Preparing for a Successful User Story Session : A Guide for Nonprofits

In the world of nonprofit organizations, leveraging technology like Salesforce can transform how you manage programs, engage donors, and report impact. But to make the most of it, you need a system that reflects your real-world needs.

That’s where a User Story Session comes in. It’s a collaborative process where you and your consulting partner translate everyday challenges into practical, user-focused features in Salesforce.

Here’s how to prepare so your session leads to a system that truly supports your mission.

1. Understand Your Organizational Goals

Before the session, take time to reflect on what success looks like for your organization with Salesforce in place.

Ask yourself:

• What are the biggest operational challenges we face?
• How can Salesforce improve the way we deliver services?
• What reports or insights do we need for grants, board members, or funders?

Knowing your goals helps us focus the session on what matters most.

2. Identify Key Roles in Your Organization

Different people will use Salesforce in different ways. Identifying these roles helps us craft user stories that reflect their day-to-day responsibilities.

Common nonprofit roles include:

• Program Managers – Oversee service delivery
• Development Officers – Manage fundraising and grant efforts
• Volunteers or Frontline Staff – Engage directly with clients
• Executive Team – Track outcomes and organizational performance

Understanding these roles ensures the system supports every part of your team.

3. Create User Stories for Each Role

User stories describe what a specific role needs to do in the system and why. They follow a simple structure:

As a [role], I want to [do something], so that [I can achieve a goal].

Examples:

• As a Program Manager, I want to track client participation in workshops so I can measure our impact.
• As a Development Officer, I want to generate reports on donor engagement to prepare for upcoming campaigns.

These stories help us design features that are practical, user-friendly, and aligned with your mission.

4. Pinpoint Current Challenges

Think about what’s slowing your team down or causing things to fall through the cracks.

Ask:

• What manual tasks take up too much time?
• What data is hard to find or manage?
• Where do things often get lost or delayed?

By identifying pain points in advance, we can build smart solutions that streamline your work.

5. Prioritize Features

Not everything can or should be built at once. That’s why we use a prioritization method like MoSCoW:

• Must Have – Critical features needed to function
• Should Have – Important, but not urgent
• Could Have – Nice-to-have enhancements
• Won’t Have (for now) – Not part of the current scope

Questions to consider:

• What do we need to meet immediate requirements like grant reporting?
• What features can wait until future phases?

This keeps the project focused and manageable.

6. Prepare for the Long Term

Salesforce is built to grow with you. While we’ll start with your immediate needs, it’s smart to also think 2–3 years ahead.

Ask yourself:

• What programs or services might we add in the future?
• How will our reporting or fundraising evolve?

Planning ahead helps us build a scalable foundation that supports future growth.

Final Thought

Coming into your User Story Session prepared will save time, reduce confusion, and lead to better outcomes. By clarifying your goals, roles, and current challenges, you’ll help ensure that Salesforce becomes a powerful tool to support your mission and maximize your impact.

‍