Planning Poker

http://www.planningpoker.com/

I highlight here some interesting sentences. The idea is that, during a session of poker planning, you do not discuss but simply mechanically throw an estimate, you have missed the goal of the exercise. The goal IS the estimate but most of all the open exchange of ideas on the story.



After a period of discussion, each participant chooses from his own deck the numbered card that represents his estimate of how much work is involved in the story under discussion.


It allows, or forces, people to voice their opinions, thoughts and concerns.




...they can talk and discuss the story...


...it lets the people who are actually going to be completing the work do the estimating. Estimates derived from Planning Poker are more accurate because of the emphasis on lively discussion and the fact that estimators are called upon by their peers to justify their estimates....



On the same topic, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planning_poker highlights the importance of Planning Poker to avoid ANCHORING, that is everyone aligning on the estimate expressed by an influential member of the team. When you express an estimate, you should MOTIVATE it with some rational thinking.