Planning poker: complete guide
Planning poker is the most widely used estimation technique in Scrum and agile. Here is everything you need to know in 5 minutes.
What is planning poker?
Planning poker (also called Scrum poker) is a collaborative estimation technique where each team member secretly chooses a card representing their estimate of a user story or task. All cards are revealed simultaneously. Differences trigger a short discussion, then the team revotes until convergence.
The goal is not precision but discussion: uncovering hidden assumptions, unidentified risks and technical disagreements.
The rules in 5 steps
- The Product Owner presents a user story or task.
- The team asks clarifying questions.
- Each member secretly chooses a card (without influencing others).
- All cards are revealed simultaneously.
- If estimates converge: keep the value. Otherwise: discuss the extremes, then revote.
Why the Fibonacci sequence?
The sequence 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, ? is the most common because it models growing uncertainty: the larger a task, the less precisely it can be estimated. The gap between values grows with size, which forces the team to take a clear position without pretending to illusory precision.
The ? card means "I can't estimate this task", a useful signal to detect a lack of clarity in the specification.
Comparison of card sequences
| Sequence | Values | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Fibonacci | 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, ? | Experienced Scrum teams, story point estimation |
| T-shirt | XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, ? | Rough estimates, non-technical teams, backlog sorting |
| Powers of 2 | 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, ? | Technical tasks with predictable doubling of complexity |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between story points and days?
Story points measure relative complexity, not time. A 5 is roughly 2.5 times more complex than a 2, regardless of actual duration. This abstraction lets teams compare tasks without getting blocked on individual durations, which vary by person and context.
How to handle estimation disagreements?
When estimates diverge (e.g., a 2 and a 13 in the same hand), ask the people who voted at the extremes to explain their choice. The discussion often reveals different assumptions or unidentified risks. Vote again until convergence, without forcing consensus.
Does planning poker work for remote teams?
Yes, that is precisely why CleanPoker exists. Create a session, share the URL, each participant votes on their own device. Results are revealed in real time via WebSocket, with no setup or account required.
What is the maximum number of participants?
CleanPoker has no technical limit. In practice, beyond 10 participants, discussions become difficult to manage. For large teams, prefer parallel sessions or sub-group estimation.