What is story point estimation?
Story points measure how big a piece of work is compared with other work: its effort, complexity and uncertainty together. Instead of guessing hours, the team asks "is this bigger or smaller than that?". The scale usually follows the sequence 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, based on the Fibonacci numbers, because the gaps grow with the size just as uncertainty does.
How to run an estimation session
- Pick a reference. Choose a small story everyone knows well and place it in the 2 column. Every other story is sized against it.
- Place stories one by one. The product owner reads a story, and someone drags it into the column they think fits. Anyone can move it, but they say why.
- Discuss only the movers. Stories that move back and forth hide a misunderstanding. Talk them through, or split them.
- Use the question mark. If nobody can size a story, it goes into ?. It needs more information, a short investigation or a conversation with the person who asked for it.
- Split the 13s. Anything at 13 or above is usually too big for one sprint. Break it into smaller user stories.
Example
The example board puts a typo fix and an export button at 1 and 2 points, email receipts at 3, saved filters at 5, card payments at 8 and offline mode at 13, which makes offline mode a candidate for splitting. Single sign-on waits under the question mark until the team learns which providers customers need.
Tips
- Estimate as a team. The person who will build a story is not always the person who knows its risks.
- Do not convert points into hours. Their value is in comparison, and in velocity over several sprints.
- Re-estimate rarely. Use the sizes for planning and spend the time saved on the work.
Use this template in Starlex
Open a project, go to Notes, then Whiteboards, choose New whiteboard and pick Estimation. To add it to a board you already have, use the board's ⋯ menu.
- Everyone in the project can work on the board at once, with live cursors and cursor chat.
- Run a timer for silent writing, and use dot voting to choose.
- Turn any sticky note into an issue, or bring real issues onto the board as live cards.
- Export the board as a PNG or SVG image, or embed it in an issue description.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from planning poker?
Planning poker sizes one story at a time with hidden votes. Sorting stories into columns sizes many at once by comparison, which is faster for a large backlog. Many teams sort first and use planning poker only for the stories that cause debate.
Why use Fibonacci numbers for story points?
The gaps between the numbers grow as stories get bigger, which matches how uncertainty grows. It stops the team from arguing over the difference between a 6 and a 7.
Can I estimate real issues instead of sticky notes?
Yes. Import issues from the backlog onto the board as live cards, drag them into columns, then set the points on each issue.