Objective:
Planning Poker is an estimation technique used in agile work environments, particularly in software development. The goal is to assess the complexity or effort of tasks through collective consensus.
Setup:
Each participant needs a set of poker cards or simply numbered cards, usually displaying the Fibonacci sequence (0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, etc.). Alternatively, special Planning Poker decks can be used.
Gameplay:
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Product Owner explains the task: The Product Owner (or Moderator) describes a task from the Product Backlog that needs estimation.
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Clarification: Developers ask questions to fully understand the task.
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Estimation: Each participant secretly selects a card from their deck representing their perceived effort for the task. Cards are then revealed simultaneously.
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Discussion: If the numbers vary significantly, a discussion should occur to address misunderstandings. Those with the lowest and highest estimates explain their reasoning.
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Re-estimation: After discussion, a second round of estimation can take place. This repeats until a generally uniform estimate is achieved.
Special Features:
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Team Collaboration: Planning Poker encourages discussions and a shared understanding of the task.
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Advantage of Group Estimations: Groups are encouraged to tailor and refine the Estimation Process to achieve more accurate estimates.
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Non-Linear Values: The Fibonacci sequence is used to accommodate uncertainties in estimates and to highlight that larger tasks are harder to estimate precisely.
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Deck Variations: Some teams use special cards like "Coffee" to indicate that the task is unclear and more information or a break is needed.
Planning Poker is a simple but effective tool for making better-informed decisions about task distribution and prioritization in an agile team.
