Planning poker is a popular technique used by agile teams to estimate the effort required to complete a task or a user story. The technique involves a group of team members coming together and assigning points to each task based on their level of complexity and effort required.
But the question remains, is planning poker useful? Let’s dive deeper into this topic.
The Benefits of Planning Poker
One of the biggest benefits of planning poker is that it encourages collaboration and discussion among team members. It allows everyone to have a say in the estimation process, which can lead to more accurate estimates and better overall planning.
Another benefit is that it helps to eliminate bias in the estimation process. When team members are asked to estimate individually, there can be a tendency for them to be influenced by others or their personal biases. By using planning poker, each member can provide their own estimate without being influenced by others.
How Planning Poker Works
Planning poker involves assigning points to each task based on its level of complexity or effort required. The points are usually assigned using a Fibonacci sequence (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, etc.) with each number representing an increasing level of complexity.
The process starts with one member reading out the task or user story that needs to be estimated. Each team member then selects a card with the corresponding point value that they believe best represents the effort required for that task. Once everyone has made their selection, they reveal their cards at the same time.
PRO TIP:Planning Poker is a great tool for helping teams to estimate the complexity of tasks in an Agile environment. It encourages discussion and collaboration among team members, and can help ensure that everyone has a shared understanding of the task at hand. Additionally, it can help teams to better plan for the future by allowing them to create accurate, realistic estimates of project timelines.
If there is consensus among team members on the point value assigned to the task, then that value is accepted and recorded as the estimate for that task. If there is disagreement among team members, then they are encouraged to discuss their reasoning for selecting their chosen point value and come to an agreement.
Criticism of Planning Poker
While planning poker has many benefits, it also has its critics. Some argue that the estimates produced by planning poker are not accurate enough and can be too time-consuming.
Others argue that it can lead to groupthink, where team members may feel pressured to conform to the estimates of others rather than providing their own independent estimate.
Conclusion
In conclusion, planning poker can be a useful technique for estimating the effort required for tasks or user stories. It encourages collaboration and discussion among team members, helps to eliminate bias in the estimation process, and can lead to more accurate estimates.
However, like any technique, it has its limitations and criticisms. It may not be suitable for all teams or situations and should be used in conjunction with other estimation techniques.
Overall, if used correctly and in the right circumstances, planning poker can be a valuable tool for agile teams looking to improve their planning and estimation processes.
9 Related Question Answers Found
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Theory of poker is a book on poker written by David Sklansky and first published in 1987. The book covers a wide range of topics including the history of poker, the psychology of poker, the mathematics of poker, and more. The book was well received by the poker community and is considered one of the most important poker books ever written.
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