Complete Guide to Story Points & Estimation
What is it?
Story points in Scrum are a unit of measure for expressing an estimate of the overall effort required to fully implement a product backlog item or any other piece of work. Unlike traditional effort estimation techniques which consider effort as time spent on a task, story points consider effort to be the combination of the amount of work, the complexity of the work, and any risk or uncertainty in the work.
Why is it important?
They are extremely valuable in planning future projects as they offer a more realistic idea of the time required to complete a task. It helps in streamlining the development process and optimising the product backlog, thus leading to improved productivity and efficiency.
How does it work?
Story points are usually determined collectively by the team during the iteration planning or backlog refinement meeting. A task is typically broken down into subtasks, and each one is assigned a point value, usually done using the Fibonacci sequence.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Story Points & Estimation
1. Understand the difference: Be clear about the difference between story points and hours. Story point is a measure of effort, which encompasses the amount of work, complexity and risk associated.
2. The importance of team consensus: Remember, the assignment of story points is done collectively with the team, ensuring everyone's perspective is considered.
3. Usage of Fibonacci sequence: Often, the sequence of 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 is used for assigning points.
4. Remember their predictive nature: Story points are not limited to a single sprint, but rather predict effort for future sprints as well.
5. Attend carefully to wording: Watch out for questions employing words like 'effort', 'complexity', 'risk', which are key indicators associated with story points.
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Story Points & Estimation practice test
In Scrum, work is typically measured in story points, which represent a high-level estimation of complexity and effort involved in a user story. Teams assign points based on factors like the complexity of the work, the effort it will take, and any uncertainty or risk involved. Over time, teams get better at estimating how many story points they can complete in a sprint (known as their velocity), which helps with future planning and forecasting.
Time: 5 minutes Questions: 5
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Certified ScrumMaster Preparation Package (2024)
- 5543 Superior-grade Certified ScrumMaster practice questions.
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