Learn planning poker and agile estimation
Practical, plain-English guides to planning poker, story points, estimation techniques and running sessions people actually enjoy.
Planning poker
What planning poker is, how to play it, the cards, and how to facilitate a session people enjoy.
What is planning poker? A complete guide for agile teams
Planning poker is a simple card game for estimating backlog items as a team. This guide covers how a round works, why it works, where it came from and how to start.
12 min readHow to run a planning poker session, step by step
A facilitator’s step-by-step guide to planning poker, from preparing the backlog to recording the final estimate, with a sample 60-minute agenda and advice for introducing it to a new team.
11 min readPlanning poker cards and decks explained
The decks teams use for planning poker, what the special cards mean, and how to choose a scale that fits the way your team works.
8 min readStory points and velocity
Story points, Fibonacci scales, reference stories and forecasting with velocity.
Story points explained: what they measure, and what they don’t
A story point is a relative measure of the effort to finish a backlog item, blending size, complexity and uncertainty. Here is how to calibrate points, forecast with them and avoid the misuses that make teams hate them.
11 min readWhy agile teams estimate with the Fibonacci sequence
The Fibonacci scale works because its gaps grow as items get bigger, matching how uncertainty grows. Here is the reasoning, the modified deck many teams use, and what to do when an item lands on 21 or more.
8 min readHow to set a baseline for story points with reference stories
A baseline is a small set of finished stories your team has agreed sizes for, so every new estimate is a comparison rather than a guess. Here is how to choose them, write them down and keep them honest.
8 min readEstimation techniques
T-shirt sizing, affinity estimation, the bucket system and when to use each.
Agile estimation techniques compared: eight ways to size work and when to use each
Eight common ways to estimate agile work, from planning poker to #NoEstimates, compared on what each is best for, speed, precision and team size, with practical advice on combining them.
11 min readT-shirt sizing: a simple way to estimate, and when to switch to points
T-shirt sizes are the quickest way to get a team estimating relatively. Here is how to run a sizing session, how to map sizes to numbers, where sizes shine and the signs it is time to move to story points.
7 min readAffinity estimation and the bucket system: size a big backlog fast
Two fast ways to size dozens or hundreds of backlog items: silent affinity sorting and the bucket system. Step-by-step instructions, remote variants and when to follow up with planning poker.
9 min readBacklog refinement and sprint planning
Where estimation happens: refinement, splitting stories, Definition of Ready and sprint planning.
Backlog refinement: a practical guide
What refinement is, how much time to give it, who should be there, an agenda you can copy, and how estimating fits in.
9 min readHow to split user stories: patterns that work
Ten splitting patterns, from workflow steps to spikes, and a worked example that turns a 21-point story into small, valuable slices.
8 min readDefinition of Ready and Definition of Done: what’s the difference?
How the two definitions differ, example checklists for each, what the Scrum Guide says, and how both shape your estimates.
8 min readRemote and tool-based estimation
Estimating online, asynchronously and in Jira.
Remote planning poker: how to estimate with a distributed team
How to run planning poker with people in different places: setting up the room, video etiquette, time zones, drawing in quieter voices, timeboxing, hybrid meetings and a 45-minute agenda you can copy.
10 min readAsync estimation: planning poker without the meeting
How to estimate on your own time without losing the conversation that makes planning poker work: when async fits, how to set it up, due dates, comments, the review and the pitfalls to avoid.
8 min readHow to estimate story points in Jira
Where Jira keeps story points, how to switch estimation on in company-managed and team-managed spaces, where your estimates appear in the backlog and reports, and how to keep them consistent.
8 min readAgile estimation glossary
40 terms, from affinity estimation to velocity, each in a sentence or two.
Browse the glossaryTry it while you read
Open a guest session in another tab and follow along with a real round. No sign-up needed.
Start a session