What is the difference between an epic, a feature, and a user story, and how do you decide where to draw the lines?

1. An epic is a business capability that spans multiple sprints — for example, “Renewals automation.” It is a prioritisation and communication unit for leadership.
2. A feature is a coherent slice of that capability that delivers standalone value, such as “automatic renewal opportunity creation.” Some organisations skip this level entirely.
3. A user story is a sprint-sized increment with acceptance criteria that one team can build and test, such as “create the renewal opportunity when an Opportunity is Closed Won.”
4. My practical test is deliverability and value. If it cannot be completed in a sprint, it is above story level. If it can be completed but delivers no independent value, it is probably a task rather than a story.
5. I try not to over-engineer the hierarchy. Two levels are enough for most Salesforce programmes; adding a third only helps when several teams work on the same capability simultaneously.