Story Points & Agile Poker: Estimation in Agile Teams

Introduction

Agile methodology has revolutionized the way software development teams approach project management, fostering collaboration, adaptability, and continuous improvement. Within this framework, story points have emerged as a valuable tool for estimating the effort required to complete user stories. In this article, we will explore the concept of story points and delve into the popular practice of using the Agile Poker game to assign them. We will also examine how teams can benefit from implementing this technique.

What are Story Points?

Story points are a unit of measure used in Agile software development to estimate the complexity, effort, and relative size of user stories or backlog items. They serve as a practical way to gauge the amount of work required for a team to complete a particular task. Unlike traditional time-based estimates, story points are relative and focus on the effort required, rather than specific time constraints.

The Agile Poker Game

The Agile Poker game is a collaborative activity utilized by Agile teams to assign story points. It involves a group of team members, typically including developers, testers, and product owners, who come together to analyze user stories and reach a consensus on their respective story point values. The game derives its name from the deck of cards, similar to playing cards, which are used to facilitate the process.

How does the Agile Poker Game work?

Preparation: The team gathers and selects a user story to be estimated. The product owner provides a brief overview of the story's requirements and goals.
Discussion: The team engages in a constructive conversation, clarifying any ambiguities and seeking additional information from the product owner. This discussion helps ensure everyone has a shared understanding of the story.
Voting: Each team member privately selects a card from the Agile Poker deck that represents their estimate of the story's complexity or effort. The cards typically contain values such as 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 20, 40, and 100, representing increasing levels of complexity.
Reveal and Consensus: Once everyone has chosen a card, the cards are revealed simultaneously. If there is a wide variation in the estimates, team members briefly explain their reasoning. The goal is to reach a consensus through discussion and repeated rounds of voting until a convergence point is reached.

Benefits of Agile Poker and Story Points

Team Collaboration: Agile Poker promotes open and transparent communication amongteam members. It encourages discussion, knowledge sharing, and a better understanding of the requirements, fostering collaboration and enhancing the team's overall efficiency.
Accurate Estimation: Story points provide a more accurate estimation of effort than time-based estimates. By focusing on relative complexity rather than rigid time frames, Agile teams can avoid the pitfalls of underestimating or overestimating tasks. This leads to more reliable planning and improved project management.
Predictability and Velocity Tracking: Story points, along with the concept of velocity (the average number of story points completed per iteration), allow teams to gauge their progress more effectively. Over time, teams can assess their velocity and plan future iterations with greater accuracy, increasing predictability and enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions.
Continuous Improvement: Story points facilitate retrospectives and help identify areas for improvement. If a user story's complexity turns out to be significantly different from its assigned story points, the team can investigate the reasons and adjust their future estimations accordingly. This feedback loop promotes continuous improvement within the team.

Conclusion