52. The Theme

Beyond user stories, features, and bits and bytes, there exists a theme.

A main storyline.

A master plan: in what way do we help our user transform?

We will call this main story: Theme.

The goal is for user stories to align with a main storyline. This isn’t about Epic (User Stories); it’s something else.

While Epics break down into User Stories, the Theme is the essence, what gives meaning to the service or product we’re building.

The Theme is where we cannot fail, the differentiator, the reason we are chosen: the value proposition. It’s what every team member must know, understand, and convey.

Like every story, our service will have protagonists, obstacles, tension, emotions, transformation, desires, etc.

Consider that the ability to tell stories (or storytelling) is, probably, humanity’s oldest and most effective technology.

The Theme is what will never change.

But let’s go further, let’s talk about stories almost everyone knows. What is Aladdin (the 1992 Disney animated movie) about?

One might say it’s about a poor boy who discovers a lamp, rubs it, a genie appears, grants him three wishes, one of which is to become rich. In the end, he falls in love with the princess and they live happily ever after once he shows his true self. In between, there are villains, allies, settings, aesthetics, emotion, music, and many other ornamental elements.

The Theme of Aladdin isn’t the lamp, nor the existence of the genie, nor poverty, wealth, or love. The Theme of Aladdin is: “Be yourself.” That’s the main story, what supports the other elements and what is fed by them.

Similarly, the Theme of Airbnb (for the guest) is “to experience places beyond the standard tourist experience.” That’s the promise, the main storyline Airbnb cannot fail at. The rest of the stories have changed, are changing, and will continue to change over time.

What’s the Theme of your products?