Do Your User Stories End in a Coffee Break? - Mike Cohn

Ever write a user story that the team never finishes?
That’s a sign you’re dealing with an open story—one that doesn’t deliver a clear, finished result to the user.
Let’s fix that.
 

A closed user story is one where the user completes a meaningful goal.
Think: “Ah, I finished reviewing resumes. Time for a coffee break.”
Contrast that with this story:
“As a recruiter, I can manage the job ads I’ve placed.”
That’s not closed. Why?
Because “manage” never ends. You don’t manage something and then say, “Great! That’s done forever.”

For Here are some red flag words to watch out for:
 

• manage
• maintain
• administer
• configure
• monitor

• As a recruiter, I can review resumes so I can pass good candidates to the hiring manager.
• I can change the expiration date of an ad to keep it visible—or close it when we’re done.
• I can delete unqualified applications so the team doesn’t waste time.
• I can update ad descriptions to attract better candidates. Each one finishes with something tangible.

Closed Stories Let Users Take a Coffee Break
Red Flag Words to Watch
These words signal that your story might be too broad or too vague.
 How to Close Open Stories
Break “manage job ads” into stories with meaningful outcomes:
 
Each one earns that coffee break.
 Why Closed Stories Matter
Closed stories avoid misunderstandings. A vague story like “manage ads” might mean running reports to the product owner; the same story might mean UI tweaks to the team. That gap in understanding leads to rework.
And yes—open stories have a place as epics early in a project. But when it’s time to build, break them down into stories with clear outcomes.
That’s how teams build clarity—and succeed with agile.

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