The NEW assistant to the Product Owner

Have you heard about the PO's new assistant?  

It is quite the item of gossip - isn't it?

Could you imagine if we were to outsource our development jobs to someone?  Someone in another country, a foreigner,  or an artificial life-form, an AI - oh the shame of it all!

What would it require to craft an AI with the ability to write a Product Backlog?  Would we require special software, expensive specialist knowledge, and millions of dollars?

Would we be able to trust that the user stories the AI wrote and placed in our backlog were the correct requirements for our unique product?

It is the 21st Century - we have to be ready!

That is a quote from Captian Jack Harkness, and he is in a Time to know.

Let's run a test.  Let's try the AI out and see if it could write the basic product backlog for a travel app.  Phone apps have been around now for 15 years or more.  The best ones are targeted at just such a task.  

We could then see if the AI generated user stories were good enough.  First let's define good enough.  A good enough user story is one that the team would be willing to start work upon next sprint.  One that they could size and ellobrate upon maybe even slice up and make it better in Sprint Refinement.  That is the working definition of good enough.  We will know the work that needs to be done on these user stories by doing the work!

I asked my AI assistants for the first 5 user stories of our travel app.

Sure! Here are the first five user stories for the new software application:

1. As a traveler, I want to be able to search for and book flights easily, providing me with various options based on my preferred dates, destinations, and airlines, so that I can efficiently plan my air travel.
2. As a user, I want the application to provide real-time flight status updates, including departure and arrival times, gate information, and any delays or cancellations, so that I can stay informed about my flights and make necessary adjustments to my travel plans.
3. As a traveler, I want the ability to search for and reserve rental cars at my destination, specifying the pickup and drop-off dates and locations, as well as the car type and any additional services or features, so that I can conveniently arrange transportation during my trip.
4. As a user, I expect the software application to integrate with popular hotel booking platforms, allowing me to search for accommodations based on my desired location, check-in and check-out dates, and preferred amenities, and make reservations seamlessly, ensuring a comfortable stay during my travels.
5. As a traveler, I want the application to provide a centralized itinerary management feature, where I can view and manage all my travel details in one place, including flight bookings, rental car reservations, and hotel stays, so that I can easily access and organize my travel plans.

These user stories focus on the core functionalities of the software application, addressing the needs and requirements of travelers in managing and tracking air travel, rental cars, and hotel stays.

Let's pause here and critic the stories.  The 5 user stories certainly follow the classic template.  The AI even mistakenly uses the term "user" in some stories, and the better term "traveler" in others.  But most impressive is the stories all have a sensible "so that" value phrase.

The downfall of the group is that I do not believe the AI understood the meaning of "first".  While these are good and general early stories for delivering an app - they are not the FIRST FIVE the team will wish to implement.

Yet the wonderful thing about my AI Assistant is that it accepts feedback and instantly tries to incorporate this feedback into our shared work product - the backlog.

That first story seems rather large for the implementation team.  Please divide it into 5 user stories.

Certainly! Here are five user stories derived from the original first user story:

1. As a traveler, I want to be able to search for flights based on my preferred dates, destinations, and airlines, so that I can efficiently plan my air travel.
2. As a traveler, I want to view a list of available flight options after performing a search, including relevant details such as flight times, airlines, and prices, so that I can compare and choose the most suitable option.
3. As a traveler, I want to be able to select a flight from the list of available options and proceed to the booking process, providing necessary personal and payment details, so that I can confirm and secure my flight reservation.
4. As a traveler, I want to receive a confirmation email or notification upon successful flight booking, including all relevant flight details and a booking reference number, so that I can have a record of my reservation.
5. As a traveler, I want the ability to view and manage my booked flights, including the option to modify or cancel a reservation if needed, so that I have control over my travel plans.

By breaking down the original user story, we have created smaller, more manageable user stories that focus on specific functionalities of the flight booking process. This allows the implementation team to work on each story independently, ensuring better clarity and progress tracking during development.

That was quick... and useful.  Do they continue to pass the good enough test?  Yes.  I believe so.

One very nice aspect of these stories is they are NOT describing the implementation details nor the underlying technology required to resolve all the unwritten requirements (e.g. a data base to store traveler info, user accounts, etc.).  This may be view as a plus or a negitive by some development teams.  If it is viewed negitively - I would double down on the Agile Mindset philosphy trainning.

OK - I feel that we could work with this AI Assistant to develop a rather well though out product backlog.  So let's skip ahead a bit and thorw some wish-list ideas that came from the executive suite at the AI.

Please write user stories for this list of ideas:

Destination Weather Info

One Click to switch to Traveler’s preferred Weather App

Flight Check-In

Share travel plans with family, friend or co-workers

Flight change notification via email, text message, or alert

View Trip in List of Events (timeline)

Add Trip info manually

Monitor other’s trips after receiving their plans

Augmented Reality in Airport route mapping

Language Translation

Alerts for local inoculation required and recommended

Do it Yourself Full body Scanner

And here are the AI Assistant's stories.

Here are the user stories based on the provided list of ideas:

1. As a traveler, I want to access destination weather information within the application, displaying current weather conditions, forecasts, and any severe weather alerts, so that I can plan and prepare accordingly for my trip.
2. As a traveler, I want the ability to seamlessly switch to my preferred weather application with a single click from within the travel management app, so that I can obtain more detailed weather information and forecasts.
3. As a traveler, I want to be able to perform flight check-in through the application, providing necessary details such as passport information, seat selection, and baggage preferences, to expedite the check-in process and receive my boarding pass.
4. As a traveler, I want to easily share my travel plans with family, friends, or co-workers directly from the application, allowing them to view my itinerary, flight details, and hotel reservations, so that they can stay informed about my travels.
5. As a traveler, I want to receive flight change notifications via email, text message, or alerts within the application, informing me of any updates or changes to my flight schedule, such as delays, cancellations, or gate changes.
6. As a traveler, I want the option to view my trip as a list of events or in a timeline format within the application, displaying all relevant travel details and activities in chronological order, so that I can easily track and manage my itinerary.
7. As a traveler, I want the ability to manually add trip information, such as non-flight related events, hotel stays, car rentals, and activities, within the application, so that I can have a comprehensive view of my entire trip itinerary.
8. As a user, I want to monitor other travelers' trips after receiving their travel plans, with their consent, allowing me to view their itineraries, flight details, and accommodation information, so that I can coordinate or assist them as needed.
9. As a traveler, I want to experience augmented reality (AR) technology within the application, providing me with airport route mapping, directions, and navigation assistance, enhancing my travel experience and making it easier to navigate through the airport.
10. As a traveler, I want language translation functionality within the application, allowing me to translate and understand different languages, signs, and conversations encountered during my travels, facilitating communication in foreign countries.
11. As a traveler, I want to receive alerts within the application for local inoculation requirements and recommendations based on my travel destination, providing me with important health information and ensuring I am prepared for any necessary vaccinations.
12. As a traveler, I want the option to utilize a do-it-yourself full-body scanner within the application, allowing me to complete security screening processes conveniently and efficiently at participating airports, reducing wait times and enhancing security measures.

These user stories cover a range of features and functionalities that address the needs and preferences of travelers using the software application for managing and tracking their travel plans.

What do you think my assistant will do with this next request?

Please decompose the 12 user stories into smaller stories for the team.