Poker in Jira is a feature that allows teams to estimate and plan work effectively. It is a collaborative technique that helps teams make better decisions and improve their productivity. If you are new to Jira or poker, this article will guide you through the basics of how to play poker in Jira.
First, let’s start with the basics. Poker in Jira is a planning tool that is used by agile teams to estimate the effort required for each task or issue.
It is based on the Fibonacci sequence and uses story points as a unit of measurement. Story points are used instead of time because they are relative and provide a more accurate estimate of work effort.
To start playing poker in Jira, you need to create a new issue or select an existing one. Once you have selected the issue, click on the ‘More’ button and select ‘Estimate’. This will open up the poker session where team members can cast their votes.
During a poker session, each team member selects a story point value for the issue being estimated. The values range from 0, 1/2, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 20, 40, 100 and ‘?’ which denotes uncertainty or complexity.
After everyone has cast their votes, the values are revealed. If there is a significant difference in values assigned by different team members then discussions take place to clarify doubts and understand why certain votes were assigned.
It is important to note that during poker sessions all team members need to participate actively and make an informed decision based on their knowledge about the task or issue being discussed.
Once all team members have voted and any discussions have taken place then an average value is calculated for all votes assigned by team members with most common value assigned during voting process being given highest weightage while outlying high/low values being ignored.
Now that you know how to play poker in Jira, let’s look at some tips to make it more effective:
1. All team members must participate actively
2. Encourage everyone to ask questions and clarify doubts
3.
Focus on the relative size of tasks rather than absolute time required for each task
4. Avoid using decimal values as they can cause confusion during estimation process
5. Keep the session short and focused.
In conclusion, poker in Jira is a useful tool for agile teams to estimate work effort and make informed decisions. By following the tips mentioned above, you can ensure that your poker sessions are effective and help your team plan their work more accurately. So, if you haven’t tried it yet, give it a go and see how it can benefit your team!
