pm-story-write — Reference Material

Extracted from skills/pm-story-write/SKILL.md for token optimization. Contains edge case categories, splitting patterns, and validation checklists.

10 Edge Case Categories

#	Category	When to Apply	AC Needed?
1	Empty States	First use, no data, zero results	Yes
2	Boundary Conditions	Max/min values, limits, date ranges	Yes if data input
3	Permission Failures	Multi-user, roles, access tiers	Yes if auth/authz
4	Concurrency	Simultaneous edits, inventory conflicts	Maybe
5	Network Failures	Offline, timeout, slow connection	Yes if network calls
6	Invalid Input	Forms, APIs, user input	Yes
7	State Transitions	Browser back, session expiry, workflow interruption	Yes if multi-step
8	Internationalization	RTL languages, date formats, currency	Maybe
9	Timeout/Expiry	Long operations, sessions, token refresh	Yes if time-sensitive
10	Bulk Operations	Large uploads, batch ops, pagination	Yes if bulk

Auto-Detection Matrix

Apply based on feature type:

CRUD operations → Categories 1, 2, 4, 6 (min 4 ACs required)
API integration → Categories 5, 6, 9 (min 4 ACs required)
Multi-step workflow → Categories 1, 7, 9 (min 4 ACs required)
User input forms → Categories 1, 2, 6 (min 4 ACs required)
Multi-user/roles → Categories 3, 4 (min 3 ACs required)
Data processing → Categories 2, 9, 10 (min 4 ACs required)
International app → Categories 2, 8 (min 3 ACs required)
Real-time features → Categories 4, 5, 7 (min 4 ACs required)

INVEST Compliance Checklist

Criterion	Validation Question	Red Flag	Status
Independent	Can ship without other stories? No blocking dependencies?	"Can only start after Story X completes"	[ ]
Negotiable	Describes WHAT not HOW? Flexible implementation?	"Use Redux for state management"	[ ]
Valuable	Delivers user/business value? Can articulate why?	"Refactor database schema" (no user value)	[ ]
Estimable	Team understands enough to estimate? Scope clear?	Team cannot agree on estimate range	[ ]
Small	Fits in one sprint? Ideally 1-3 days?	More than 8 points; spans sprints	[ ]
Testable	Can write pass/fail tests? Clear done definition?	"User has good experience"	[ ]

AC Testability Checklist

Verify each acceptance criterion:

Story statement has specific persona (not generic "user")
"So that" clause shows business value (not feature restatement)
Has 3-7 acceptance criteria
Each AC is in Given/When/Then format
Each AC is testable (observable outcome in "Then" clause)
Scope section has both In/Out explicitly stated
No implementation details in ACs (negotiable—describes WHAT not HOW)
Edge cases covered (from Step 2 mapping)
Each AC has clear pass/fail condition

Definition of Ready Checklist

Story Splitting Detection Patterns

If story seems too large (>7 ACs or estimated >8 story points), consider these patterns:

Pattern 1: Workflow Steps - Split multi-step processes into individual stages Example: Publish directly, publish with review, preview before publish

Pattern 2: CRUD Operations - Separate Create/Read/Update/Delete Example: Create account, view account, update account, delete account

Pattern 3: Happy Path First - Core success scenario now, edge cases later Example: Basic search now, filters later, zero results handling later

Pattern 4: Data Variations - Split by data types or complexity levels Example: Upload PDF now, upload images later, upload large files later

Pattern 5: Spike + Implementation - Research first when uncertainty high Example: Evaluate payment processors (spike), then implement chosen one

Pattern 6: Cross-Cutting Concerns - Defer performance/security/scale Example: Search works correctly now, fast search later, concurrent search later

Story Template — Sections 5-9 Format Specifications

Section 5: Scope

## Scope

### In-Scope
- {explicit_item_1}
- {explicit_item_2}
- {explicit_item_3}

### Out-of-Scope
- {deferred_item_1} → See [US-YYY](#reference) or Future epic
- {deferred_item_2} → v2 enhancement
- {deferred_item_3} → Separate story needed

Section 6: Dependencies

## Dependencies

| Dependency | Type | Status | Owner |
|------------|------|--------|-------|
| {dependency_name} | {Story/Technical/Design} | {Done/In Progress/Pending} | {@owner} |

Or: "None"

Section 7: Technical Notes (brief)

## Technical Notes

{implementation_hints}

[Brief API contracts, database changes, performance requirements. Keep brief—details belong in task breakdown.]

Section 8: Open Questions

## Open Questions

- [ ] {Unresolved question needing decision} — @decider by YYYY-MM-DD
- [x] ~~{Resolved question}~~ — **Decision**: {outcome} (YYYY-MM-DD)

Or: "None"

Section 9: Definition of Done

## Definition of Done

- [ ] Acceptance criteria verified by QA
- [ ] Code reviewed and approved
- [ ] Unit tests written (≥80% coverage)
- [ ] Documentation updated
- [ ] PO acceptance received

Export Formats

Tool export formats for importing stories into project management tools (from research Section 7):

Jira CSV Import:

Summary,Description,Issue Type,Priority,Story Points,Epic Link,Labels
"{title}","{story_body_first_paragraph}","Story","{priority}",TBD,"{epic}","{labels}"

Linear GraphQL Mutation:

{
  "input": {
    "title": "{title}",
    "description": "{story_body_markdown}",
    "priority": {priority_number},
    "estimate": null,
    "labelIds": ["{label_ids}"]
  }
}

Skill Definition of Done Checklist

10 Edge Case Categories
- Auto-Detection Matrix
INVEST Compliance Checklist
AC Testability Checklist
Definition of Ready Checklist
Story Splitting Detection Patterns
Story Template — Sections 5-9 Format Specifications
Export Formats
Skill Definition of Done Checklist

10 Edge Case Categories​

Auto-Detection Matrix​

INVEST Compliance Checklist​

AC Testability Checklist​

Definition of Ready Checklist​

Story Splitting Detection Patterns​

Story Template — Sections 5-9 Format Specifications​

Section 5: Scope​

Section 6: Dependencies​

Section 7: Technical Notes (brief)​

Section 8: Open Questions​

Section 9: Definition of Done​

Export Formats​

Skill Definition of Done Checklist​