Planning Poker

Definition

Planning poker is an agile estimation technique used by teams to reach a consensus on the effort or complexity of tasks in a project. This method incorporates gamification and collaboration, allowing team members to provide estimates anonymously using specially designed cards, which promotes discussion and better understanding of the tasks at hand.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Planning poker combines expert opinion, analogy, and discussion to improve the accuracy of estimates by leveraging the diverse knowledge within the team.
2. Each team member uses a set of cards with different values (often Fibonacci numbers) representing the estimated effort required for a task.
3. After cards are revealed simultaneously, discussions occur to address discrepancies in estimates, fostering collaboration and shared understanding.
4. This technique helps avoid groupthink and bias by allowing individuals to estimate independently before discussing their rationale.
5. Planning poker can be conducted both in-person and virtually, making it versatile for remote or distributed teams.

Review Questions

• How does planning poker facilitate collaboration and communication among team members during the estimation process?
  • Planning poker encourages collaboration by allowing team members to provide independent estimates anonymously before revealing their cards simultaneously. This approach helps prevent biases and fosters open discussions about differing views on task complexity. The subsequent discussions enhance understanding among team members, allowing them to learn from each other's perspectives, which ultimately leads to more accurate estimations and better decision-making.
• Evaluate the advantages of using planning poker over traditional estimation techniques in an agile environment.
  • Using planning poker offers several advantages over traditional estimation methods such as expert judgment or top-down approaches. It leverages the collective intelligence of the team, encouraging participation from all members regardless of experience level. The anonymity of card selection reduces peer pressure and allows for honest input. Additionally, this method promotes thorough discussion around discrepancies in estimates, leading to more informed decision-making and improved project outcomes.
• Assess the impact of implementing planning poker on project delivery timelines and team dynamics in an agile project.
  • Implementing planning poker can significantly impact project delivery timelines by providing more accurate estimates, which leads to better sprint planning and resource allocation. As team members engage in collaborative discussions about task complexity, they develop a deeper understanding of project requirements and challenges, enhancing teamwork and cohesion. This improved communication reduces misunderstandings and helps identify potential risks early on, ultimately streamlining workflows and improving overall project efficiency.

Related terms

Agile Methodology: A project management approach that emphasizes flexibility, iterative progress, and collaboration between cross-functional teams to deliver value incrementally.

User Story:

A concise, simple description of a feature or functionality from the perspective of an end-user, often used in agile projects to define requirements.

Scrum:

An agile framework that organizes teams into sprints to complete predefined sets of work, utilizing roles like Scrum Master and Product Owner to facilitate the process.