Themes, Epics, Stories, and Tasks in Agile

Think of a typical story. It has a fixed beginning, middle, and end — right? This linear path is similar to traditional project management methodologies such as Waterfall. The sections must occur in that order for everything to make sense.

Agile project management is a little different. Though it follows a set of principles and requires a stable team structure, there is far more flexibility. An Agile project is more like a “choose your own adventure” book, where self-managing teams are given the base requirements and must figure out their own journey to the end deliverable.

So, how do Agile teams tackle these projects? They break their workload down into themes, epics, stories, and tasks. These words might conjure up images of childhood fairytales, and, in a way, storytelling does play a key role in Agile. It helps teams to understand what is required and provides the creative framework they need to get there. The Agile Alliance notes that Agile coaches must “influence teams to look at the world through a new lens, and storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have available to help us to do this.” 

The Agile methodology has evolved significantly, and understanding its core components — themes, epics, user stories, and tasks — is crucial for effective project management. This updated guide incorporates the latest insights and trends in Agile project management, ensuring that Agile teams can better align their work with strategic business objectives.

Below, we take a closer look at these components and their roles in Agile project management.

The Agile work structure

As mentioned, Agile project management, divides work into four primary components: themes, epics, stories, and tasks. Each level adds structure and granularity to ensure efficient execution by the development team. 

Themes

A theme is a wide area of focus that helps an Agile team to keep track of their organizational goals — think of it as a label that can be used to group similar activities. A theme helps to define the common characteristics between different areas and unite them under one heading.

For example, a theme might be “improve customer retention.”

Epics

An epic is a substantial collection of smaller stories that combine to make one large story. An epic cannot be completed in a single Agile iteration (or sprint). The key element to an epic is that it takes a lot of time. For more information on Agile epics,  check out our detailed guide.

Stories

A user story, often referred to simply as a story, is a concise requirement that can be completed within one sprint (usually one to two weeks). Written in simple language from the perspective of the user, stories often follow the format:

“As a [user], I want [functionality] so that I can [achieve goal].”

Story points are used to measure the complexity of a story. The overall goal of a story is to provide value to its user within a set time frame. Learn how to create a user story here.

Tasks

A task is a smaller, actionable unit within a story. Tasks outline specific actions required to complete a story and are assigned to team members. For instance, tasks might include “Develop user authentication API” or “Write unit tests for login functionality.”

Additional components in Agile

Beyond the core components, Agile uses other organizational elements to structure and manage workloads effectively.

Initiatives

An initiative is a group of epics. It can incorporate epics from lots of different teams, but they will all have a common objective. An initiative will naturally take more time than an epic.

Features

A feature is a specific functionality or service that addresses stakeholder needs. Features are smaller than initiatives and are typically delivered within a quarter.

Still wondering how these terms relate to each other? We will now explore how some of these various sections compare.

Comparing Agile components

Epic vs. story

A story is a single requirement, while an epic is a group of multiple stories. Picture a project with a lot of folders. The folders are the individual stories that are related in some way. They all combine to form one large project, which is the epic. 

Another key difference between an epic and a story is the length of time each one takes. A story takes place within a sprint, which is usually about one or two weeks long. On the other hand, an epic will likely take between one and three months to complete.

Theme vs. task

Themes and tasks are similar in that they both help with categorization, adding a sense of order to the work management process. However, themes bring a group of epics or initiatives together under one related banner. Tasks break a story down, creating subdivisions within an existing section.

Themes are also broader and can spread across the entire company, relating to various epics, stories, and initiatives. Tasks, meanwhile, have a far more specific purpose. They are only used within the context of a single story and are not designed to be shared outside it.

Initiative vs. feature

Initiatives and features can both draw from multiple areas to create compilations. An initiative can include epics from different teams, and a feature can involve several different stories. 

The key differentiator between the two is the amount of time required. Initiatives involve long-term planning and can take up to a year to complete. Features, however, will typically take place within a single quarter.

Top tips for your Agile structure

Here are four key tips to remember:

1. Adaptability: Embrace flexibility to refine your Agile structure as team needs evolve.
2. Training: Ensure your team understands Agile principles, particularly the hierarchy of themes, epics, stories, and tasks.
3. Tools: Invest in tools like Wrike to streamline Agile workflows, enabling task assignment, sprint tracking, and stakeholder communication.
4. Prioritization: Use tools like the Scrum board and product backlog to align work with business priorities, ensuring that high-impact objectives receive attention.

Manage your Agile workload with Wrike

Themes, epics, stories, and tasks form the foundation of Agile project management. By understanding their hierarchy and purpose, teams can better align with business goals, improve collaboration, and deliver high-value outcomes. Tools like Wrike further simplify Agile workflows, making it easier to organize, track, and adapt tasks for success.

With Wrike’s versatile software, you can manage your Agile workflow in a few easy steps:

• Get started with an Agile teamwork template
• Use projects and folders to organize your work
• Build custom request forms to auto-assign tasks
• Create a Scrum dashboard to boost project visibility
• Monitor progress with an interactive Gantt chart
• Analyze team performance with automated reports

Kick-start your Agile project management — try Wrike free for two weeks.