Are User Stories requirements?

• A. Yes, they are requirements.
• B. No, they are a statement of intent and negotiable.
• C. Sometimes they are requirements.
• D. They are contracts.

Answer: (B)

In SAFe and Agile practice, user stories are lightweight descriptions of desired value used to drive conversation with stakeholders, not rigid, fixed requirements. They capture who benefits, what they want, and why it matters, but they are intentionally negotiable and open to refinement as more is learned. This makes them a vehicle for collaboration between the product owner, the team, and customers, with acceptance criteria and testing defined to confirm when the story is satisfied. Because of that negotiable nature, a story isn’t a contract and isn’t treated as an unchangeable requirement the moment it’s written. It may map to a requirement later, but its status as an intent to discuss and refine is the defining characteristic.