Purpose
When story, test, and implementation could drift apart, it brings business perspective, engineering, and quality together early. It prevents a story from being read differently only late in the process.
Agile Facilitation method
Three Amigos
Three perspectives jointly examine one story: business intent, implementation and testability. Examples make assumptions visible before implementation.
Three perspectives jointly examine one story: business intent, implementation and testability. Examples make assumptions visible before implementation.
Which examples express business intent, technical feasibility and testable behavior?
- Participants
- 3
- Time
- 15–30 minutes per prepared story; separate research for unresolved questions.
Which examples express business intent, technical feasibility and testable behavior?
Story
Select one concrete story
Bring a relevant backlog story with known outcome, context and open questions.
Business
Clarify business behavior
Explain intent and rules; ask for concrete examples and exceptions.
Engineering
Check implementation concerns
Engineering identifies dependencies, risks and open architecture questions without turning the session into solution design.
Tests
Define test examples
Write observable examples; record open questions, owners and follow-up points.
Update the work record when new evidence, changed constraints or the planned review changes an assumption.
A good fit when
For refinement of a concrete story, especially when rules, edge cases or quality risks need clarification. Not a substitute for product strategy.
Ideal for
- Story Refinement
- BDD
- Shared Understanding
Not good for
- Large meetings
- Open strategy work
Outputs
Shared story focus
The shared story focus contains a relevant backlog story with a known outcome, context, and open questions.
Examples of desired behavior
The examples of desired behaviour make intent, rules, concrete examples, and exceptions visible.
Technical conditions and open questions
The technical conditions and open questions identify dependencies, risks, and open architecture questions without turning the session into solution design.
Shared examples and next steps
The shared examples and next steps contain observable examples, open questions, owners, and follow-up points.
Three Amigos working record
Fictional example
Method-specific prompts and a fictional worked example; template prompts remain empty.
Select one concrete story
Choose one story that needs examples or rule clarification.
**Story:** “As a customer, I want to save a delivery address so that my next order takes less time.”
Clarify business behavior
Walk through examples of expected behavior.
**Business example:** A valid address can be selected; an incomplete address cannot be saved.
Check implementation concerns
Name relevant technical and operational constraints.
**Technical question:** Check the existing address model and user permissions before implementation.
Define test examples
State trigger and expected result for each example.
**Test examples:** Valid address → selection is available; missing postal code → clear error.
Agile Alliance describes a Three Amigos conversation across perspectives around a story; examples focus it before delivery.
First step
Bring one story, its user context and known open questions.
Good to do first
Deep dive
How it works
It connects perspectives on the same requirement and forces the group to sharpen examples, risks, and test criteria together. Business, engineering, and testing share their reading early so edge cases surface before implementation.
In detail
Three Amigos works because different viewpoints on the same requirement uncover early misunderstandings before they migrate into code or acceptance. Good use thrives on real tension between business perspective, product view, and technical feasibility. Once contradictions in terms, examples, or quality expectations surface, a loose alignment turns into a sharp clarification of the desired behavior.
Facilitation
Choose a requirement where business logic and implementation visibly interlock, and start directly with the concrete case. Especially revealing is the moment when two participants interpret the same word differently. Close with jointly understood examples, open risks, and a clear signal of what still needs clarifying before implementation.
The method guide walks execution through 4 phases, timing, 4 pitfalls, and clear stop criteria.
Open method guideYour perspective
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Sources and topics
Sources
Three Amigos | Agile Allianceagilealliance.orgAgile Alliance describes a Three Amigos conversation across perspectives around a story; examples focus it before delivery.User Story Conversations | Agile Allianceagilealliance.orgAgile Alliance describes a Three Amigos conversation across perspectives around a story; examples focus it before delivery.
Artifact templates
Three Amigos: WorksheetPlan a session or initiative to match the actual scope of work.markdown
Three Amigos: WorksheetPlan a session or initiative to match the actual scope of work.
markdownthree-amigos-working-template.md
Plan a session or initiative to match the actual scope of work.
Three Amigos: Worksheet
Question
To be confirmed
Desired outcome
To be confirmed
Scope
Prepare the full method Time: 15–30 minutes per prepared story; separate research for unresolved questions.
Complete this worksheet on paper or in your own document during the work.
Preparation for this scope
Method setup
- Materials: One story, domain rules or user evidence, existing acceptance examples and access to technical questions.
- Roles: Business/product · engineering · test/quality; add other roles only for a specific need.
- Advance information: Choose materials, data access and participants to fit the research or decision question.
- Overall time needed: 15–30 minutes per prepared story; separate research for unresolved questions.
- Setup: Open the method-specific structure. Fictional examples are for orientation only; keep the blank worksheet separate from actual findings.
Prepare for the work steps
Story: Select one concrete story
- Bring one story, its user context and known open questions.
- One story, domain rules or user evidence, existing acceptance examples and access to technical questions.
Business: Clarify business behavior
- Shared story focus
- One story, domain rules or user evidence, existing acceptance examples and access to technical questions.
Engineering: Check implementation concerns
- Examples of desired behavior
- One story, domain rules or user evidence, existing acceptance examples and access to technical questions.
Tests: Define test examples
- Technical conditions and open questions
- One story, domain rules or user evidence, existing acceptance examples and access to technical questions.
Three Amigos working record
Select one concrete story
Choose one story that needs examples or rule clarification.
...
Clarify business behavior
Walk through examples of expected behavior.
...
Check implementation concerns
Name relevant technical and operational constraints.
...
Define test examples
State trigger and expected result for each example.
...
Blank worksheet contains prompts only, with no example data.
Story: Select one concrete story
Expected artifact: Shared story focus
Shared story focus
Entry:
...
- Is the discussion scope clear?
Business: Clarify business behavior
Expected artifact: Examples of desired behavior
Examples of desired behavior
Entry:
...
- Do examples reflect intent and rules?
Engineering: Check implementation concerns
Expected artifact: Technical conditions and open questions
Technical conditions and open questions
Entry:
...
- Are dependencies and data risks visible?
Tests: Define test examples
Expected artifact: Shared examples and next steps
Shared examples and next steps
Entry:
...
- Can examples be checked reproducibly?
Open questions and next steps
...
Method guide: https://methodatlas.meierhoff-systems.de/en/methods/three-amigos/run-sheet
Alternatives and neighbors
Fitting alternatives with decision guidance, followed by other related methods.
Agile
Example Mapping
Instead of Three Amigos, when you want to use concrete examples as a bridge between domain language and acceptance criteria.
Agile
Acceptance Criteria Workshop
Moves backlog, sprint work, and team flow toward a concrete result through "pin the story summary to the whiteboard", "write the happy path as Given-When-Then", and "copy the criteria into the story tool".
Agile
Working Agreements
Jointly formulates valid working rules and clarifies how the team handles expectations, conflicts, and reviews.
Agile
4Ls Retrospective
Sorts review, learning points, and friction into Liked, Learned, Lacked, and Longed For for concrete improvements.
Agile
Ideal Days
Moves backlog, sprint work, and team flow toward a concrete result through "explain the ideal day unit", "calibrate with a reference item", and "do not confuse it with calendar days".
Agile
Mad Sad Glad
Collects emotional signals from the team, clusters them into themes, and makes real conversation topics visible.
Constraints and origin
LowWorkshop + async15-30 min
Profile
- Method form
- Facilitation method
- Participants
- 3
- Time
- 15-30 min
- Maturity
- Canonical
- Origin
- Agile Community
Next up: Specification by Example