Planning Poker
Planning Poker is an agile estimation technique used by development teams to collaboratively estimate the effort or complexity of tasks, typically user stories in a backlog. It involves team members using numbered cards (often based on a modified Fibonacci sequence) to vote on estimates, followed by discussion to reach consensus. This method helps reduce anchoring bias and promotes shared understanding of requirements.
Developers should use Planning Poker during sprint planning or backlog refinement sessions to improve estimation accuracy and team alignment. It's particularly valuable in Scrum or other agile frameworks where relative sizing (e.g., story points) is used for forecasting and capacity planning. By facilitating open discussion, it helps uncover hidden complexities and dependencies early in the development process.