Agile fundamentals for teams

In this video, we’re going to explore how teams estimate the work they need to do. We’ll explore why teams estimate items in the backlog and how they do it. 

Estimation helps you plan and prioritise work. It helps you determine how much work you can commit to. It also helps you compare items in your backlog, so you can focus on the most valuable work first. 

Instead of estimating work in hours or days, Agile teams often use Story Points. These offer a way of estimating based on the effort required to complete a piece of work. Teams consider the amount and complexity of the work and any risks or uncertainties. Something which is bigger, more complex or uncertain will have a higher story point value. 

To estimate tasks, Agile teams often use a technique like planning poker. Each person assigns story points to a task based on their understanding of the work involved. They then discuss the estimates and agrees on a value. This helps teams focus on the effort required, rather than how long it will take. 

Story points use the Fibonacci sequence. This is because larger tasks are more unpredictable. This makes it harder to give an accurate estimate. 

But why don’t Agile teams use time to estimate? The short answer is, it's less accurate. This is because it depends on many variables. For example, how fast someone works, unexpected issues, or changes in priorities. Using times and dates also has an emotional attachment. It's not uncommon for time-based estimates to turn into deadlines. Story points focus on delivering value, rather than debating how long something takes. 

In summary, Agile teams estimate backlog items to help plan their work. They use story points to determine the effort required for each item. Estimating in this way, allows you focus on delivering the best outcomes for your users.