Planning Poker

Owned by Computer Science Department
Last updated: Jul 19, 2023
3 min read

 

Planning poker is a widely used estimation method for agile software development teams. The estimation method uses a consensus approach to estimate development effort that minimizes peer pressure and is useful if historical data is not available. The first step in planning poker is a domain expert explaining the user story to the team and providing clarification if requested. The next step is the creation by the team’s members of a private preliminary estimate followed by the display of their estimations to the entire team, typically using cards that represent a value. Team members explain the reasoning for estimations, and each member reflects on the other explanations. Additional estimation rounds may be needed if estimates differ significantly. The estimators that provide the highest and lowest values explain their reasoning, and the team continues with subsequent rounds until it reaches a consensus, and an agreed upon amount is determined. Planning poker can consist of several rounds of discussion and re-estimation to reach consensus. Much like the Delphi method, developers use a collective forum in the planning poker technique, and open discussions provide a group-based agreement to the estimate.

The estimation methodology is a team-based exercise used for assigning a relative estimate value to a requirement expressing the effort required to deliver the specific feature. Planning poker traditionally uses the numerical sequence such as the Fibonacci sequence. Planning poker is a standard estimation approach and requires expert opinion and analogy. Planning poker estimations are consensus-based and result in a value or size estimation of effort.

The planning poker method is most effective when an expert is engaged in the estimation and when the team has previous experience with similar tasks. Planning poker was introduced by Grenning in 2002; the technique combines expert opinion, analogy, and disaggregation into a quick and reliable estimation method. The goal of planning poker is to arrive at an estimation that will withstand future scrutiny. Planning poker is an incremental team-based method that collectively analyzes requirements and determines an estimation. The distinct difference between planning poker and Delphi is that not all group members in a planning poker session are required to be experts.

Planning Poker, also known as Scrum Poker, is a consensus-based estimation technique used in Agile project management and Scrum, often for estimating the effort required for development goals. This technique is most commonly used to estimate the complexity of development goals in terms of "story points," though it can be used with any other units of estimation, like time.

Here's how Planning Poker works:

  1. Card Distribution: Each member of the development team, excluding the Scrum Master and Product Owner, is given a set of cards. Each card has a value corresponding to a valid point in the estimation scale, usually a modified Fibonacci sequence (0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, etc.).

  2. Backlog Item Presentation: The Product Owner presents an item from the product backlog that needs to be estimated. They describe what the goal of the item is, the work it would involve, etc.

  3. Discussion: Team members discuss the backlog item, asking questions and clarifying any points of uncertainty. This discussion continues until everyone has a clear understanding of what the work involves.

  4. Individual Estimation: Each team member privately selects a card that represents their estimate of the effort required to complete the item. It's important that team members do not influence each other's estimates, hence the selection is made privately.

  5. Card Reveal: All team members simultaneously reveal their selected cards.

  6. Discussion of Estimates: If there is a significant discrepancy in the estimates (for example, if some team members have selected 3 points and others have selected 8 points), a discussion is held to understand the reasons behind the differing estimates.

  7. Repeat Estimation Process: After discussing the reasons for discrepancies, the estimation process (steps 4 to 6) is repeated until a consensus is reached.

Planning Poker leverages the wisdom of the whole team, helps to uncover hidden complexities, and minimizes the chances of a single person's perspective or bias dominating the estimation process. It is also a useful tool for fostering discussion and understanding about the backlog items within the team.