- Story points are an arbitrary measure used by Scrum teams to estimate the effort required to implement a user story. Teams typically use a Fibonacci sequence like 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 20, 40, 100. - Estimating user stories allows teams to plan how many highest priority stories can be completed in a sprint and helps forecast release schedules. The whole team estimates during backlog refinement. - Stories are estimated once they are small enough to fit in a sprint and acceptance criteria are agreed upon. Teams commonly use planning poker where each member privately assigns a story point value and the team discusses until consensus is reached.

1. How to estimate
User Stories in Story
Points with SCRUM
Created and presented by
Gloria Stoilova
SCRUM Trainer

2. What is “STORY POINTS”?
•Story point is an arbitrary measure used
by Scrum teams to measure the effort
required to implement a story.

3. Estimation Granularity
3

5. Estimation Over Time
5

6. Estimation Granularity
6
Epic
Theme
Feature User
Story

8. User
Story
As a (role) I want
(something) so that
(benefit).

9. “As a registered user I
want to be able to
search the online
catalog so that I can
find items to
purchase.”

10. Estimating Time Boxes
10

11. Why we need to estimate the User Stories?
• Estimating the relative size of stories in terms of effort/time and can
help a team to decide how many of the highest priority stories from
the product backlog can be taken on in a single sprint and delivered
by its end.
• Estimating is also used to measure the velocity of a team (VELOCITY -
the amount of work that team gets through per sprint), helping the
Product owner to forecast the release schedule and the product
development.

12. Estimating using story points.
• The most common way of estimating the size of user stories in Scrum
is by allocating story points.
• Story points are just numbers drawn from a pool of numbers of a set
size e.g. a story could have 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 20, 40 or 100 story points.
• The reason for using a Fibonacci-like sequence of numbers is to
encourage stories to be estimated relatively (e.g. that story looks like
it requires about twice the effort for a story we’ve already agreed is a
2 so it’s probably a 5) and to emphasize that the larger the story, the
more uncertain the estimate.

13. Story Points

14. Story Points
7.5 FL. OZ
222 ml.
12 FL.OZ
355 ml.

15. Story Points
1 2 3 5 8
13 20 40 100 ?

16. In simple terms:
• It’s a number that tells the team how hard the story is!
Hard could be related to Effort, Complexity and Uncertainty.

17. IF you look at the Fibonacci curve it is
really takes a steep climb. If using this
series consider not using 1 and rarely
use 2. Use 3, 5, 8, 13, 20, 40, 100.
• In most cases a story point range is
1, 2, 4, 8, 16 or X Small, Small,
Medium, Large, Extra Large.
Most commonly used series is the
Fibonacci series.
A Fibonacci sequence is 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13,
21, 34, 45.... Teams use a modified
version of this which looks like 1, 2, 3, 5,
13, 40, 100.
The reason it is suggested that way is
because the original sequence suggests
mathematical accuracy and real
projects are not like that.

18. * The reason for using a Fibonacci-like sequence of numbers is to
encourage stories to be estimated relatively (e.g. that story looks like it
requires about twice the effort for a story we’ve already agreed is a 2
so it’s probably a 5), and to emphasize that the larger the story, the
more uncertain the estimate.

19. When we estimate?
• A Scrum team will estimate story points during backlog refinement or
perhaps as part of a dedicated session. It’s essential that the whole
team is involved in the process of estimation so that the estimates are
made by the people who will actually be doing the work and are
therefore as accurate as possible.
• When a story is ready for estimation? –when it is small enough to fit
within a single sprint and when the acceptance criteria have been
agreed by the scrum team – the team then discusses its relative size
and reaches consensus over how many story points of effort it
requires.

20. When a story is ready for estimation?
• when it is small enough to fit within a single sprint and when the
acceptance criteria have been agreed by the scrum team – the team
then discusses its relative size and reaches consensus over how many
story points of effort it requires.
• Stories may be estimated before these criteria are met but should be
revisited.
• The most common way to do this is Scrum is by playing planning
poker.

21. Baseline story
In order to do that each team would have to find a baseline story.
It does not have to be the smallest one, but one that all in the
team can relate too.
From then on all sizing should be done compared to that baseline.
It is important to identify one or multiple baseline stories or also called
reference stories against which you would do a relative sizing of the backlog.
This story is picked from the current product backlog or is a different story
that we have done earlier.
But what is important is that the understanding of this story is same among
everyone on the team. The team should be confident of this base story.

22. Planning Poker
In planning poker each
member of the team
gets a set of Scrum cards
with the allowable story
points printed on the
front as well as extra
cards for don’t know (?),
infinity or, sometimes, to
indicate it’s time for a
coffee break.

23. Planning Poker
Discuss and jot down
any details you want to
remember when
implementing this story
These can be bullet
points on the story card
or text in the notes
section of a tool, or Story
board notes, etc.

24. Planning Poker
3
5
?
13
5
Once the story is ready
to be estimated, there
is a round of voting.
At the same time, all
team members hold
up the card which
corresponds to their
estimate.

25. Planning Poker
Reach a consensus
consenting to a proposal of the size
of the story as per Definition of
Done doesn't necessarily mean it is
your choice.
The team is encouraged to come
up with the best estimation that,
as a group, everyone accepts.

26. 5
Planning Poker
3
5 3
5
5
Revote
If all the team
members agree then
the story is given that
number of points
and the team moves
on.

27. “Planning is
essential,
the plan is
useless.”

28. Thank you.