A Delphi like method for generating consensus estimates amongst experts.
Planning Poker, also known as Scrum Poker, is an agile estimating and planning technique that is consensus-based. To start a session of Planning Poker, each participant needs a set of poker cards numbered to represent the complexity of tasks or story points (common sets include 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, etc.). The numbers reflect the Fibonacci sequence to indicate the exponential nature of estimating larger items. (?- I have no Idea, Coffee Cup- I need a break) Here’s how it typically works:
- Presentation of Task: The Product Owner or team member presents a user story or task to the team.
- Discussion: Brief discussion ensues to clarify assumptions and understand the work involved.
- Private Estimation: Each participant selects a card representing their estimate of the story’s complexity or effort required. This is done privately to avoid influencing each other’s estimates.
- Reveal and Compare: Participants simultaneously reveal their cards. If estimates differ significantly, the outliers (those with the highest and lowest estimates) explain their reasoning.
- Re-Estimation and Consensus: Discussion may continue to address misunderstandings or new information, after which re-estimation occurs until the team reaches consensus on the effort required.
Planning Poker not only helps in making the estimation process more engaging but also aids in driving consensus among team members, ensuring that everyone’s perspective and understanding are considered. This method also helps surface underlying assumptions that may affect task complexity.