Why altering story points in mid sprint can be disruptive

Why altering story points in mid sprint can be disruptive

Deepthy KS Deepthy KS

Deepthy KS

Immediate Joiner|Scrum Master|Coaching|Mentoring|CSM|SSM|Delivering productivity and predictability

发布日期: 2024年12月2日
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Story points are an essential Agile tool for estimating effort, complexity, and risk before work begins. Altering them after a story is in progress undermines their purpose and can cause more harm than good. Here's why keeping story points consistent matters:

1. Forecasting, Not Tracking

Story points are designed to help forecast work, not track it. Adjusting them retroactively turns them into a tracking tool, which misses their original intent: aiding in planning future sprints. Retrospective changes blur the distinction between estimation and progress tracking, reducing their usefulness.

2. Distorts Velocity

Velocity measures the average number of story points completed in a sprint. Changing story points mid-sprint artificially inflates or deflates this metric, leading to inaccurate progress reports and potentially misleading stakeholders. Consistent metrics are crucial for maintaining trust in your team's process.

3. Hinders Team Improvement

Discrepancies in estimation offer valuable learning opportunities. Instead of revising points, discuss why the estimate was off during retrospectives. This approach helps the team refine future estimations, learn from past experiences, and better understand their work.

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4. Erodes Team Ownership

Revising story points signals that the team's initial estimation efforts aren’t valued. This can lower morale and reduce ownership of the process. By respecting the original estimates, you reinforce the team’s accountability and commitment to improving their practices.

What to Do Instead

  • Split Large Stories: If a story’s scope grows mid-sprint, break it into smaller stories to better reflect the additional work.
  • Analyze Misses: Use retrospectives to explore why an estimate was inaccurate, encouraging continuous learning.
  • Separate Effort Tracking: Track actual effort using tools outside of story points, preserving their role as a planning tool.

The Takeaway

By keeping story points fixed once work begins, you preserve the integrity of Scrum metrics, maintain stakeholder trust, and foster an environment of continuous improvement. Use discrepancies in estimation as a chance to learn and grow, not as something to “correct.”

What do you think of this approach? Let’s discuss! #Agile framework #Scrum #Scrummaster

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