How to Play Scrum Poker

Learn how to estimate with scrum poker step by step

Scrum Poker, also known as Planning Poker, is a popular agile estimation technique used by development teams to estimate the complexity of tasks during sprint planning. It’s a fun and collaborative way to achieve consensus on the effort required for each task.

Here’s how to play Scrum Poker:

Step 1: Gather Your Team

Assemble your development team in a quiet and comfortable meeting space. Make sure everyone has a deck of Scrum Poker cards or access to a digital Scrum Poker tool.

Step 2: Discuss the User Stories

Review the user stories or tasks to be estimated. Each team member should have a good understanding of the requirements before proceeding.

Step 3: Start the Estimation

One team member, often the Scrum Master or Product Owner, presents a user story. Team members then individually select a card from their deck that represents their estimate of the story’s complexity. Cards typically have values like 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 20, 40, 100, and a question mark for uncertainty.

Step 4: Reveal and Discuss

Simultaneously, all team members reveal their chosen cards. If there’s a consensus on the estimate, great! Move on to the next user story. If there are differences, encourage discussion to understand varying perspectives.

Step 5: Repeat and Refine

Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each user story. After discussions, team members may change their estimates and reveal new cards until a consensus is reached for each story.

Step 6: Record the Estimates

Record the estimates for each user story. These estimates will help with sprint planning, resource allocation, and tracking progress.

Scrum Poker is a valuable tool for agile teams, promoting transparency and collaboration in the estimation process. It ensures that everyone’s input is considered, leading to more accurate project planning.

Happy estimating!