Agile Poker Planning
What is Planning Poker?
Planning Poker, also known as Scrum Poker, is a consensus-based estimation technique used in Agile methodologies. It helps teams estimate the effort required to complete user stories or tasks.
Why Use Planning Poker?
Estimating tasks can be challenging, especially when team members have different perspectives. Planning Poker encourages discussion and collaboration, leading to more accurate estimates.
How Does Planning Poker Work?
- Preparation: Each participant is given a set of cards with numbers representing effort estimates (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55,..).
- Discussion: The Product Owner presents a user story, and the team discusses it to ensure understanding.
- Estimation: Each team member selects a card representing their estimate and places it face down.
- Reveal: All cards are revealed simultaneously.
- Discussion: If estimates vary significantly, the team discusses the differences and reasons behind them.
- Re-estimate: The process repeats until the team reaches a consensus.
Understanding the Numbers
he numbers on the cards typically follow the Fibonacci sequence (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, etc.) because the uncertainty increases with the size of the task. This sequence reflects the idea that larger tasks are inherently more complex and harder to estimate accurately.
Example - The diagram below outlines the cards used in planning poker estimation and their meanings:
| Card (s) | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| 0 | Task is already completed |
| ½ | The task is tiny. |
| 1,2,3 | These are used for small tasks. |
| 5,8 | These are used for medium tasks that are completed in sprint. |
| 13, 21 | These are used for large tasks (more than a sprint). |
| 34, 55 | These are used for exceptionally large tasks (multiple sprints or PI). |
| <Infinity> | The task is huge. |
| ? | No idea how long it takes to complete this task |
| <cup of coffee> | I am hungry |
When to Use Planning Poker?
Planning Poker is most effective during sprint planning meetings or when estimating the product backlog. It's particularly useful for teams that value consensus and collaborative decision-making.
Benefits of Planning Poker
- Promotes Team Collaboration: Encourages open discussion and knowledge sharing among team members.
- Improves Estimation Accuracy: Combines multiple perspectives to arrive at a more accurate estimate.
- Prevents Anchoring: Simultaneous reveal of estimates reduces the influence of dominant opinions.
- Engaging and Fun: Gamifies the estimation process, making it more enjoyable for the team.