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Glossary
Prioritization

What is Story Points?

Story Points are a relative unit of measure used in Agile project management to estimate the total effort required to fully implement a product backlog item. Unlike hourly estimates, they account for task complexity, amount of work, and inherent risk or uncertainty.

When to use it

Teams should use Story Points during backlog grooming and sprint planning to determine how much work can be realistically completed in a single iteration. This method helps teams avoid the pitfalls of precise time estimation, which often varies between senior and junior developers, by focusing on the relative size of tasks. It is particularly effective for calculating team velocity over multiple cycles.

Example

A SaaS team planning their next two-week sprint uses a Fibonacci sequence (1, 2, 3, 5, 8) to size their tasks. They assign 2 points to a 'simple login bug fix' because it is low risk and well understood, while a 'new payment gateway integration' is assigned 8 points due to its high complexity and external dependencies. By looking at their historical average velocity of 40 points per sprint, the product manager can confidently commit to a specific set of features that fit within that capacity.

How Planet Roadmap helps with Story Points

Planet Roadmap includes dedicated sprint boards where teams can assign points to tasks and automatically track average velocity across iterations.

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FAQ

How are Story Points different from hours?
Hours measure the actual time spent by a specific person, which varies based on experience level; Story Points measure the inherent effort and complexity of the task itself, making estimates more stable and comparable across a diverse team.
Should I use the Fibonacci sequence for Story Points?
Many teams use the Fibonacci sequence (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, etc.) because the increasing gaps between numbers reflect the greater uncertainty that comes with larger, more complex tasks, preventing teams from wasting time debating minor differences.

Related terms

SprintSprint PlanningProduct BacklogBacklog GroomingVelocitySprint VelocityUser StoryScrumT-Shirt SizingBurndown Chart

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