Learn to split work into thin vertical slices — cuts through UI, business logic and data that a user can actually see and use — instead of horizontal, technical-layer slices that deliver nothing on their own. Make every story a demoable piece of real value.
Watch the free preview
Why horizontal, layer-by-layer slicing fails — free to watch, no account needed.
What you'll learn
- Distinguish vertical slices from horizontal, technical-layer slices
- Apply the vertical-slice test to judge whether a story delivers user-visible value
- Re-slice a layer-split feature so every story cuts through UI, logic and data
- Sequence a first end-to-end slice as a walking skeleton
- Produce a reusable Vertical Slice Checklist for your team's backlog refinement
Syllabus
The Slicing Problem and the Core Idea
Why horizontal, layer-by-layer slicing failsFree preview
What a vertical slice actually is
The Vertical-Slice Technique
The vertical-slice test — see it and use it?
The walking skeleton — your first end-to-end slice
Applying Vertical Slicing to Real IT Work
Slicing a real feature vertically
Case study — the Backend, API and Frontend split
Making Vertical Slicing Stick
Building your Vertical Slice Checklist
Common traps and slicing anti-patterns