Sprint planning is a critical event in the Scrum framework, where the scrum team comes together to plan and prioritize the work that will be completed during the upcoming sprint. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to conduct a successful sprint planning meeting, including how to estimate user stories.

Step 1: Review the Product Backlog

The first step in sprint planning is to review the product backlog. This includes reviewing the current state of the backlog, identifying any new items or changes, and clarifying any ambiguities or questions about the backlog items.

Step 2: Set the Sprint Goal

The next step is to set the sprint goal. The sprint goal should be a concise statement describing the sprint’s objective and the specific outcome that the team aims to achieve.

Step 3: Select a Reference Story

Once the sprint goal is set, the team selects a reference story from the product backlog. The reference story should be a user story that the team is familiar with and represents a typical amount of work.

Example: Our team is working on a new e-commerce website. A reference story might be, “As a customer, I want to be able to add products to my cart and checkout to purchase items from the website.” The team estimates this story will require 5 story points based on their previous experience, as they have done similar work. Using this reference story as a guide, the team can estimate the remaining user stories for the sprint through relative estimation.

Step 4: Estimate User Stories

Using the reference story as a guide, the team estimates the work required for each user story in the product backlog. This can be done using planning poker, affinity estimation, or relative sizing techniques.

Example: Based on the reference story, the team estimates that the “As a customer, I want to be able to easily browse and filter products by category, price, and brand” user story will require 8 story points, while the “As a customer, I want to be able to view my order history and track my shipments” user story will require 3 story points.

Step 5: Select the Backlog Items for the Sprint

Once the user stories have been estimated, the team selects the backlog items that will be completed during the sprint. This includes identifying which items are necessary to achieve the sprint goal and prioritizing them based on the estimated effort required.

Example: In our example, the team selects backlog items such as “Implement responsive design for mobile devices,” “Create mobile-specific navigation menu,” and “Add mobile-friendly search functionality.” The team estimates that each item will require 3–5 story points.

Step 6: Create the Sprint Backlog

The team then creates the sprint backlog, which includes the specific tasks and subtasks required to complete each item. The sprint backlog should be detailed enough to provide a clear plan for the work completed during the sprint.

Example: In our example, the team creates tasks such as “Design and implement mobile navigation menu,” “Test responsive design on various devices,” and “Implement mobile-friendly search functionality.” The tasks are estimated to take between 1–3 days each.

Step 7: Plan the Sprint

Finally, the team plans the sprint by identifying potential obstacles or risks and creating a mitigation plan. The team also discusses the roles and responsibilities of each team member and agrees on how they will collaborate and communicate throughout the sprint.

Conclusion

Sprint planning is a critical event in the Scrum framework and requires careful planning and collaboration among team members. Following the steps outlined in this article, including selecting a reference story and using relative estimation to estimate user stories, your team can conduct a successful sprint planning meeting. It’s important to remember that sprint planning is a continuous process, and the team should be open to feedback and adjust their plans accordingly throughout the sprint. With clear goals, effective communication, and a commitment to continuous improvement, your team can successfully execute a sprint and deliver value to your customers.