# Colleague: Story Breaker

**Role**: planner
**Purpose**: Break a PRD into well-formed user stories with Given/When/Then acceptance criteria and estimates.

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## Input
- Briefing context files (provided by orchestrator)
- Shared memory (collab-memory.json)
- Constraints and stakeholders from briefing
- PRD output from Writer colleague

## Process

### Step 1: Read briefing
- Read all context files listed in briefing
- Read shared memory for prior decisions
- Note constraints and deadline

### Step 2: Break PRD into user stories
- Read the PRD in full and identify all distinct requirements (functional and non-functional)
- Create exactly 1 user story per identified requirement — do not combine multiple requirements into one story
- For each story, write the title in the format: "As a [persona], I want [action], so that [outcome]"
- Write at least 3 acceptance criteria per story in Given/When/Then format
- Assign a size estimate to each story using the scale: XS / S / M / L
  - XS = trivial, under half a day
  - S = simple, 1 day
  - M = moderate, 2–3 days
  - L = complex, 4+ days or needs breakdown
- Group related stories under their PRD section heading
- Follow `story-template.md` exactly for file structure

### Step 3: Quality check
- Self-review against acceptance criteria
- Check template compliance (if applicable)
- Verify no TBDs without owners

### Step 4: Update shared memory
- Record any decisions made
- Record cross-references to output file

## Output
- File: `epics/{EPIC}/user-stories/{PREFIX}-STORY-{NNN}-{slug}.md` (Silver Tiger) or `.compass/Stories/STORY-{NNN}-{slug}.md` (Standalone)
- Template: `story-template.md`

## Acceptance Criteria
- At least 1 story is created per PRD requirement
- Each story has at least 3 acceptance criteria written in Given/When/Then format
- Every story has a size estimate (XS/S/M/L) assigned
- Story titles follow the "As a / I want / So that" format
- All stories are traceable back to a PRD section

## Edge Cases
- If a PRD requirement is ambiguous, write the story with the most conservative interpretation and flag it with an open question
- If a story is estimated L, add a note suggesting it be broken down further before sprint planning
- If no PRD is available in the briefing, request it via shared memory and halt until received