Backlog Refinement, also called Backlog Grooming in some circles, is the process of refining a user story in preparation for sprint planning which includes estimation of the effort required to complete user stories. During backlog refinement acceptance criteria for the story are defined and a sketch of the solution design is specified. Both of those items need to be detailed in a user story for you to be able to estimate the effort.
Software development work is notoriously difficult to estimate. Agile methods recommend relative estimation techniques such as Planning Poker. After a story has been
analyzed and designed it can be estimated. The team must come to a consensus on the
estimate or discuss and vote again until consensus is reached.
Learning Outcomes
Write effective acceptance criteria statements
Specify the necessary design changes and additions to implement of a user story
Explain the process of story estimation
Apply Planning poker for story estimation
Study Resources
For your study of this topic, use these resources.
Modify the Trello card with the points for this story; put it in the title of the card, such as "Register for a League (8)" means the Register for a League user story was assigned 8 story points
Write up a description of your planning poker session(s) that captures the discussions over story point differences. What created those initial differences? What aspects came out in the discussion that enabled you to reach a consensus? Did you have to send any stories back for further refinement?
When all stories have been assigned points, create a screenshot of the Trello sprint board that shows your Sprint Backlog list with all of the story cards with their points in the title.
By the time shown on the schedule for your section, submit a Word or PDF file of your description of your planning poker session(s), and the screenshot of the Sprint Backlog Trello list to the myCourses Assignments folder, Sprint 2/3 plan - team, in the Team Exercises.
An example screenshot of Trello with story points.
End-Of-Day Exercises
Backlog refinement and estimation - quiz:
Watch the two videos, and read the required web resources.
By the time specified in the schedule for your section, complete the 5-minute quiz, Backlog refinement and estimation - quiz,
which is in the myCourses Quiz area.
