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🏙️ City Neighbourhood Prototyping in Lego/Minecraft – Product Vision & Product Owner’s (P.O.) Guide
NOTE
This guide is not a checklist and not a script. It is for the P.O. only and should NOT be shared directly with participants.
Important Note for P.O.
The course facilitators will clarify that:
- Lego/Minecraft is used as it is a good medium for making prototypes: It is easy to manipulate and update in short sprints.
- The developers are LEGO/MINECRAFT DEVELOPERS, and NOT software developers.
- The city prototype building is ONLY A GAME, there is no need to know about urban planning, or think about building regulations, or any other details that the Product Owner does not mention.
- The participants should suspend any knowledge they do have of City / Urban planning or similar and remember that building/adjusting the prototype is just a game, to teach Agile and Scrum methods.
As the P.O. you are free to:
- Bring new ideas
- Introduce new features
- Change priorities
- Decide what belongs in the MVP
You do not need to implement everything described here.
- Use this guide as inspiration and a starting point.
- If you want to be creative, experiment, or try a different approach: do it.
- If you are unsure what to do next, this guide provides examples you can follow.
- Do not provide all the information to participants at once. Allow them to ask questions and discover the product gradually, so they learn how to explore and understand a product through inquiry, just like in the real world.
1. Product Vision (A City Neighbourhood Prototype)
Vision Statement
UrbanBuild PLC wants to develop a structured LEGO/Minecraft city neighbourhood prototype that allows a City Planner to explore, review and refine a proposed neighbourhood design before further development takes place.
The prototype should help create a well-organised, connected neighbourhood that considers the needs of citizens and local businesses.
The product will be developed incrementally in short sprints, allowing the team to review progress, gather feedback and adapt the design.
Problem Statement
Planning a new neighbourhood requires decisions about where homes, services, commercial areas and roads should be located and how they connect to one another. Poorly considered layouts can result in uneven distribution of facilities, inconvenient access to essential services and inefficient road networks.
UrbanBuild PLC wants to explore and review the proposed neighbourhood design before real-life construction takes place. A simple, visual and easily changeable prototype will allow the City Planner to explore different layouts, identify issues and refine the design through short development cycles and stakeholder feedback.
2. Personas/Users and Stakeholders
Note: Do not explicitly tell participants who the persona and stakeholders are. Encourage them to identify this themselves by asking questions about who will use the product, who has needs or interests in the product, and who will provide feedback etc.
| Role | Description |
|---|---|
| City Planner — Persona | Works for UrbanBuild PLC and uses the prototype to plan, explore, review and refine the neighbourhood design. |
| Citizens — Stakeholders | Represent the needs and perspectives of people who will live in the neighbourhood. |
| Local Business Owners — Stakeholders | Represent the needs and perspectives of businesses that will operate in the neighbourhood. |
The Product Owner is a Scrum role responsible for maximising product value and managing the Product Backlog. The Product Owner works with the City Planner and stakeholders to understand product needs and feedback.
The City Planner is the user of the prototype, so user stories are written from the City Planner’s perspective.
Citizens and Local Business Owners are stakeholders rather than additional personas. Their needs inform the requirements for the prototype but do not need to be represented as separate user stories.
Zoning Rules
- Zones must be clearly defined using baseplates, boundary bricks, labels or other clear markers.
- No zone may be isolated.
- All zones must connect to at least one other zone.
Road Rules
- Main roads must be visibly wider than internal roads.
- Each zone must connect to a road.
- The neighbourhood must connect to the existing city road.
- Dead-end zones are not allowed; the road network must provide a route through and out of the neighbourhood.
Housing Rules
- There are four residential zones.
- Each residential zone must contain 8 homes.
- All houses within a residential zone must use the same basic design.
- All residential zones must contain the same number of houses.
School Rules
- There must be two schools.
- Each school serves exactly two residential zones.
- Each residential zone must have access to a school.
- Each school must be connected to the road network.
Commercial Rules
- Shops must be placed along main roads.
- Shops must be grouped into a commercial area.
- Shops may not be placed inside residential-only zones.
- All shops must directly connect to a road.
Civic Amenities Rules
- There must be two parks, two hospitals and two banks.
- Each amenity serves two residential zones.
- Each residential zone must have access to at least one park, hospital and bank.
- Amenities of the same type should use a consistent design and footprint and be visually distinguishable.
Activity 1 — Plan the Neighbourhood
Epic 1.1 — Define Residential Areas
| ID | User Story | Acceptance Criteria | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1.1 | Mark Out Residential Areas — As a City Planner, I want to define four residential areas so that the neighbourhood has clearly identified locations for housing. | • Four residential areas are clearly defined using
baseplates, boundary bricks or other clear markers. • Each area is clearly labelled or identifiable as a residential area. • Each area has space for 8 homes and can be connected to the road network. • The four areas are positioned so that required community services can serve them. |
Planning/Definition |
Epic 1.2 — Define Commercial Space
| ID | User Story | Acceptance Criteria | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2.1 | Mark Out the Commercial Area — As a City Planner, I want to define a commercial area so that the neighbourhood has a suitable location for businesses. | • One clearly defined commercial area exists and is clearly marked
or labelled. • It is separate from residential-only areas. • It can be connected to the main neighbourhood road. • Its location allows businesses to be accessible to the neighbourhood. |
Planning/Definition |
Epic 1.3 — Define Community Services
| ID | User Story | Acceptance Criteria | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3.1 | Mark Out Service Areas — As a City Planner, I want to identify suitable locations for community services so that residents can access the services they need. | • Suitable locations are identified for two schools, two
parks, two hospitals and two banks. • Service areas are clearly marked or identifiable. • Each service location can serve two residential areas and can be connected to the road network. • Locations do not conflict with the defined residential or commercial areas. |
Planning/Definition |
Activity 2 — Connect the Neighbourhood
Epic 2.1 — Connect to the Existing City
| ID | User Story | Acceptance Criteria | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1.1 | Create Neighbourhood Entrance — As a City Planner, I want to connect the neighbourhood to the existing city road so that people can enter and leave the neighbourhood. | • The neighbourhood has a clearly identifiable entrance. • The entrance directly connects to the existing city road. • The entrance provides access to the main neighbourhood road. • The neighbourhood is not isolated from the existing city. |
Development |
Epic 2.2 — Build the Road Network
| ID | User Story | Acceptance Criteria | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2.1 | Build Main Neighbourhood Road — As a City Planner, I want to build a main neighbourhood road from the entrance so that people can travel through the neighbourhood. | • The main road connects to the neighbourhood entrance. • It provides a continuous route through the neighbourhood. • It is visibly wider than internal roads. • The road network provides a route for people to leave the neighbourhood. |
Development |
| 2.2.2 | Build Internal Roads — As a City Planner, I want to build internal roads connecting the neighbourhood areas to the main road so that people can reach homes, services and businesses. | • Internal roads connect to the main neighbourhood road. • All four residential areas are connected to the road network. • Community services and the commercial area are connected to the road network. • No main neighbourhood area is isolated. |
Development |
Activity 3 — Build Residential Areas
Epic 3.1 — Build Housing
| ID | User Story | Acceptance Criteria | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1.1 | Add Homes — As a City Planner, I want to add homes to the residential areas so that the neighbourhood provides housing. | • Each residential area has 8 homes. • All homes are placed within their defined residential area. • All homes within the same residential area use the same colour and have the same number of floors. • All homes use the same basic design and are connected to the road network. |
Development |
Epic 3.2 — Maintain Housing Consistency
| ID | User Story | Acceptance Criteria | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.2.1 | Keep Housing Consistent — As a City Planner, I want the residential areas to have consistent housing so that the neighbourhood provides an organised distribution of homes. | • All four residential areas contain the required number of
homes. • Homes across the four residential areas use the same basic design. • Housing is distributed within the defined residential areas. • The residential areas have a consistent and organised appearance. |
Quality/Consistency |
Activity 4 — Build Community Facilities
Epic 4.1 — Build Education Facilities
| ID | User Story | Acceptance Criteria | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1.1 | Place Schools — As a City Planner, I want to provide schools that serve the residential areas so that residents have access to education services. | • Two schools are provided. • Each school serves two residential areas. • Each residential area has a connected route to a school. • Each school is connected to the road network. |
Development |
Epic 4.2 — Build Community Spaces
| ID | User Story | Acceptance Criteria | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2.1 | Place Parks — As a City Planner, I want to provide parks that serve the residential areas so that the neighbourhood includes accessible outdoor community spaces. | • Two parks are provided. • Each park serves two residential areas. • Each residential area has a connected route to a park. • Each park is connected to the neighbourhood road network and is visually distinguishable. |
Development |
Epic 4.3 — Build Health Facilities
| ID | User Story | Acceptance Criteria | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.3.1 | Place Hospitals — As a City Planner, I want to provide hospitals that serve the residential areas so that residents have access to essential health services. | • Two hospitals are provided. • Each hospital serves two residential areas. • Each residential area has a connected route to a hospital. • Each hospital is connected to the road network and is visually distinguishable. |
Development |
Epic 4.4 — Build Financial Facilities
| ID | User Story | Acceptance Criteria | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.4.1 | Place Banks — As a City Planner, I want to provide banks that serve the residential areas so that residents have access to essential financial services. | • Two banks are provided. • Each bank serves two residential areas. • Each residential area has a connected route to a bank. • Each bank is connected to the road network and is visually distinguishable. |
Development |
Activity 5 — Build Commercial Area
Epic 5.1 — Build Commercial Facilities
| ID | User Story | Acceptance Criteria | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1.1 | Place Shops — As a City Planner, I want to place shops beside the main neighbourhood road so that the commercial area is visible and accessible. | • Shops are placed within the defined commercial area. • Shops are positioned beside the main neighbourhood road. • All shops directly connect to a road. • Shops are not placed within residential-only areas. |
Development |
Epic 5.2 — Maintain Commercial Consistency
| ID | User Story | Acceptance Criteria | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.2.1 | Keep Shops Consistent — As a City Planner, I want shops to use a consistent design so that the commercial area is organised and easy to recognise. | • Shops use the same basic design. • Shops are grouped within the commercial area. • Shops are consistently positioned along the main road. • The commercial area is visually distinguishable from residential areas. |
Quality/Consistency |
Activity 6 — Validate the Neighbourhood
Epic 6.1 — Validate Connectivity
| ID | User Story | Acceptance Criteria | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.1.1 | Check Connectivity — As a City Planner, I want to check that the neighbourhood is connected so that people can travel between the different areas. | • The neighbourhood connects to the existing city road. • The main neighbourhood road provides a continuous route through the neighbourhood. • All four residential areas, community services and the commercial area are connected to the road network. • No main neighbourhood area is isolated or forms a dead end. |
Validation |
Epic 6.2 — Validate Service Accessibility
| ID | User Story | Acceptance Criteria | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.2.1 | Check Service Access — As a City Planner, I want to check that residents can access essential services so that the neighbourhood meets the current requirements. | • Each residential area has access to a school. • Each residential area has access to a park. • Each residential area has access to a hospital. • Each residential area has access to a bank. |
Validation |
5. Rough Visual Layout
EXISTING CITY ROAD
========================================================================
|
v
[ NEIGHBOURHOOD ]
[ ENTRANCE ]
|
v
=================================================================
| MAIN NEIGHBOURHOOD ROAD |
| |
| +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+
| |RESIDENTIAL| |RESIDENTIAL| |RESIDENTIAL| |RESIDENTIAL|
| | AREA 1 | | AREA 2 | | AREA 3 | | AREA 4 |
| | 8 HOMES | | 8 HOMES | | 8 HOMES | | 8 HOMES |
| +-----+-----+ +-----+-----+ +-----+-----+ +-----+-----+
| | | | |
| +-------+-------+ +-------+-------+
| | |
| v v
| +-------------------+ +-------------------+
| | SERVICE HUB 1 | | SERVICE HUB 2 |
| | | | |
| | SCHOOL 1 | | SCHOOL 2 |
| | PARK 1 | | PARK 2 |
| | HOSPITAL 1 | | HOSPITAL 2 |
| | BANK 1 | | BANK 2 |
| +---------+---------+ +---------+---------+
| | |
| +---------------+---------------+
| |
| v
| +-------------------+
| | COMMERCIAL AREA |
| | SHOPS / BUSINESS |
| +-------------------+
| |
| |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
|
v
BACK TO MAIN ROAD / EXIT
|
|
=================================================================
MAIN ROAD LOOP
=================================================================
|
v
EXISTING CITY ROAD6. Backlog Refinement — Stories to Split
Before release planning, review the Product Backlog and identify stories that are too large to deliver as a single increment.
For this exercise, split the following stories into smaller user stories. The original story is replaced by the smaller stories and is not separately assigned to a release.
3.1.1 Add Homes
Split into:
- 3.1.1a Add One Home — Add one home to demonstrate the basic housing capability.
- 3.1.1b Add More Homes — Extend the housing in the residential areas.
- 3.1.1c Complete Residential Housing — Complete the required 8 homes in each residential area.
5.1.1 Place Shops
Split into:
- 5.1.1a Place One Shop — Place an initial shop in the commercial area.
- 5.1.1b Add More Shops — Extend the commercial area with additional shops.
3.2.1 Keep Housing Consistent
Split into:
- 3.2.1a Apply Consistent Design to Initial Homes
- 3.2.1b Apply Consistent Design Across All Housing
5.2.1 Keep Shops Consistent
Split into:
- 5.2.1a Standardise Shop Design
- 5.2.1b Complete the Commercial Area
6.1.1 Check Connectivity
Split into:
- 6.1.1a Validate Initial Connectivity — Check that the initial neighbourhood prototype connects to the existing city road and that the roads and areas included in the prototype are connected.
- 6.1.1b Validate Complete Connectivity — Check that all required residential areas, community facilities and the commercial area are connected to the road network, with no isolated areas or dead ends.
6.2.1 Check Service Access
Split into:
- 6.2.1a Validate Initial Service Access — Check that the initial school, park, hospital and bank are connected to the road network and that the residential area served by each facility has access to it.
- 6.2.1b Validate Complete Service Access — Check that each of the four residential areas has access to a school, park, hospital and bank, in accordance with the neighbourhood requirements.
Important: Once a story is split, the original story is replaced by the smaller stories for release planning. Do not assign both the original and split stories to releases. Use the
astories for the initial MVP where appropriate and thebstories for completing the neighbourhood in Release 2.
7. Release Plan
MVP — Build the Initial Neighbourhood Prototype
MVP Definition
The MVP is the smallest usable version of the product that demonstrates its core value and allows the City Planner to explore, review and provide feedback on an initial neighbourhood layout.
Release Goal
Create an initial neighbourhood prototype in the first sprint, with defined residential and commercial areas, connected roads, one home, one school, one park, one hospital, one bank and one shop. The prototype should be ready for review, with further housing, facilities, consistency improvements and complete service coverage planned for Release 2.
Stories included in the MVP:
- 1.1.1 Mark Out Residential Areas
- 1.2.1 Mark Out the Commercial Area
- 1.3.1 Mark Out Service Areas
- 2.1.1 Create Neighbourhood Entrance
- 2.2.1 Build Main Neighbourhood Road
- 2.2.2 Build Internal Roads
- 3.1.1a Add One Home
- 4.1.1a Place One School
- 4.2.1a Place One Park
- 4.3.1a Place One Hospital
- 4.4.1a Place One Bank
- 5.1.1a Place One Shop
- 6.1.1a Validate Initial Connectivity
- 6.2.1a Validate Initial Service Access
Release 2 — Complete the Neighbourhood
Release Goal
Extend the MVP to meet the full neighbourhood requirements, including the required housing, facilities and shops, and ensure that the neighbourhood is connected, accessible and visually consistent.
Stories included:
- 3.1.1b Add More Homes
- 3.1.1c Complete Residential Housing
- 3.2.1a Apply Consistent Design to Initial Homes
- 3.2.1b Apply Consistent Design Across All Housing
- 4.1.1b Place Second School
- 4.2.1b Place Second Park
- 4.3.1b Place Second Hospital
- 4.4.1b Place Second Bank
- 5.1.1b Add More Shops
- 5.2.1a Standardise Shop Design
- 5.2.1b Complete the Commercial Area
- 6.1.1b Validate Complete Connectivity
- 6.2.1b Validate Complete Service Access
Release 3 — Refine the Neighbourhood Based on Feedback
Release Goal
Improve the neighbourhood based on feedback from the City Planner and relevant stakeholders, prioritising changes that improve usability, layout, accessibility or consistency.
Stories included:
To be determined based on feedback and backlog prioritisation. Add new or updated user stories to the Product Backlog to capture the agreed improvements, then select the highest-priority stories for Release 3.