Prompting with User Stories¶
From Principle to Practice¶
You just learned the Three Pillars (Scope, Intent, Structure) and why specificity matters. Now here's a format that delivers all three pillars every time. It's called a user story.
A user story is a simple, structured way to describe what you want built and how you'll know it works. It has two parts: the story (what and why) and the acceptance criteria (how you'll verify it).
The Story: Who, What, and Why¶
A story follows this format:
As a [who needs this],
I want [what they need]
so that [why it matters]
Notice that this format starts with a person, not a feature, not a technology, not a screen. That's intentional. Good software is built for humans, and the best way to build something valuable is to stay connected to who you're building it for and what they actually need. A user story is a small act of empathy: you step into someone else's shoes and describe the world from their perspective. When you do that, the thing you build is more likely to be something they'll actually use.
The "As a" tells AI who it's building for. The "I want" tells AI what to create. The "so that" tells AI why, and that "why" is critical. Without it, AI has to guess what you're optimizing for.
Example for your Vessel Traffic Dashboard (just for reference; you don't need to do anything with this):
As a VTS watchstander monitoring the Houston Ship Channel,
I want a vessel status board showing all vessels in my area with their name, speed, and heading
so that I can quickly see which vessels are underway, which are at anchor, and whether any need attention.
Why "So That" Matters More Than You Think¶
The "so that" clause is the most commonly skipped part, and the most important one for AI.
Here's why: AI optimizes for completing what you asked for. If you say "I want a status display," AI will build some kind of display. But if you say "I want a status display so that users can make an informed decision quickly," AI now knows the display needs to prioritize clarity and speed of comprehension, not decoration or detail.
- Without "so that": AI guesses what "good" means
- With "so that": AI knows what outcome you're trying to create
Your "so that" is the steering wheel. Speed without steering is just a faster crash.
Acceptance Criteria: How You'll Know It Worked¶
After the story, you add acceptance criteria: specific conditions that define "done." These use a format called Given / When / Then:
Given [a starting situation],
when [something happens],
then [what should be true]
Example (just for reference; you don't need to do anything with this):
Given the vessel data includes a tanker reporting a speed of zero and navigational status "at anchor,"
when I view the vessel status board,
then I see that vessel listed in an "At Anchor" group with its name, position, and how long it has been stationary.
This isn't just documentation. It's your verification checklist. When AI builds something, you check each acceptance criterion. Pass or fail. No guessing whether it's "good enough."
How This Maps to the Three Pillars¶
| Three Pillars | User Story Format | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | As a [the person you're building for]... | Tells AI who it's building for and what domain to focus on |
| Intent | I want [the feature] so that [the outcome] | Tells AI what to create and what outcome to optimize for |
| Structure | Given/When/Then acceptance criteria | Tells AI exactly how the output should behave, and gives you a way to verify it |
The Three Pillars are the principle. The user story is the practice. Every time you write a story with acceptance criteria, you're automatically covering Scope, Intent, and Structure.
Rewrite a Prompt as a Story
Pairs | ~3 minutes total | Break into pairs within your team.
Take this vague prompt:
Make me a weather display for the Houston Ship Channel
Working together with your partner, rewrite it as a user story with at least two acceptance criteria. Use this template:
As a ___,
I want ___,
so that ___.
Given ___,
When ___,
Then ___.
Given ___,
When ___,
Then ___.
Don't send it to AI yet. Focus on the writing. You'll use stories as prompts throughout the rest of the day.
Key Insight
The Three Pillars tell you what makes a prompt good. A user story is a format that delivers all three pillars every time: "As a" gives you Scope, "I want... so that" gives you Intent, and Given/When/Then acceptance criteria give you Structure, plus a built-in verification checklist. Write your prompts as stories, and you'll spend less time guessing whether the result is right.