CST Agile Estimation Techniques & User Stories 3

Question 1

What does the 'Cone of Uncertainty' illustrate in the context of Agile planning and estimation?

Accepted Answer

That estimation uncertainty decreases as more is learned about the project over time

Answer

The relationship between team size and Sprint-level velocity over time

Answer

The acceptable range of story point values for backlog items at any given stage

Answer

How technical debt accumulates when teams skip testing and quality activities

Question 2

Why is comparing velocity between different Scrum teams considered an anti-pattern?

Accepted Answer

Story points are team-relative calibrations, making cross-team comparisons meaningless

Answer

It violates Scrum Guide copyright and intellectual property provisions

Answer

It discourages teams from using the Fibonacci sequence for estimation

Answer

The Scrum Guide prohibits management from accessing any velocity data

Question 3

What is the core argument of the '#NoEstimates' movement?

Accepted Answer

The cost of creating estimates often exceeds their value, and flow-based metrics may be more useful

Answer

All estimates are inaccurate and must be replaced with precise actual hours tracked

Answer

Only Scrum Masters should estimate; Developers should focus exclusively on coding

Answer

Story points should be eliminated in favor of T-shirt sizing at all levels of planning

Question 4

What is the role of acceptance criteria in a User Story?

Accepted Answer

To specify the conditions that must be met for the story to be considered complete

Answer

To define the technical implementation approach the Developers should follow

Answer

To determine the story point estimate needed before the story enters a Sprint

Answer

To document the business justification for including the story in the Product Backlog

Question 5

A Scrum team is asked to estimate a User Story that involves technology they have never used before. What is the BEST approach?

Accepted Answer

Create a spike to investigate the technology before estimating the actual story

Answer

Assign the maximum story point value as a conservative safety buffer

Answer

Skip the story entirely and return to it only after all familiar stories are completed

Answer

Have the most experienced developer on the team estimate it independently

Question 6

What is the key distinction between 'effort' and 'complexity' when estimating User Stories with story points?

Accepted Answer

Effort measures the amount of work involved; complexity measures technical difficulty and degree of uncertainty

Answer

There is no meaningful distinction; story points simultaneously measure both as a single value

Answer

Effort measures time duration; complexity measures the number of people required

Answer

Complexity is used in Planning Poker while effort is used in T-shirt sizing

Question 7

What is the most effective way for a CST to teach a new Scrum team why they should avoid splitting story points across multiple Sprints?

Accepted Answer

Explain that partial credit undermines the team's ability to forecast future Sprint capacity accurately

Answer

Refer them to the Scrum Guide's explicit prohibition on carrying over story points

Answer

Demonstrate that it increases velocity artificially and pleases stakeholders

Answer

Show them that splitting points is only allowed during Nexus or SAFe implementations