Agile QuickTip: Estimation a drag? Get the whole team involved.

Estimation a drag? Get the whole team involved.

While it might seem counter-intuitive, getting your entire team involved in the estimation process will end up providing more clarity, and actually improve your plans overall.

Let’s just admit it. Estimating stories or other backlog items is not fun. A lot of times it can even become contentious or combative, and it’s not hard to see why many people view it as a waste of time.

Let’s shift the way we think about this whole process. I think estimation can be an opportunity to get different perspectives and create alignment amongst your team. This is why an important part of estimation is to get the entire team participating. This way, you can get different team members perspectives on the various solutions and assumptions and finally get convergence on the path you want to take.

Remember, your team didn’t start off agreeing on the size of the story. Its only after agreeing on the assumptions, the work, and the complexity that a team agrees on the size of the story. If everyone is involved in the process, then even if you end up being wrong, at least you’re all on the same page.

Did you find that QuickTip valuable? If so, let me know in the comments! If you have any further thoughts on the topic, I’d love to hear your feedback, so feel free to send me a message. You can also check out thinklouder.com to learn more about out training and coaching offerings, all of which can make a real difference to both you, and your teams.