How agile spike stories explore product uncertainties

Agile spike stories are a tool used in product management to explore the feasibility of solutions to complex customer pain points, particularly when dealing with "unknown unknowns" related to a product's current infrastructure. They involve a time-limited investigation, typically conducted by one or two engineers, to determine whether a proposed solution is technically or functionally possible. There are two main types of spikes: technical, which assess the implementation feasibility within existing frameworks, and functional, which evaluate potential business risks and how work should be divided into user stories. Spikes help teams make informed decisions quickly, reduce technical debt, and enhance the execution of user stories by uncovering better solutions. Effective spikes are timeboxed, focused, and have clearly defined success criteria, and it is recommended to limit them to one or two per sprint to maintain productivity and ensure deliverable outcomes.