Themes, epics, stories, tasks and work packages
Every item belongs to an initiative. Within it, a value tree says what you build and work packages say when and by whom.
For: Project lead, Product owner
Initiative
The initiative is why the work is done: it answers one or more demands. A child item shares its parent's initiative; giving an item a new parent moves its subtree with it. Defects without a parent go to the solution's quarterly maintenance initiative.
Value tree
Theme → Epic → Story or Task → Subtask. One parent each, one level up. Stories and tasks are peers under an epic; both can have subtasks.
Work packages
Delivery containers: epics, stories and tasks are planned in one package; packages carry owner, dates and budget and can nest.
Linking to requirements
- Implements: the requirement the work brings to life.
- Covers: the acceptance criteria a story or task must satisfy.
- Serves: the objective a theme or epic contributes to.
- Design changes: the design records the item adds, changes or retires; applied when it is Done.