From Event Storming to User Stories

What is Event Storming?

Event Storming is a powerful workshop-based technique used to explore and understand complex business domains. It can be applied at three distinct levels:

1. Big Picture
2. Process Modeling
3. Software Design

1. Big Picture Event Storming

Big Picture Event Storming is typically the starting point. Its primary goal is to assess the health of an entire line of business—often across departmental silos—or to explore the viability of a new business model, such as a startup idea.

It helps participants develop a shared understanding of the domain and identify key business problems or opportunities. During this session, participants map Domain Events—significant occurrences in the business—along a timeline. Once the domain events are captured, other elements can be introduced as needed:

• Hot Spots – Visualize conflicts, pain points, or unanswered questions.
• Opportunities – Highlight potential areas for growth or innovation.
• People (Actors) – Individuals or roles involved in the process.
• Internal/External Systems – Represented as black boxes.
• Value – Indicate where value is added or lost in the flow.
• Bounded Contexts – Encapsulated systems where a Ubiquitous Language applies within defined boundaries.

A common outcome of a Big Picture session is the identification of the most critical problems or opportunities, often finalized through participant voting.

2. Process Modeling Event Storming

At this level, the focus narrows to a single business process. The goal is to assess or (re)design the process, uncover bottlenecks, and resolve ambiguities. It builds upon the concepts used in Big Picture Event Storming, with additional modeling elements:

• Policies – Rules that describe how the system reacts to events, e.g., “Whenever X happens, do Y.”
• Commands/Actions – Represent user or system-initiated intents that trigger events.
• Read Models/Information – Information an actor needs to make decisions.
• UI Mockups – Early interface sketches to support understanding.

3. Design-Level Event Storming

When more detailed modeling is needed—particularly for software design—Design-Level Event Storming comes into play. This level dives deep into a complex subdomain and aligns with Domain-Driven Design (DDD) practices. It focuses on designing software within a Bounded Context, often leading to a modern, component-based architecture.

In addition to previously mentioned elements, this level introduces:

• Aggregates/Components – A DDD concept referring to a cluster of related domain objects treated as a unit (e.g., a purchase order or a motorcycle). Aggregates reduce interface complexity and protect internal structures—often treated like a white box at this stage.
• UI Design – Sometimes read models aren’t enough; wireframes or visual layouts help convey more nuanced information.

At every level, the Domain Events and timeline form the backbone of the model. Other elements are layered in as needed to deepen understanding and support design decisions.

From Event Storming to User Stories

While Event Storming provides a solid foundation, most Agile teams work with User Stories in a Product Backlog. So, how do you transition from Event Storming outcomes to actionable stories that can be estimated, prioritized, and planned into sprints?

Some teams may start coding after a few Design-Level Event Storming sessions. However, many Product Owners and developers prefer the structure and predictability of a backlog or User Story Map. These tools support value-based planning, forecasting, and smoother collaboration.

One practical approach is to:

1. Use Domain Events and Commands as a Starting Point – These often reflect user actions and can become epics or journey steps in a User Story Map.
2. Write User Stories – Inspired by the identified commands, break down steps into actionable tasks.
3. Estimate and Prioritize – Teams can estimate the effort for each story, plan sprints, and prioritize delivery for maximum value.

This process helps bridge the strategic insights of Event Storming with the practical needs of Agile delivery.

Facilitating Remote Collaboration

With many teams now working remotely, gathering around a physical whiteboard isn’t always feasible. That’s where digital tools come in.

One solution is Qlerify—a collaborative modeling platform that bridges the gap between Event Storming and an actionable backlog. Qlerify enables real-time process modeling with support for:

• Event Storming
• User Story Mapping
• Product Backlogs
• Business Process Modeling
• Domain-Driven Design

It also includes social collaboration features and integrates with Jira Cloud and Azure DevOps, allowing instant transfer of your model to Jira. Try it free at https://app.qlerify.com/signup.

Further Reading

If you’re interested in diving deeper, here are some excellent resources:

• User Story Mapping: Discover the Whole Story, Build the Right Product – Jeff Patton (Book)
• User Story Mapping – Jeff Patton (Original Blog Post)
• Introducing Event Storming – Alberto Brandolini (Blog Post)
• Introducing Event Storming – Alberto Brandolini (Leanpub Book)
• Domain-Driven Design Distilled – Vaughn Vernon (Chapter 7 covers Event Storming)
• Event Storming Cheatsheet – Wolfgang Werner (Quick reference guide)

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