Guide: Understanding User Story Maps and Exam Tips

A User Story Map is a visual representation that helps manage the work in an Agile way. In the context of Scrum, these maps are an important tool for product backlog management and for ensuring a user-centric approach to work planning.
They layout user stories into a helpful visual format that allows teams to see the big picture. It arranges user stories according to the sequence or workflow from the user's perspective, helping to ensure a user-centric approach.
Why is it important?
User Story Maps ensure that the team does not lose the sight of the big picture in lieu of detailed tasks. It also ensures that the work done by the team always aligns itself with user demands - which is a key driver of value in any project.
How it works?
It starts off with identifying major user tasks, which are laid out from left to right in sequence of execution. These tasks are also referred to as 'Epics'. Under these tasks, teams can then start detailing out specific user stories.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on User Story Maps
Understand the why's and how's of a user story map to answer questions in the exam. Work through practice examples of creating or analyzing user story maps as often as possible. Get a clear idea about different steps involved in creating a user story map. Remember the end objective of a user story map - to deliver value to the user. Make sure to read questions carefully before answering; some might require critical thinking than plain knowledge.