Should I use sub-tasks or link separate tasks to main story?

[Igor Morduhaev]

We have an issue in the system. There are a few scenarios that we think might cause that issue. But, we need to test each scenario before we fix something. If the use case is confirmed then we might spawn a few stories to fix it.

What is the correct way to create stories in this situation?

1. Should we have one Story and a sub-task for each scenario, when each sub-task is just "verify that this scenario causes the issue"?
2. Should we have one Story and a bunch of separate stories (one for each possible scenario) that are linked to the main one?
3. Other suggestions?

[Trudy Claspill · Accepted solution]

Hello @Igor Morduhaev 

Welcome to the community.

Would you want to consider the work on the issue to be completed for purposes of closing the story (and sprint/release/epic burndowns) if the testing was not done? If so, then I would say the testing should be separate stories.

Do you want to be able to estimate in story points the work of those test separate from the issue? Then you would need to make separate stories for that work.

If you want to require the testing to be done before the issue can be considered complete, then make those tests sub-tasks of the issue.