Ripped from Specification by Example

Step 1

Identify what the business goal is for building software.

Business goal

"Increase repeat sales to existing customers by 50% over the next 12 months."

Step 2

From the business goal, derive the scope of the feature(s)

Scope: User stories for a basic loyalty system

"In order to be able to do direct marketing of products to existing customers, as a marketing manager I want customers to register personal details by join gin a VIP program"
"In order to entice existing customers to register for the VIP program, as a marketing manager I want the system to offer free delivery on certain items to VIP customers."
"In order to save money, as an existing customer I want to receive information on available special offers."

Step 3

With the business owner, product owner, developers, and tester create key examples that describe feature. The below builds off from story #2. In these key examples we are coming to an agreement on what we mean by free delivery.

Key Examples: Free delivery

"VIP customer with five books in the cart best free delivery"
"VIP customer with four books in the cart doesn't get free delivery."

Step 4

Refine the specification using the key examples. This document should be self-explanatory and formatted in a way that will make it easy to automate.

Specification with examples: Free Delivery

"Free delivery is offered to VIP customers once they purchase a certain number of books. Free delivery is not offered to regular customers or CIP customers buying anything other than books."
"Given that the minimum number of books to get free delivery is five, then we expect the following:

  | Customer Type | Cart Contents      | Delivery       |
  | VIP           | 5 books            | Free, Standard |
  | VIP           | 4 books            | Standard       |
  | Regular       | 10 books           | Standard       | 
  | VIP           | 5 Blenders         | Standard       |
  | VIP           | 5 Books, 1 Blender | Standard       |

jwieringa/gist:3588181