What essential elements should each user story contain?

Each user story should encapsulate the core elements necessary to communicate a user's requirement effectively. The essential elements typically include a goal, a hero, and a conflict.

The hero represents the user or the persona who will benefit from the development of the feature or product. Identifying this character helps teams envision the target audience and tailor the design to their needs. The goal pertains to what this hero aims to achieve, providing clarity on the desired outcome of the story. The conflict introduces a challenge or problem that the hero faces, setting the stage for why the solution is necessary.

When these elements are combined, they create a narrative that outlines the user's experience, clarifying why a particular feature is valuable and guiding the design and development process. This storytelling approach is crucial for aligning team members on the purpose and goals of the project.

Other combinations may present aspects relevant to scenarios or solutions but lack the comprehensive structure necessary for constructing effective user stories that resonate with the UX design process.