Why this is the correct answer
Answer D, "1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 20," is correct because it follows the modified Fibonacci sequence, commonly used in Planning Poker for estimating the size of user stories in agile development.
This scale helps to reflect the increasing uncertainty associated with larger tasks and avoids the false precision of linear estimates, making it suitable for the consensus-based approach required in agile estimation processes. The gaps between the numbers grow as the estimates get larger, which encourages more accurate reflection on the complexity and effort required for bigger tasks.
Planning Poker, also known as Scrum Poker, is an agile estimating and planning technique that is consensus-based. In Planning Poker, members of the development team make estimates by playing numbered cards face-down to the table for their estimates. Once everyone votes, the cards are revealed, and the estimates are then discussed. This technique encourages open and honest discussions about the tasks at hand, known as user stories, and helps avoid the influence of the other participants.
The primary goal of Planning Poker is to assign story points to the user stories. Story points are a unit of measure for expressing an estimate of the overall effort that will be required to fully implement a piece of work. These points are used to determine the difficulty, complexity, or amount of time a task might take to complete, but they are not directly correlated to a specific time frame. The process helps ensure that estimates are done independently and that team members can discuss and reconcile differences in understanding.
Here’s why A is correct in the context of Planning Poker:
Consensus-based Estimating: In Planning Poker, team members discuss and estimate the effort needed for user stories to reach a consensus. The main purpose is to assign a story point value to each story, which represents the complexity and effort required.
Discussion and Clarification: The process involves discussing the stories for a better understanding and clarifying any ambiguities, which leads to more accurate estimations.
Individual Assessments Leading to Group Consensus: Each team member provides an estimate based on their understanding, which leads to a group discussion. The final estimate is agreed upon through discussion and consensus, ensuring that everyone is on the same page.
Planning Poker Estimation is a collaborative and consensus-based technique used in agile software development for estimating task sizes or complexities, particularly in Scrum frameworks. Team members, including developers and testers, use cards with numbers (often following the Fibonacci sequence) to represent their estimates for user stories or tasks based on complexity, time, and risk. The process ensures that all team members understand the task at hand through discussion.
During the estimation session, each team member privately selects a card representing their effort estimate, and then all members reveal their cards simultaneously. This method prevents individual estimates from influencing one another. If there are significant differences in the estimates, the team discusses the reasons behind the varying numbers, which helps uncover misunderstandings or new information, leading to more accurate estimates.
The process is repeated until the team reaches consensus or a majority agreement on the estimate. Planning Poker not only democratizes the estimation process by incorporating diverse perspectives but also helps avoid the anchoring effect of initial estimates. Moreover, it makes the estimation process more engaging and interactive, improving team involvement and morale.
The principal function of the Scrum Master during Planning Poker sessions is to guide the team members through the process, ensuring that they adhere to the established steps of Planning Poker. Additionally, the Scrum Master plays a crucial role in fostering open and productive discussions among team members, helping to clarify any misunderstandings and ensuring that every voice is heard.
This facilitation ensures that the estimation process is efficient, democratic, and accurately reflects the team's combined expertise and perspectives.
The team's goal during a Planning Poker session is to estimate the effort of each user story. In order to do that the team need to estimate each card individually and then discuss to get a consense of the final estimate.
The aim is to achieve a consensus on the size or complexity of each item, ensuring that everyone has a shared understanding of what is involved.
This process helps in creating a more accurate and realistic plan for the upcoming work, balancing workload, and setting appropriate expectations for delivery timelines. Ultimately, the goal is to facilitate effective sprint planning and project management, contributing to the overall success and efficiency of the agile development process.
The cards used for the Fibonacci sequence in Planning Poker are usually: 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55 and 89.
Planning poker is used at the product backlog item level
What is Poker Planning in Agile Estimation?
Planning poker is a consensus-based technique designed to make the estimation process engaging, collaborative, and more accurate. The process involves multiple team members, such as developers, testers, and sometimes the product owner. Each participant is given a set of cards, which are numbered to represent the complexity or effort required for tasks, usually in a sequence like Fibonacci (0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, etc.), although other sequences like T-shirt sizes (XS, S, M, L, XL) can also be used.
What Does it Estimate?
Poker planning is used to estimate the effort, complexity or size of development goals, typically represented as user stories in the product backlog. The aim is to assign a relative point value to each story, which helps in understanding the workload and planning the sprint effectively.
Fibonacci sequence is one of the most used techniques in Planning Poker, but other are used as well, like: Scrum type deck, Sequential, T-shirt sized deck and Hours type.
When estimating the size of a story, an important component to consider is the scope. Scope refers to the breadth and depth of the work that needs to be done. It involves understanding the range of features, tasks, and requirements that the story entails.
Accurately determining the scope is crucial for estimating the effort and resources needed. A story with a larger scope will typically require more time and resources compared to one with a narrower scope. This understanding helps in allocating the right amount of time, manpower, and tools needed for completion.
Considering the scope also aids in setting realistic expectations and planning effectively. By thoroughly defining the scope, teams can manage risks, identify dependencies, and ensure better project management. This leads to more reliable and achievable goals for the successful completion of the story.
Ensure everyone on the team participates
Planning Poker is used during the estimation phase of an agile project to evaluate the effort required to implement the project's features. This technique involves all members of the development team, promoting collaboration and ensuring that different perspectives are considered.
During a Planning Poker session, team members use numbered cards to assign an effort estimate to each feature. Each member selects a card representing their estimate, and all cards are revealed simultaneously. If there are significant differences in estimates, the team discusses the reasons behind the varying perceptions until a consensus is reached.
The main objective of Planning Poker is to obtain more accurate estimates and reduce uncertainty. Through this technique, the team can identify and resolve ambiguities, clarify requirements, and better understand the work needed to complete each feature, resulting in more effective and realistic planning.
The concept of Planning Poker was adopted from the Wideband Delphi framework, which is a method used for achieving consensus among experts. Wideband Delphi involves multiple rounds of anonymous estimates and discussions, allowing experts to refine their estimates based on group feedback.
In Planning Poker, this process is streamlined and gamified to make it more engaging for the team. Instead of multiple rounds, team members simultaneously reveal their estimates using cards, which leads to immediate discussions and adjustments. This approach retains the core principle of iterative consensus-building from Wideband Delphi but enhances it with a more interactive and efficient format.
By incorporating the collaborative and iterative elements of Wideband Delphi, Planning Poker effectively leverages collective intelligence. This method ensures that all team members contribute their knowledge and perspectives, leading to more accurate and agreed-upon effort estimates for the project’s features.
During an Agile Planning Poker session, the following key participants are required to be present:
Product Owner: The Product Owner provides the user stories and ensures that the team understands the requirements and priorities. They clarify any ambiguities and answer questions related to the features being estimated.
Development Team: All members of the development team participate in the estimation process. This includes developers, testers, designers, and any other roles involved in delivering the project. Their diverse perspectives and expertise are crucial for accurate estimations.
Scrum Master: The Scrum Master facilitates the session, ensuring that the process runs smoothly and that all participants are engaged. They help manage discussions, keep the session on track, and ensure that the team follows the Planning Poker process effectively.
Having these participants ensures that the estimates are well-informed, collaborative, and reflect the collective understanding of the team.
A common antipattern a Scrum Master might fall into during Planning Poker is influencing the team's estimation. This occurs when the Scrum Master, either intentionally or unintentionally, suggests that a task should have a certain point value or makes comments that steer team members toward choosing a specific estimate. This can lead to biased estimates that do not accurately reflect the team's true perspective on the complexity or effort required for a task.
Another antipattern is allowing the discussion to become too lengthy or unfocused. The purpose of Planning Poker is to quickly reach a consensus on the estimates, but if the Scrum Master does not keep the discussion on track, it can drag on and become inefficient. This wastes valuable time and can cause frustration among team members. The Scrum Master should facilitate the discussion to ensure it remains productive and that the team can move on to other important activities.
Lastly, a Scrum Master might fall into the trap of not encouraging all team members to participate equally. In Planning Poker, it's important that everyone’s opinion is heard to get a well-rounded estimate. If the Scrum Master allows only the more vocal team members to dominate the discussion, quieter members might feel their input is not valued, leading to less accurate estimations and decreased team morale. The Scrum Master should actively ensure that everyone has a chance to contribute.
Collaborative: Involves the entire development team.
Consensus-Based: Aims to reach a group agreement on estimates.
Relative Estimation: Estimates are given as relative sizes, not absolute time.
Anonymous Voting: Each team member votes independently to avoid influence.
Iterative Process: Estimates are discussed and refined over multiple rounds if needed.
Facilitated by Scrum Master: The Scrum Master ensures the process runs smoothly.
Encourages Discussion: Promotes conversation about task complexity and requirements.
Quick and Efficient: Designed to provide quick estimations while maintaining accuracy.
Visual Tool: Often uses cards or software to display and record estimates.