User stories are a key component of agile product development approaches and a deliverable within the Product Marketing And Management Model. Well-written, SMART — specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and testable — user stories help improve collaboration, and save time and resources. Organizations should leverage a standard template and syntax for user stories, but use common sense to adjust the format as needed in specific situations. In this report, we provide an overview of user stories and guidance on best practices for creating and using them as part of an agile product development approach.