Planning Poker and the Scrum Roles - How the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers can work together to use Planning Poker effectively

Introduction

Planning Poker is a consensus-based technique for estimating effort in agile software development. It is a fun and engaging way for teams to apply relative estimates to planned work. Planning Poker can be used to improve Sprint Planning meetings and deliver more value to customers.

The three Scrum roles, the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers, all play a role in using Planning Poker effectively.

The Product Owner

The Product Owner is responsible for the Product Backlog, which is a prioritized list of all the work that needs to be done to develop the product. The Product Owner also works with the team to estimate the effort required for each Product Backlog Item (PBI).

During a Planning Poker session, the Product Owner is responsible for:

• Reading the PBI aloud to the team
• Answering any questions that the team has about the PBI
• Helping the team to reach a consensus on the estimate for the PBI

The Scrum Master

The Scrum Master is responsible for helping the team to follow the Scrum framework. The Scrum Master also helps the team to remove any impediments that are preventing them from delivering value to customers.

During a Planning Poker session, the Scrum Master is responsible for:

• Facilitating the session and keeping it on track
• Ensuring that everyone on the team is participating and that their voice is heard
• Helping the team to resolve any conflicts or disagreements

The Developers

The Developers are responsible for delivering the work in the Sprint Backlog. They are also responsible for estimating the effort required for each PBI.

During a Planning Poker session, the Developers are responsible for:

• Selecting a Planning Poker card that represents their estimate of the effort required for the PBI
• Discussing their estimates with the team and trying to reach a consensus
• Providing feedback on the estimates of other team members

How the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers can work together to use Planning Poker effectively

The Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers can work together to use Planning Poker effectively by:

• Communicating effectively. It is important for all three roles to communicate effectively during a Planning Poker session. The Product Owner needs to be able to clearly explain the PBI, the Scrum Master needs to be able to facilitate the discussion, and the Developers need to be able to share their estimates and feedback.
• Trusting each other. It is also important for all three roles to trust each other. The Product Owner needs to trust the Developers to provide accurate estimates, and the Scrum Master needs to trust the Product Owner and Developers to work together to reach a consensus.
• Being open to feedback. Everyone on the team should be open to feedback from the other team members. This will help to ensure that the estimates are accurate and that the team is on the same page.

By following these tips, the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers can work together to use Planning Poker effectively and improve their team's velocity.

Additional tips for using Planning Poker effectively:

• Use a Fibonacci sequence to estimate effort. This will help to avoid estimating in whole numbers and to make more accurate estimates.
• Be honest with your estimates. Don't be afraid to say "I don't know" or to change your estimate if you hear new information.
• Have fun! Planning Poker should be a fun and collaborative experience. Don't take it too seriously.
• Use an online tool for estimating, as it makes things easier to track and more enjoyable. Give PlanningPoker.live a try!

By using Planning Poker effectively, you can improve your team's velocity and deliver more value to your customers.