Storytelling

Challenge

My job is to write a code that brings the changes into some application/service which a customer wants to see  and paid for. Most of the tasks created on behalf of faceless users that always ask to create something for  them (a page, a button, an option etc.) and seeing that requests I just do what I have been asked. Doing work in  such way I do not feel empathy to users, do not ask myself which solution would be better for that specific  user, would be more helpful and bring even more than they were expected.

If you think that all programmers feel nothing when they write a code or produce a feature, you are completely  wrong. For me, the code it is like a child born by you (when you create a project from scratch) or adopted  (when you get a project from any other company or team). In both those cases you are trying to rise it  beautiful, clever and fast working. You are proud when new features released well and being warmly  welcomed and become disappointed vice versa.

Selection & Application

Past week I decided try to change what we have and how we work and to speak with our product owner. I  selected storytelling from other tools because it creates a context around the users, allows to understand more  their needs and requirements and makes you to sympathize them.

I told a story about a single 33-year-old woman that has 3 small kids, she is overloaded by her job, problems  and expenses. She is trying to give her kids all the best (toys, clothes, education) but doing that she loses the  time that they could spent together. I asked than how our application could help her and received few  solutions and even one feature that the application does not have but we could make it for her.

Right after I confessed - the whole story is completely lie and I just wanted to show how different we do if we  want to help somebody…

Insight

After the conversation with the project owner we started to provide changes into our workflow. We made a  three user profile cards like profiles from some social networks and filled them the data of some of our users  that agreed helping the project. All tasks having their “real” users and asking from their perspective to  implement some changes. That allows us to be more flexible and to provide changes that somebody really  needs.

Approach

Past week I used only one tool and it completely changed my job. I do not know yet how the changes affect the  project’s life in a long-term perspective but what I do know that it will get “soul” and I hope that it will bring us  some fruit.

Of course having such great experience I’m interested in applying some other tools, but now I’m focusing how  to continue using storytelling in other spheres of my life and to create the stories with real persons and  situation as it was shown in the course videos.


Storytelling Challenge My job is to write a code that brings the changes into some application / service which a customer wants to see and paid for . Most of the tasks created on behalf of faceless users that always ask to create something for them ( a page , a button , an option etc . ) and seeing that requests I just do what I have been asked . Doing work in such way I do not feel empathy to users , do not ask myself which solution would be better for that specific user , would be more helpful and bring even more than they were expected . If you think that all programmers feel nothing when they write a code or produce a feature , you are completely wrong . For me , the code it is like a child born by you ( when you create a project from scratch ) or adopted ( when you get a project from any other company or team ) . In both those cases you are trying to rise it beautiful , clever and fast working . You are proud when new features released well and being warmly welcomed and become disappointed vice versa . Selection & Application Past week I decided try to change what we have and how we work and to speak with our product owner . I selected storytelling from other tools because it creates a context around the users , allows to understand more their needs and requirements and makes you to sympathize them . I told a story about a single 33 - year - old woman that has 3 small kids , she is overloaded by her job , problems and expenses . She is trying to give her kids all the best ( toys , clothes , education ) but doing that she loses the time that they could spent together . I asked than how our application could help her and received few solutions and even one feature that the application does not have but we could make it for her . Right after I confessed - the whole story is completely lie and I just wanted to show how different we do if we want to help somebody … Insight After the conversation with the project owner we started to provide changes into our workflow . We made a three user profile cards like profiles from some social networks and filled them the data of some of our users that agreed helping the project . All tasks having their “ real ” users and asking from their perspective to implement some changes . That allows us to be more flexible and to provide changes that somebody really needs . Approach Past week I used only one tool and it completely changed my job . I do not know yet how the changes affect the project ’s life in a long - term perspective but what I do know that it will get “ soul ” and I hope that it will bring us some fruit . Of course having such great experience I ’m interested in applying some other tools , but now I ’m focusing how to continue using storytelling in other spheres of my life and to create the stories with real persons and situation as it was shown in the course videos .