what is epic in agile methodology
In Agile methodology, an Epic is a high-level, broad piece of work that represents a significant function or feature in a software project. It’s typically larger than a single user story, which is a smaller, more specific requirement or function. Epics can span multiple iterations or sprints due to their large scope.
To put it simply, an Epic is essentially a large user story that can be broken down into smaller user stories. It helps the development team to understand and plan large pieces of work in a structured manner. Each Epic consists of many user stories that can be worked on independently and incrementally, allowing for continuous delivery of value to the customer.
For instance, in the development of an e-commerce website, an Epic could be “Implement User Checkout Process.” This Epic can be broken down into several smaller user stories such as:
- “As a user, I want to add items to my shopping cart so that I can purchase them.”
- “As a user, I want to view my shopping cart so that I can review the items before purchasing.”
- “As a user, I want to remove items from my shopping cart if I change my mind.”
- “As a user, I want to enter shipping information so that the items can be delivered to me.”
- “As a user, I want to select a payment method and complete the payment for my purchase.”
Each user story is a piece of functionality that can be developed, tested, and deployed independently, contributing to the overall goal represented by the Epic.
