3. Epics, Features, User Stories and their Relationships
If you are new to the BA role and want to read some on the Epic/Feature/User Story levels and sizes, click here.
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Click on the + sign next to the Epic level to add a child Feature level.
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Notice that the Work Item is now a Feature level. Add the text Store Inventory. Click Save & Close.
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Add 4 more Feature level Work Items as children of the Epic: Shopping cart, Payment Options, Shipping Options, and Delivery.
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Click the + button on the Feature level and add a Product Backlog Item Work Item (User Story).
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When the modal pops up, put the title as "Seed database with inventory", then hit Save & Close.
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Add the following additional Product Backlog Items (PBI) until your Backlog looks as follows:
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Click on the Store Inventory Feature level Work Item and view the Related Work. Notice the Parent Epic, and 2 Child PBIs.
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Click Add link and choose Existing Item.
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Add a Successor Link Tyle, add the Shopping Cart Feature Level Work Item, and add a description. Hit OK.
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View the Successor in the Related Work.
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Click the arrow by the Save & Close button, and it will allow you to Save without closing. You must Save for the Successor link you just added to persist.
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Click on the Shopping cart text as shown below to go to that Work Item.
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It will take you to the Shopping Cart Work Item, you can see the Predecessor is the Store Inventory. This means that the Shopping cart is dependent on the Store Inventory being done.
As a quick reference guide, use the following link types as indicated:
- Use the Duplicate link type when two work items have been created that essentially capture the same information; close one of the work items and keep the other one active
- Use the Parent/Child link types when you want to break down work items into smaller items—for example, break down features into stories, or stories into tasks
- Use Predecessor-Successor link types when you want to track tasks that must be completed before others can be started; this link type is most often used when you plan work using Project
- Use the Related link type when the work items being linked are at the same level—such as two user stories that define features that overlap one another—or to link work items that are defined in different projects or managed by different teams.
- Reference: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/boards/queries/link-work-items-support-traceability?view=vsts&tabs=new-web-form