Agile Estimation

Andrew Rusling
Agile Coach
@andrewrusling
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Contents
1. Agile Estimation
2. Story Points
3. Planning Poker
4. Fast Estimation
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Competencies
At the end of this session, I expect you will be able to:
Summarise Agile Estimation
Explain what Story Points are
Explain what a Reference Story is.
Participate in Planning Poker
Participate in Fast Estimation
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An estimation exercise
Agile Estimation key points 5

Relative over Group over Speed over

Absolute individuals accuracy
Innate Individuals Just
ability Learning enough to
Speed Id issues Prioritise
early Plan
Consensus
Speed
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Story Points, represent SIZE of a story

Complexity
Effort
Doubt
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Story Points are relative to each other

8
2
1
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Story Points the maths holds

3
= 1
+ 2
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Story Point Scale

0 0.5 1 2 3 5 8 13 20 40 100

My head tells me 12

0 1 2 3 5 8 13 20
0.5
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Story Points do not equate to time

Two graduates: 5 days Two seniors: 5 days

Two seniors: 1 day Two graduates: 30 days

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Planning Poker
Preparation
At start of project/team select a Reference User Story, (2 Story Points).

1. Each team member holds one set of cards

2. Product Owner explains User Story
3. Team discusses
4. Each team member selects a card and places face down on table
5. Reveal together
6. Discuss outliers, searching for Effort, Complexity & Doubt
7. Repeat steps 4 to 6 until consensus is reached at step 5.
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Estimating eating fruit

2 Story Points
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Fast Estimation
Preparation
Lay out one set of Planning Poker cards
Print/write out all stories on cards/paper
Lay down one or more reference user stories

1. Split up stories between team members.

2. Check for stories that make no sense, and discuss very briefly.
3. Time 60 seconds, in silence to place stories as a first est.
4. Time 60 seconds, in silence to move stories.
5. Go through all stories, checking consensus with team and quick votes.

Full explanation online

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Prepared, with five reference stories
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End of Fast Estimation
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Estimating Cooking Meals
Eggs Benedict Garden Salad
Tin Baked Beans la carte, 3 courses for two people
Fruit Salad
Cheese Cake
B.L.T.
12 Fancy cup cakes
Crispy skinned Salmon
Duck Ala orange
Poached Eggs
Caesar Salad
Souffl
Cheese Burger la carte, 3 courses for ten people
64 Cup Cakes Lasagne
Pineapple upside down cake Beef Korma
Burritos Banoffee Pie
Mashed Potato Fish & Chips
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Competencies
I hope you will now be able to:
Summarise Agile Estimation
Explain what Story Points are
Explain what a Reference Story is.
Participate in Planning Poker
Participate in Fast Estimation
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Additional Information

Story Points are only one third of the reason for estimating
Story Points do not equate to time
Top Tips for Planning Poker
ThoughtWorks How do you estimate on an agile project?