Scenario-Based Prioritisation of User Stories Grounded in Usage Scenarios

Abstract

Prioritising user stories is a fundamental challenge in requirements engineering. It directly impacts project outcomes and is a key factor in agile success. Popular techniques, such as MoSCoW, rely on subjective and static criteria and do not expose dependencies, which can lead to suboptimal sprint and release plans. This article presents a scenario-based prioritisation technique grounded in identified usage scenarios. The technique considers contextual factors, dependencies, and the business impact of delivered user stories. We outline the concept, illustrate its mechanics on a case example, and compare results against classic prioritisation. Preliminary findings indicate that scenario-based prioritisation can serve as a valuable complementary tool for Product Owners when selecting requirements critical to end users. We observed limited overlap between scenario-based priorities and MoSCoW must-haves, with only modest alignment to value-based rankings. A brief survey also indicated a preference for a scenario-oriented MVP over a set of independent high-value features. We discuss implications for planning coherent increments and conclude with directions for further work, including larger-scale evaluations, real-world experiments, and dedicated tool support.