Story Points
Story points are a unit of measure used in agile to estimate the overall effort, complexity, and uncertainty involved in completing a user story or product backlog item.
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Practice it freeExplanation
Story points are a relative estimation technique used by agile teams to size product backlog items. Rather than estimating in hours or days, the team assigns story points that represent the relative effort compared to other items. For example, if a simple feature is assigned 2 story points, a feature that is roughly three times as complex might receive 5 or 8 points.
Many teams use the Fibonacci sequence (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21) or similar scales for story point values, as the increasing gaps between numbers reflect the growing uncertainty in larger items. The estimation is typically done through planning poker, where each team member independently selects a value, all values are revealed simultaneously, and differences are discussed until consensus is reached.
The sum of story points completed per iteration is the team velocity. Velocity is used to forecast how much work the team can complete in future iterations and when the project or release might be finished. Story points are team-specific and should not be compared across teams, as each team calibrates its own scale based on their unique context, skills, and experience.
Key Points
- •Relative measure of effort, complexity, and uncertainty
- •Often uses Fibonacci sequence for values
- •Estimated through planning poker or similar techniques
- •Team velocity (points per iteration) is used for forecasting
Exam Tip
Story points measure relative effort, not absolute time. Velocity (story points per iteration) is used for forecasting. Never compare velocity between different teams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Topics
User Stories
A user story is a short, simple description of a feature or requirement written from the perspective of the end user, following the format: "As a [role], I want [goal], so that [benefit]."
Product Backlog
The product backlog is an ordered list of everything that is known to be needed in the product, serving as the single source of requirements and the primary artifact for managing scope in agile projects.
Definition of Done
The definition of done (DoD) is a shared understanding within the agile team of the criteria that must be met before a product backlog item or increment is considered complete and ready for release.
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Burndown Chart
A Burndown Chart is a graphical representation of work remaining versus time in a Sprint or release, showing whether the team is on track to complete the planned work.
Resource Leveling
Resource leveling is a resource optimization technique in which adjustments are made to the project schedule to keep resource usage at or below a defined limit, often resulting in a longer project duration.
Risk Register
The risk register is a project document that records the details of individual project risks, including their identification, analysis results, response plans, and current status.
Stakeholder Mapping
Stakeholder mapping is the visual representation of stakeholder relationships, influence, interest, or other attributes using grids, matrices, or diagrams to support analysis and engagement planning.
Relative Estimation
Relative Estimation is an agile technique where work items are sized in comparison to each other rather than in absolute units like hours or days, providing faster and more accurate estimates.
Cost Performance Index (CPI)
Cost Performance Index (CPI) is an EVM efficiency metric that measures cost performance as the ratio of earned value to actual cost: CPI = EV / AC.
Schedule Performance Index (SPI)
Schedule Performance Index (SPI) is an EVM efficiency metric that measures schedule performance as the ratio of earned value to planned value: SPI = EV / PV.
Earned Value Management (EVM)
Earned Value Management (EVM) is a methodology that integrates scope, schedule, and cost data to assess project performance and progress objectively.
Power/Influence Grid
The power/influence grid is a stakeholder classification model that groups stakeholders based on their level of authority (power) and their active involvement or ability to affect the project (influence).
Part of
Scope Management
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