Skip to main content

Planning poker

Learn how to get started with planning poker.

Install planning poker from app directory and start using it by connecting your Slack.

Features​

Visit this link to learn about planning poker use cases.

  • 📢 Engaging sessions: Host sprint planning poker sessions directly in Slack, facilitating participation and estimations.
  • ✅ Anonymous estimations: Allow team members to submit estimates privately, minimizing bias and influencing.
  • 🔥 Consensus building: Utilize collaborative discussions to align estimations and reach a consensus.
  • 🔎 Simplified tracking: Easily review and compare estimations for better decision-making and planning.

How to get started​

Step 1. Install planning poker​

Visit planning poker in app directory and click Install button at top right corner.

Install planning poker

Step 2. Connect to Slack​

After installing the app, you'll be prompted to connect your Slack workspace.

Connections for planning poker

Complete Slack connection​

If you have not connected your Slack workspace, you can click Connect near Slack connection.

Slack connection

You can also add your Slack workspace by navigating to Workspace settings page from left menu and then switching to Slack workspace tab.

If you do not see Workspace settings page, contact with your workspace admin.

Step 3. Invite your team​

By default Everyone in your Actioner workspace is added to your app as Runner.

To grant app admin permission to a user, go to the Permissions tab of your app and add users or groups via + Add permission button. If you can't find the users you want to add, ensure they have been invited to your Actioner workspace.

Permissions for planning poker

How planning poker works​

Create a new game in Slack​

  1. Call Actioner by typing /actioner in Slack and selecting the Create game workflow.

  2. Fill in game details;

    • Name: Provide a name for the game.
    • Estimation options: Select the desired estimation option like Fibonacci, T-shirt size, etc.
    • Custom estimation option: This field must be filled if custom estimation is selected in estimation options.
    • Invitation channel: Choose the channel where you want to send invitation.

  3. Click Create to create the game.

  4. Actioner generates a dedicated channel for the game and sends invitations to the selected Slack channel.

Dedicated Slack channel for planning poker​

When the new game is initiated, Actioner generates a dedicated channel and sends a message that includes game-related actions.

Planning poker - Dedicated Slack channels

Game settings​

  • In the planning poker game, you can customize and exert control through the Game Settings button.
  • Specify which participants can add issues to the game.
  • Determine who has the authority to reveal cards during the estimation process.

Managing issues in a planning poker game​

You can add or remove issues in the dedicated channel using the Add issue and Remove issue buttons.

  • Add issue: When you click this button, a prompted form will appear, enabling you to provide essential information about the issue, including its summary and description.

To add as many issues as you want, you can continue to click the button and fill out the prompted form for each issue you wish to include in the estimation session.

Issues can be added at any time during the game process.

  • Remove issue: When this button is clicked, it prompts a form that allows you to select the issues you want to remove from the Planning poker game.

Start the planning poker game​

  • To initiate the Planning poker game after adding issues for estimation, use the Start/Next button.
  • When button is clicked, the issues will be sent to the game channel in the order they were added.

Estimation​

Issue messages are sent progressively to the channel for estimation after starting the game.

  • View participants: Displays contributors who have provided estimations for the issue.
  • Estimate: Participants can use this button to assign estimations and provide comments.
  • Reveal cards: Initiates the process of unveiling the estimations provided by the participants for the issue. It sends a message to the issue's dedicated thread, displaying information such as who voted and any comments they provided during the estimation. Additionally, the average estimation value is calculated and presented based on the participants' inputs.
  • Set final estimation: This button is sent to the issue thread after revealing the cards. Use it to set final estimation to the issue.
  • Skip: Allows you to revisit issues at a later time.

After revealing cards, the issue message is updated with information on the average estimation and relevant buttons.

  • Re-estimate: Restarts the estimation process for issues with no consensus.
  • Next: Sends the next issue in the list to the game channel for estimation.

Game reports​

You can access reports through the notification sent to the dedicated Slack channel clicking the Game reports button.

Total estimation of the game​

Total estimation shows you the cumulative effort estimation for all tasks in the game. It gives you an overview of the total work expected for the entire set of issues.

Estimated issues report​

Estimated issues report, lists all tasks in the game along with their individual effort estimates. This report helps you see which tasks have already been estimated and what level of effort is associated with each task.

Click ... near an issue to see Distribution of estimations for that specific issue.

Distribution of estimations report​

Distribution of estimations report breaks down the distribution of effort estimates into categories (e.g., small, medium, large). It visually presents how many tasks fall into each category, helping you identify patterns in the estimation process.

How to create a session with your Jira issues​

To be able to conduct your planning session with your Jira issues, you'll need a connected Jira app in your Actioner workspace.

  1. Visit Jira Software in app directory and click Install button at top right corner.

    Install Jira Software

  2. After installing the app, you'll be prompted to connect your Jira account.

    Connections for Jira Software

  3. If you do not want to get notified of new Jira issues or updates, you can skip the next setup step and close the screen through the X button at top right corner.

    Skip setup for Jira Software

  4. Go to Configs tab of Jira Software and then navigate to appConfiguration.

    Configs tab of Jira Software

  5. On siteUrl parameter, enter your Jira site’s URL.

    Update siteUrl parameter

  6. On planningPokerEstimationField, enter the key of the Jira field that will be updated once the final estimation is set for an issue.

    If you want to map Original estimate field in Jira, you may enter originaltimeestimate. If you want to use your custom field, enter the ID of that field, such as customfield_10016.

    Update planningPokerEstimationField parameter

  7. Optionally, go to Workflows tab of Jira Software and disable the workflows in the Jira app that do not have the planning-poker tag.

    Disable workflows in Jira Software

  8. To start a session in Slack, call /actioner command and select the workflow named Create Planning poker game.

    Run Create Planning poker game in Slack

  9. Once the game starts, you can start adding your Jira issues. You have two options:

  • ➕ Add issues: This option lets you select the Jira issues that will be added to your planning session.

  • ➕ Add issues with JQL: This option lets you add the Jira issues to your planning session that match with your JQL.

    Add issues from Jira