Why-What-Acceptance (WWA) skill

Create product backlog items in Why-What-Acceptance format — independent, valuable, testable items with strategic context.

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Why-What-Acceptance (WWA)

Create product backlog items in Why-What-Acceptance format. Produces independent, valuable, testable items with strategic context.

Use when: Writing backlog items, creating product increments, breaking features into work items, or communicating strategic intent to teams.

Arguments:

$PRODUCT: The product or system name
$FEATURE: The new feature or capability
$DESIGN: Link to design files (Figma, Miro, etc.)
$ASSUMPTIONS: Key assumptions and strategic context

Step-by-Step Process

Define the strategic Why - Connect work to business and team objectives
Describe the What - Keep descriptions concise, reference designs
Write Acceptance Criteria - High-level, not detailed specifications
Ensure independence - Items can be developed in any order
Keep items negotiable - Invite team conversation, not constraints
Make items valuable - Each delivers measurable user or business value
Ensure testability - Outcomes are observable and verifiable
Size appropriately - Small enough for one sprint estimate

Item Template

Title: [What will be delivered]

Why: [1-2 sentences connecting to strategic context and team objectives]

What: [Short description and design link. 1-2 paragraphs maximum. A reminder of discussion, not detailed specification.]

Acceptance Criteria:

[Observable outcome 1]
[Observable outcome 2]
[Observable outcome 3]
[Observable outcome 4]

Example WWA Item

Title: Implement Real-Time Spending Tracker

Why: Users need immediate feedback on spending to make conscious budget decisions. This directly supports our goal to improve financial awareness and reduce overspending.

What: Add a real-time spending tracker that updates as users log expenses. The tracker displays their current week's spending against their set budget. Designs available in [Figma link]. This is a reminder of our discussions - detailed specifications will emerge during development conversations with the team.

Acceptance Criteria:

Spending totals update within 2 seconds of logging an expense
Budget progress is visually indicated with a progress bar
Users can see remaining budget amount at a glance
System handles multiple expense categories correctly

Output Deliverables

Complete set of backlog items for the feature
Each item includes Why, What, and Acceptance Criteria sections
Items are independent and deliverable in any order
Items are sized for estimation and completion in one sprint
Strategic context is clear for team decision-making
Design references are included for implementation guidance

1	---
2	name: wwas
3	description: "Create product backlog items in Why-What-Acceptance format — independent, valuable, testable items with strategic context. Use when writing structured backlog items, breaking features into work items, or using the WWA format."
4	---
5	# Why-What-Acceptance (WWA)
6
7	Create product backlog items in Why-What-Acceptance format. Produces independent, valuable, testable items with strategic context.
8
9	Use when: Writing backlog items, creating product increments, breaking features into work items, or communicating strategic intent to teams.
10
11	Arguments:
12	- `$PRODUCT`: The product or system name
13	- `$FEATURE`: The new feature or capability
14	- `$DESIGN`: Link to design files (Figma, Miro, etc.)
15	- `$ASSUMPTIONS`: Key assumptions and strategic context
16
17	## Step-by-Step Process
18
19	1. Define the strategic Why - Connect work to business and team objectives
20	2. Describe the What - Keep descriptions concise, reference designs
21	3. Write Acceptance Criteria - High-level, not detailed specifications
22	4. Ensure independence - Items can be developed in any order
23	5. Keep items negotiable - Invite team conversation, not constraints
24	6. Make items valuable - Each delivers measurable user or business value
25	7. Ensure testability - Outcomes are observable and verifiable
26	8. Size appropriately - Small enough for one sprint estimate
27
28	## Item Template
29
30	Title: [What will be delivered]
31
32	Why: [1-2 sentences connecting to strategic context and team objectives]
33
34	What: [Short description and design link. 1-2 paragraphs maximum. A reminder of discussion, not detailed specification.]
35
36	Acceptance Criteria:
37	- [Observable outcome 1]
38	- [Observable outcome 2]
39	- [Observable outcome 3]
40	- [Observable outcome 4]
41
42	## Example WWA Item
43
44	Title: Implement Real-Time Spending Tracker
45
46	Why: Users need immediate feedback on spending to make conscious budget decisions. This directly supports our goal to improve financial awareness and reduce overspending.
47
48	What: Add a real-time spending tracker that updates as users log expenses. The tracker displays their current week's spending against their set budget. Designs available in [Figma link]. This is a reminder of our discussions - detailed specifications will emerge during development conversations with the team.
49
50	Acceptance Criteria:
51	- Spending totals update within 2 seconds of logging an expense
52	- Budget progress is visually indicated with a progress bar
53	- Users can see remaining budget amount at a glance
54	- System handles multiple expense categories correctly
55
56	## Output Deliverables
57
58	- Complete set of backlog items for the feature
59	- Each item includes Why, What, and Acceptance Criteria sections
60	- Items are independent and deliverable in any order
61	- Items are sized for estimation and completion in one sprint
62	- Strategic context is clear for team decision-making
63	- Design references are included for implementation guidance
64
65	---
66
67	### Further Reading
68
69	- [How to Write User Stories: The Ultimate Guide](https://www.productcompass.pm/p/how-to-write-user-stories)
70