- Published on
Scrum Secret Weapon: The Unforgettable Transformation of Planning Poker into an Agile Powerhouse
- Authors
- Name
- Plan Fast Team
- @plan_fast
An Accidental Revelation: The Birth of Planning Poker
Let’s take a time machine back to the early 2000s. Agile development was becoming the talk of the town, and people were experimenting with novel ways to spice up project planning.
One such innovator was a software professional, James Grenning, who chanced upon a peculiar way to estimate a task’s complexity. He drew inspiration from an innocuous management parable involving measurements of a building's height using just the human eye and engaging debate. Voila, Planning Poker was born!
Planning Poker: Turning Tedium into Thrills
Suddenly, planning shed its monotony, transforming into an engaging, intelligent game. In Grenning's game, every team member was given a 'hand' of cards, each card numbered to represent the task's complexity level.
Members would then throw their 'estimated' cards on the table, all together, maintaining a thrilling suspense akin to an intense poker match. Deviating card values led to lively deliberation, refining understanding of the task and eventually reaching a consensus.
Far from the traditional solo estimates, this method threw open the planning gates to everyone's intuition, fostering equal participation and catalyzing precise estimates.
Planning Poker: Blossoming in the Digital Era
However, physical meetings, card management, and tracking posed significant barriers to this innovative approach. The insurgence of the digital realm and the rapid adaptation to remote working, especially catalysed by the Covid-19 pandemic, paved the way for the digital shift in Planning Poker.
Far from the traditional solo estimates, this method threw open the planning gates to everyone's intuition, fostering equal participation and catalyzing precise estimates.
Digital tools creating virtual platforms began dismantling these logistical obstacles, taking Planning Poker from in-person meetings to the digital space. This move enabled teams, regardless of their geographic location, to participate actively in the planning process.
Plan Fast App: The New Star on the Horizon
Among these rising digital tools, Plan Fast App emerges as an exceptional platform, designed to imbue your planning sessions with precision, speed, and a dash of fun.
With Plan Fast, the scrabble of Scrum Planning Poker turns digital, capturing the essence of collective decision-making while leaving behind the redundancies. It transforms the meticulous process into an engaging, interactive experience accessible to everyone, from rookies to experts.
Envisaging the Future: Plan Fast App and Beyond
The riveting tale of Scrum Planning Poker is a testament to Agile Development's dynamism - constantly evolving, innovating, and adapting to trends. The emergence of platforms like Plan Fast points to a future where planning transcends traditional boundaries, becoming more inclusive, precise, and enjoyable.
