Agile - Planning Poker
Planning Poker
Planning Poker is a simple way for a team to estimate how much effort a user story requires.
It helps the team agree on complexity before committing to work.Think of it as:
“A quick team vote to understand effort before building.”
How It Works
- Product Owner presents a story
- Team asks clarifying questions
- Everyone privately selects a number (story points)
- All reveal at the same time
- If numbers differ → discuss → vote again
Repeat until the team agrees.
Get Started: Host
Product Owner begins by navigating to: https://planningpokeronline.com/new-game/
Pick 'modified fibonacci' --> Create game --> Share Link
At the top right section you may create new User Stories (called issues here) and assign points, revote and get an overview
This ensures better control when voting, deciding or revisiting certain User Stories
How do you play?
Pick an already defined User Story, present it and proceed to vote.
After everyone has voted, discuss the results.
Then vote again (if there's no consensus)(If you're unsure about the cards meaning: check out the table section bellow )
How many voting rounds?
There is no fixed number.
Typically:
• First vote --> Wide spread of numbers
• Discussion
• Second vote --> Closer alignment
• (Sometimes) Third vote --> Final agreement
If the team cannot align after 2–3 rounds, the story is likely unclear or too large and should be refined or split.
Why Planning Poker Matters
- Prevents one person from deciding alone
- Encourages discussion
- Reveals misunderstandings early
- Creates shared ownership
Planning Poker is about understanding the work, not predicting exact hours.
The Product Owner can now decide much easier how to distribute workload over the coming sprints and whether or not it's worth the time and effort.
Finished
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