different fields(FirstName, LastName, Date of birth, City, Maximum amount of Money) We can have multiple stories - each data field as one story or all the data fields covered in one story.

RULES: Split the stories by business Rules Example: As a customer i want to be able to setup my password so, i can login securely.

User story1:

1. Length of Password up to 7characters maximum
2. Length of the password minimum up to 2 characters

Userstory2:

1. Not to use last three passwords
2. Not to use users name

Last but not the least - S-SPIKE

We use spike for below-

1. Prototype the implementation of a functionality
2. To evaluate the feasibility of the new functionality
3. Spikes involves investigations and building knowledge.

Once the Spike is done, team can split the initial user story using the other methods of SPIDR.

The reason we kept this SPIKE at the end is , when the team is looking to split the user story they should first start by using the other techniques, before thinking about the SPIKE.

SPIKE should be used only if the team didn't manage to use the other methods.