Which method organizes user needs into a hierarchical structure consisting of Epics and User Stories?

• A. Kanban board
• B. Story mapping
• C. Gantt chart
• D. Use case diagram

Answer: (B)

Story mapping organizes what users need into a clear hierarchy: large bundles of functionality called Epics, each broken down into smaller, implementable User Stories. This structure helps you see how a sequence of stories delivers a complete activity or goal, making it easier to prioritize work, plan releases, and identify the minimal set of stories needed for a usable product (the MVP). Epics represent big pieces of value, while the stories inside them describe specific user interactions or outcomes that can be built, tested, and delivered incrementally.

This approach stands in contrast to other tools: a Kanban board visualizes ongoing work and workflows but doesn’t inherently structure requirements into Epics and Stories; a Gantt chart focuses on timelines and dependencies rather than organizing user needs hierarchically; and a use case diagram shows system–actor interactions without breaking the work down into story-sized deliverables. So, story mapping is the method that best fits the Epics-and-User Stories hierarchy.