Agile/Scrum-Specific Techniques

Planning Poker

Planning Poker, also known as Scrum Poker, is an agile estimating and planning technique that uses consensus-based, gamified techniques to estimate effort or size of development goals in software development. It is a variation of the Wideband Delphi method and encourages team members to play cards with numbers representing their estimates of how much work a task will require.

Ideal for Agile software development projects where it is crucial to have accurate, team-agreed estimates for sprint planning.

IMPLEMENTATION

Prepare User Stories or Tasks: Break down the project into user stories or tasks that need estimation.
Gather the Team: Assemble all team members who will be involved in implementing the tasks.
Distribute Cards: Each participant gets a deck of cards, each card representing a different level of effort or complexity (commonly Fibonacci-like sequence: 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, etc.).
Discuss and Estimate: Each team member selects a card that represents their estimate of effort. All cards are revealed simultaneously to avoid bias.
Discuss Variations: If estimates vary widely, discuss the reasons and re-estimate until the team reaches closer consensus.
Record Estimates: Finalize and record the consensus estimate before moving on to the next item.

PROS

Encourages Team Involvement: Engages all team members in the estimation process, promoting a deeper understanding of the work and commitment.
Reduces Bias: Helps minimize anchoring and bias by allowing all members to estimate independently before revealing their cards.
Facilitates Discussion: Discrepancies in estimates prompt discussion, clarifying misunderstandings and providing insights into different perspectives.

CONS

Time-Consuming: Can be time-consuming, especially with large teams or complex items.
Possibility of Conformity: Over time, team members might converge on similar estimates to conform with the group, potentially suppressing independent thinking.
Requires Experienced Facilitation: Effective use of Planning Poker requires an experienced facilitator to guide discussions and manage the process.

EFFORT

Medium

The effort required for Planning Poker is primarily in the time taken to discuss and reach consensus on each item.

CONFIDENCE

High

Provides a high degree of confidence in estimates due to the team-wide agreement and multiple perspectives considered.

ADAPTABILITY

High

Can be adapted for any project size or type, especially effective in Agile environments where team input is valued.

TIME CONSTRAINTS

Flexible

Best used when there is flexibility for thorough estimation sessions; not ideal for extremely tight deadlines that require quick decisions.

TIPS

Limit Discussion Time: Set time limits for discussion to keep the process moving and prevent it from dragging on too long.
Use for Complex Items: Best used for items that are difficult to estimate, not for simple, well-understood tasks.
Frequent Breaks: In longer sessions, take regular breaks to keep the team fresh and engaged.

DESIRED OUTCOME

The primary outcome of Planning Poker is to establish reliable and consensus-based estimates that reflect the team’s combined understanding and insights into the project tasks, facilitating more accurate planning and scheduling.

Go to PlanningPoker.com to utilize this method.