SPaMCAST 481 will feature our essay on the Life Cycle of A User Story.  A user story - a brief, simple requirement statement from the user’s perspective - tends to follow a loose life cycle.  That life often begins even before the word ‘user story’ gets mentioned and typically by people that don’t understand (or care to understand) the concept of a user story. We zoom in from 40,000 ft down to user stories in 500 or so words!   Read other entries on user stories by following this link: The second column this week is from Kim Pries, the Software Sensei, Kim discusses using the Extended Backus-Naur Form as a tool to extract information out of nebulous text. Last but not least, Jeremy Berriault brings his QA Corner to the cast.  In this entry, Jeremy discusses why QAs/testers should be given space to manage their own workflow. Jeremy has recently moved the QA Corner to Re-Read Saturday News This week we tackled Chapter 14 of Actionable Agile Metrics for Predictability: An Introduction by Daniel S. Vacanti. Chapter 14 is titled Introduction to Forecasting.  Predictability and forecasting are intimately related! Remember to b, and we will be back next week! One note: we are on Chapter 14 today out of 17. So, after today, we have approximately four more weeks. As a result, we will have to choose another book in the next couple of weeks.  I have received some suggestions, and I have also asked the interviewees that appeared in the Software Process and Measurement Podcast in 2017 which was the most impactful book they have read. I would also like your input. What do you suggest that we read next?   Previous Installments Week 13: Interpreting Cycle Time Scatterplots Dead Tree Book Kindle Get your copy and begin reading (or re-reading)! Upcoming Webinars Using Size to Drive Testing in Agile Tom Cagley & Associates and Sealights Webinar Tue, Mar 13, 2018 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM EDT Link to register will come soon! I will also be at QAI Quest, ISMA 15 and Agile West.  More information next week! Next SPaMCAST In the Software Process and Measurement Cast 482 we will feature our interview with Natalie Warnet.  We talked about the diversity of voice, thoughts and ideas and Women in Agile.