Why Narrative?

Sam Hatoum
March, 2024

Simplicity beats agility. Own the narrative.

Is it just me or have user stories lost the plot?

Agile methodologies, once a beacon of hope for streamlined and efficient software development, seem to have veered off course.

Frameworks like SAFe and tools like JIRA have transformed teams into relentless user-story factories, marching tickets towards the "done" cemetery, extinguishing the human essence that once made Agile practices so compelling.

A pivot back to storytelling’s essence is long overdue.

At the core of every experience is a narrative, from the timeless tales of our childhood to the stories we share as adults. These narratives weave invisible threads that connect us through shared emotions and experiences.

But why do narratives resonate so deeply within us? Why do they hold the power to make the complex seem so simple? The answer lies in their innate ability to encapsulate time, unfolding moment by moment, speaking directly to our core motivations and desires.

Narratives are universal, simple, and temporal. They allow people from different backgrounds and experiences to understand one another.

In this light, Narrative-Driven Development emerges as a new beacon for the future of software creation. By weaving cohesive narratives into development, we can create a more human-centered approach, leading to increased collaboration, reduced complexity, and transcending the fragmented and impersonal nature of traditional ticket-driven methodologies.

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