What Is Event Storming? | Vantage
Event Storming Event storming is a workshop-based technique created by Alberto Brandolini for exploring complex business domains. Participants use sticky notes to map domain events (things that happen in the system) on a timeline. Events reveal processes, boundaries, pain points, and opportunities that are hard to discover through traditional requirements gathering.
Why event storming matters
Traditional requirements gathering misses the complexity of real-world processes. Event storming surfaces edge cases, process gaps, and cross-team dependencies by mapping the actual flow of events. It creates a shared understanding across PMs, engineers, designers, and domain experts in hours rather than weeks.
How it works
The workshop uses color-coded sticky notes: orange for domain events (past tense: "Order Placed"), blue for commands (actions that trigger events), yellow for actors (who triggers the command), pink for hotspots (problems, questions), and purple for policies (automated rules). Participants place events on a timeline and discuss the flow.
Common mistakes
Running event storming with only engineers (need domain experts)
Trying to solve problems during the session (focus on discovery)
Not following up with concrete actions after the workshop
Running the workshop for too long (2-3 hours max per session)
Related terms
How Vantage relates
Event storming outputs can be added as context sources in Vantage. Photos of event storming boards, documented event flows, and identified pain points become part of the context that grounds PRD generation.