Bucket System

5 minutes 5 Questions

Bucket System is an Agile estimation technique in which team members collaboratively assign tasks or user stories into predefined 'buckets' based on size, complexity, or effort. Each bucket represents a level or an estimate range (e.g., small, medium, large). The team compares user stories to one another and places them into the appropriate buckets. This process is a group activity, promoting discussions and aligning the team's understanding of work complexity and effort. The Bucket System provides a consistent and efficient way of bridging the estimation gap while avoiding typical biases found in other estimation methods.

Guide to the Bucket System in Agile Estimation

The Bucket System is a tool used in Agile Project Management for estimating the size or complexity of different project elements. It involves sorting items into different sized 'buckets' or 'groups', allowing for a relative comparison of tasks.
The purpose of the Bucket System is to streamline the estimation process and reduce subjectivity and bias in the estimations. It is particularly useful in situations where the project team has a number of items to estimate that are of varying complexities.
How it works: The process starts by creating a range of buckets, each with a different number to signify its relative size. The team then discusses each item and collectively decides which bucket it belongs in. The number on the bucket is the item's estimate.
To answer questions on the Bucket System during an exam, remember the following tips: Understand the purpose of the Bucket System, know how it works, and be able to explain its benefits within the context of Agile estimations.
During the exam, focus on its fundamental principles such as collective decision making, rapid estimating and relative comparisons. Remembering these key aspects will help you in answering any question regarding the Bucket System in Agile Estimation.

Test mode:

Exam (Timed)

Practice (With explanations)

Start practice test

Question 1

You're a Scrum Master for a team utilizing the Bucket System. The team has been struggling with misplaced tasks that don't fit well into the pre-defined buckets. What would be your best strategy to resolve it?

Force-fit the tasks into the existing buckets without considering their nature. Create a new bucket or modify existing buckets to better accommodate these misplaced tasks. Ignore the misplaced tasks until an appropriate bucket is naturally formed. Merge disparate tasks together to fit them into a single bucket.

Correct Answer: Create a new bucket or modify existing buckets to better accommodate these misplaced tasks.

As a Scrum Master, one of your tasks is to facilitate the team in achieving highest productivity. If the current states (buckets) are not suitable for some tasks, modifying the existing buckets or creating a new bucket is the correct and agile way to handle the situation. Ignoring these tasks until a suitable bucket is formed naturally is not a proactive approach and can lead to decreased productivity. Force-fitting tasks into existing buckets is also not a suitable approach as the nature and requirements of tasks may differ significantly. Similarly, merging disparate tasks to fit them in existing buckets can lead to confusion and could decrease the quality of the work. Therefore, the best strategy in such situations is to create a new bucket or modify existing ones to accommodate all tasks efficiently.

Question 2

In a multi-team project, some teams are waiting for their tasks to reach them in the Bucket System. Which approach can be employed to lessen the delays?

Decrease the number of tasks assigned to teams. Introduce intermediate buckets with limited work-in-progress. Remove intermediate buckets entirely. Establish a flat hierarchy for all teams. Assign a portion of the tasks to all teams. Mandate strict deadlines for each bucket.

Correct Answer: Introduce intermediate buckets with limited work-in-progress.

Implementing intermediate buckets with limited work-in-progress allows for a better distribution of tasks, avoiding bottlenecks and unnecessary delays.

Question 3

Your team is following the Bucket System, and one of the buckets is consistently taking longer than anticipated. What would be the best approach to address this issue?

Merge this bucket with another. Instruct the team to work faster. Reassign some tasks to other buckets. Ignore the issue, assuming it will resolve itself. Analyze the bottleneck and make adjustments to the bucket or its resources. Increase the deadlines for this specific bucket.

Correct Answer: Analyze the bottleneck and make adjustments to the bucket or its resources.

Analyzing and addressing the bottleneck ensures a smoother workflow and helps identify the root cause of the issue, enabling informed adjustments to be made.

Go Premium