How do these two subjects fit together?
Creating robust records of how the software should behave is the fuel for the engine of software development. Without adequate fuel, the engine sputters, misfires, stops working. This course helps prevent that by giving you and your team the correct way to create that fuel. There are more ways to build software than with Scrum and User Stories. You can mix and match different frameworks, but only if you know how they complement one another.
Aren’t User Stories the best way to gather requirements?
Yes. No. It depends on your customer and your team. What is a User Story? There is no real standard definition of that term in the industry. For over twenty years, developers following agile principles have developed other ways to describe working software that does not devolve into “big upfront design”. Using the Connextra format, business use cases, or design packets can help you optimize your software development practice in a safe, scalable, and sustainable way.
If Scrum isn’t the best methodology, why do so many companies use it?
Scrum identifies itself as a framework from which you can build your own agile software development methodology. This can lead to some very bad implementations of Scrum. Many other shops turn to methodologies that have stronger practices, such as XP, FDD, and AUP. Using an alternative to Scrum can make everyone happier: customers, developers, product managers, and C-level executives.