We recommend that you review the Anatomy of an Agile SDLC Playbook before reading this so that you have proper context.

The purpose of this playbook is to dive deeply into what the Agile Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) components are, how they relate, and interact as they move through the SDLC. In the *Anatomy of an Agile SDLC Playbook* we defined SDLC Components as follows:

• Components: Components are the elements or items that move through the workflow stages. In Agile SDLC, these are often referred to as initiatives, features, epics, or user stories. These components are identified and prioritized discovery stage, refined during the definition stage, implemented and tested in the development stage, and finally, delivered in the deployment stage.

The Components are WHAT the team is working on at any given stage of the workflow. This playbook will focus specifically on the following topics:

• Initiatives, Features, or Epics
• Product Briefs or One Pagers
• User Stories or Defects / Bugs
• Wireframes or Mockups
• Architecture Diagrams & Technical Documentation

Key Terminology

1. Product Briefs or One-Pagers: A product brief or a one-pager is a document that outlines the objectives, target audience, key features, and other relevant details of a product. It serves as a guiding document for the development team, setting the direction and goals for product development. See Streamlined Product Brief or One-Pager.
2. Initiatives, Features, or Epics: These are large bodies of work that can be broken down into a number of smaller tasks (usually user stories). They are high-level objectives that provide a way to track progress towards broad goals. In some cases, Epics can be further broken down into Features. As we break an initiative into phases, there will be an Epic for each phase.
3. User Stories: A user story is a tool used in Agile software development to capture a description of a software feature from an end-user perspective. It usually follows the format: "As a [type of user], I want [some feature] so that [some benefit or outcome]". A user in a user story can be system, not a person, however we always want them to describe a flow flow of work where a benefit is achieved. A story might have several Tasks attached to it.
4. Defects / Bugs: Defects or bugs are issues or problems in a software product that prevent it from working as intended. The Agile process involves identifying, tracking, and fixing these defects throughout the development cycle.
5. Wireframes or Mockups: Wireframes and mockups are visual guides that represent the skeletal framework of a product. They help visualize the structure, layout, and functionality of a product before it is built.
6. Architecture Diagrams & Docs: These are technical documents and diagrams that describe the design, deployment, and behavior of a software system. They provide a comprehensive view of the system's structure and interaction between its components.
7. Product Manager: A strategic role responsible for setting the product's vision and strategy, understanding market and user needs, and working with teams to deliver successful products. They make key decisions about product features, pricing, launch timelines, and more. On smaller teams, this role might be played by people with other titles.
8. Product Owner The key individual who represents the customer's voice within the team. They manage the product backlog, prioritize work based on value, and make critical product decisions, focusing on optimizing the outcome of the development team's work. On smaller teams, this role might be played by people with other titles.

Overview

Our Agile SDLC focuses on flexibility, rapid iteration, and adaptation. The items (components) that move through this process are the building blocks of your product. These elements, ranging from high-level initiative definitions to detailed user stories and technical documentation, form a chain that binds the whole process together, ensuring that the developed product aligns with the end-users' needs while meeting the business objectives.