Planning Poker

Definition

Planning Poker is an agile estimation technique used to reach a consensus on the size and complexity of user stories, by allowing team members to assign story points through a card-based voting system. This method encourages collaboration and discussion among team members, leading to a more accurate understanding of the work involved. It connects closely with relative sizing and story points, helps refine estimation techniques, and plays a key role in measuring velocity and planning for future capacity.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. In Planning Poker, each team member privately selects a card representing their estimate, which helps prevent bias from dominant voices during discussions.
2. The use of Fibonacci sequence numbers (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, etc.) is common in Planning Poker to reflect increasing uncertainty as story size grows.
3. Planning Poker sessions usually take place at the beginning of a sprint during backlog refinement meetings to prioritize and size upcoming work.
4. By facilitating discussion about differing estimates, Planning Poker helps uncover hidden complexities in user stories that may not have been considered initially.
5. This technique not only aids in estimation but also fosters team engagement and collaboration, strengthening the overall team dynamic.

Review Questions

• How does Planning Poker facilitate consensus among team members when estimating user stories?
  • Planning Poker encourages consensus by allowing each team member to independently estimate user stories using cards before revealing their selections simultaneously. This method prevents dominant voices from influencing others during discussions. After revealing the estimates, team members discuss any significant differences in their estimates, which fosters collaborative dialogue about the complexities of the story and helps everyone come to a mutual understanding before finalizing the estimate.
• Evaluate how Planning Poker compares to other estimation techniques in Agile project management.
  • Planning Poker stands out from other estimation techniques such as T-shirt sizing or expert judgment due to its collaborative nature. While T-shirt sizing offers a quick approximation, it may not provide the depth of discussion that Planning Poker promotes. Unlike expert judgment, which relies on a few knowledgeable individuals to make decisions, Planning Poker ensures that all team members contribute their insights, leading to a more comprehensive understanding of user stories and resulting in better estimation accuracy.
• Discuss the implications of using Planning Poker for velocity and capacity planning within Agile teams.
  • Using Planning Poker has significant implications for velocity and capacity planning as it provides a structured approach for estimating work that directly informs sprint planning. By generating accurate story point estimates through collaborative discussions, teams can better gauge their capacity to take on work in upcoming sprints. This practice not only enhances forecasting of team velocity but also allows for more informed decision-making regarding resource allocation, enabling teams to set realistic goals based on their historical performance and current capabilities.

Related terms

Story Points: A unit of measure used in Agile to express the estimated effort required to complete a user story, based on its complexity and size.

Scrum: An Agile framework that promotes iterative progress through sprints and emphasizes collaboration among team members.

Consensus Building: The process of reaching an agreement among team members, which is essential for effective collaboration and decision-making.