ScrumPoker is a Microsoft Teams add-on, which is simply made to get rid of the long process of time estimation. It is designed to help Agile Scrum teams with estimating the complexity of user stories in a more effective and fun way. It can be equally as powerful for estimating effort of key tasks in a project plan using a traditional work breakdown structure.

The technique uses numbered cards that are selected individually and privately in order to avoid estimating decisions based on cognitive bias. After cards are revealed – team members discuss the estimates. After everyone has voted the highest and lowest estimates explain their choice and the process is repeated until the team agrees on a value. ScrumPoker also helps to replace physical cards when teams are not in the same geographical locations. ScrumPoker has three roles: project manager/product owner, scrum master, and the development team members.

ScrumPoker implements methodology by providing given functionality:

- Create time-framed ScrumPoker planning session rooms

- Invite other Scrum team members to join ScrumPoker session with a given URL address. After team members go through the Join Session form, they have to enter a member name, and in some cases the session password.

- Extend time-limited ScrumPoker planning session on demand

- Start voting process by selecting one of the numbered cards privately: 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34 (story points are used in Fibonacci-like format because it helps to push the team to make tough decisions. Until the process is completed and everyone has voted, members can still change their mind.

- Show voting results publicly once all the Scrum team members place their votes

- Show voting results publicly once ScrumPoker session master initiates show action

- Reach final estimate consensus by analyzing voting results and discussing noticeable exclusions

Let's estimate user stories in a gamified fashion and enjoy IT!

ScrumPoker

by Baltic Amadeus