New tool helps cut Agile software project delays

Delays to software projects are frequently blamed on missed or misunderstood requirements. As companies look to ensure the successful delivery of Agile IT projects, they need tools that help ensure business needs are met.

Toronto-based Blueprint Software is launching a new Storyteller add-on for the JIRA bug tracking tool, that allows developers to automatically generate user stories, acceptance criteria and tests, ensuring that user requirements are properly addressed.

Ruth Zive, vice president of marketing at Blueprint Software, says, "Transitioning from Waterfall to Agile can cause many issues for organizations. A critical issue here is that business stakeholders and analysts don't know how to write good user stories. Storyteller for JIRA solves this issue by creating a visual process that doesn't rely on lengthy training or a wall full of sticky notes. With just a few clicks and easily answered questions, user stories are automatically generated, streamlining and accelerating the development process".

It allows stakeholders across the organization to easily define customer journeys as familiar process flows, with tasks, decision points and detailed condition statements; saving time, money and the need for reworking. Using Storyteller, user stories are reliable and consistent, and companies no longer need to spend time and resources to train people how to write them.

It also improves the quality of user stories and removes the bottleneck and burden of product owners having to understand all elements independently. This creates a more collaborative process that is far less likely to miss important requirements and therefore reduce the chance of project failure.

There's an online demonstration of Storyteller on the Blueprint website.