To ensure a successful planning and estimation session with your team:
- Prepare the work first: Make sure each item has a clear goal, brief description, and acceptance criteria.
- Keep stories small: Split large items so they’re easier to understand and estimate.
- Align on what “done” means: Confirm scope, assumptions, and any dependencies before voting.
- Use a consistent scale: Stick to one estimation scale (e.g., Fibonacci) for the whole session.
- Vote simultaneously: Have everyone reveal their estimates at the same time to avoid influencing each other.
- Discuss gaps, then re-estimate: If estimates vary widely, let the highest and lowest explain why, clarify, then vote again.
- Timebox discussions: Park deep technical debates as follow-ups so the session keeps moving.
- Capture notes: Record key assumptions, risks, and action items directly in TeamRetro so everyone stays aligned.