What is the correct order of a story map, from top to bottom?

The correct order of a story map, from top to bottom, starts with the Backbone at the top, followed by Epics, and finally User Stories at the bottom. This hierarchy reflects the structure of a story map, where the Backbone represents the high-level view of the product features or the greatest goals of the user journey. Below that, Epics break down these broader objectives into more manageable sections that capture significant functionality or high-level themes of user activity.

User Stories sit at the bottom of the map as they offer specific details and define precise requirements from the user's perspective. This layered approach allows teams to visualize both the overarching goals and the individual tasks that need to be accomplished to achieve those goals, ensuring clarity in project development and user needs.

This line of reasoning is consistent with the principles of agile development methodologies, where understanding and organizing work in a visual format is crucial for effective planning and execution. The structural hierarchy articulated here enables teams to work collaboratively and prioritize their work based on user value and needs.