A user story describes a feature from the user's perspective: who needs it, what they need, and why. In website projects, user stories help translate client feedback and reviewer comments into actionable development tasks.
The format
As a [type of user],
I want to [do something],
So that [I get some benefit].
Website examples:
- "As a mobile visitor, I want the navigation menu to collapse into a hamburger, so that I can see more content on small screens."
- "As a potential customer, I want to see pricing without signing up, so that I can decide if the product fits my budget."
From feedback to user story
Raw feedback often sounds like: "The menu is broken on mobile" or "Add pricing to the homepage."
Converting to user stories forces clarity:
- Who's affected? Mobile visitors, not everyone
- What do they need? A collapsed menu, not a "fixed" menu
- Why does it matter? More visible content, better experience
Writing testable acceptance criteria
Each story needs clear "done" conditions:
- Menu collapses below 768px
- Hamburger icon is tappable with 44px hit area
- Menu animates open in under 300ms
These become your QA checklist during website proofing.
Capturing stories during reviews
When reviewers leave feedback on a live site, the best ones naturally fit the user story format. Visual annotation tools help by capturing:
- The element being discussed (context)
- The viewport/device (who's affected)
- The desired change (what's needed)
Huddlekit pins feedback to specific elements with device context, making it easier to convert comments into well-formed stories.
