Story Points & Estimation

Correct Answer: Continue working without altering the story point estimation.

In Scrum, once a team commits to the sprint backlog and starts working on a story, the story point estimation typically remains unchanged. This is because story points reflect the relative estimation of work at the time of planning; they are not intended to be a precise measure of complexity or effort. Changing the estimation mid-sprint could disrupt the team's velocity measurement and planning process, making it harder to predict future sprint capacities. Furthermore, the purpose of story points is to help with planning and forecasting, not to measure the exact effort a story takes. If a story is found to be less complex than expected, that insight can be used to adjust estimations in future sprints, but altering the current sprint's story points is generally discouraged. The other options, such as re-estimating the story, splitting it into smaller stories, or increasing its scope, can introduce unnecessary complexity, reduce transparency in the project's progress, and might lead to scope creep or affect the team's focus and morale. Hence, continuing work without altering the story point estimation is the preferred approach.

Correct Answer: The original estimate should not change, story points are an estimation of complexity at the start of the sprint.

The story point estimation for a user story in Agile does not change once it has been established during the planning phase of the sprint. This is because these points are a measure of the complexity of the task as understood at the beginning of the sprint and are used to plan the sprint. Changing them mid-sprint would upset the planning, and it does not reflect that the complexity was not originally noticed, not that it has changed. Therefore, 'The original estimate should not change, story points are an estimation of complexity at the start of the sprint.' is the correct answer. The other answers suggest modifying the story points during the sprint, which is not a recommended practice in Agile. Story points should not be increased, decreased, or reassigned during a sprint, regardless of any new findings or understandings.

Correct Answer: Facilitate a discussion between the two members and the rest of the team to come to a consensus.

The correct approach when team members estimate significantly different story points for the same work is to 'facilitate a discussion between the two members and the rest of the team to come to a consensus.' This is because the essence of Scrum methodology is teamwork and collaboration. By facilitating a discussion, the Scrum Master ensures that every member's perspective is taken into account and a consensus is reached that reflects the team's collective estimate. This approach also fosters learning, as team members can understand different perspectives and improve their estimation skills. On the other hand, the other options are not ideal. 'Choosing the highest estimate to be safe' can lead to over-estimation and complacency in the team while the 'lowest estimate to challenge the team' might create unnecessary pressure and unrealistic expectations. Lastly, ignoring the situation is not productive because it leaves the discrepancy unaddressed leading to potential conflicts and distortions in future planning and estimations.