BCS CTFL4 Exam - Topic 1 Question 19 Discussion

Actual exam question for BCS's CTFL4 exam

Question #: 19
Topic #: 1

Consider an estimation session in which a six-member Agile team (Memb1..... Memb6) uses the planning poker technique to estimate a user story (in story points). The team members will use a set of cards with the following values: 1,2, 3,5, 8,13,21. Below is the outcome of the first round of estimation for this session:

Which of the following answers BEST describes how the estimation session should proceed?

AThe final estimate of the user story in story points is determined by applying the three-point estimation technique with the following input values most optimistic estimate - 1, most likely estimate - 3, and most pessimistic estimate - 21

BFurther estimation rounds should be performed until all team members will pick the card having the same value: this value will represent the final estimate of the user story in story points.

CThe final estimate of the user story in story points is determined by calculating the average value between the most optimistic estimate of 21 story points (Memb4> and the most pessimistic estimate of 1 story point (Memb6)

DMemb6 and Memb4 which have produced the most pessimistic and the most optimistic estimates respectively, should explain the reasons of their choices to stimulate a discussion between all members before proceeding to another estimation round

Show Suggested Answer

Suggested Answer: D

In Agile teams using the planning poker technique for estimating user stories, it is common practice to have further discussions and rounds of estimation if there is a significant discrepancy in the initial estimates. This helps in reaching a consensus and ensures that all team members understand the complexity and requirements of the user story. According to the ISTQB CTFL syllabus, planning poker involves discussions to clarify differences in estimates, especially when there is a wide range of values selected. By having Memb6 and Memb4, who provided the most pessimistic and optimistic estimates, explain their reasoning, it fosters a deeper understanding and encourages the team to converge towards a more accurate and agreed-upon estimate.

by Gearldine at Nov 13, 2024, 09:58 AM

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Lucy

3 months ago

The cards used are 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21.

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Ceola

3 months ago

I agree with Bob, we need to talk it out first!

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Derick

3 months ago

Wait, why would we average 21 and 1? That seems off.

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Marylin

4 months ago

Not sure about that, D sounds better for discussion.

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Dianne

4 months ago

I think option B makes the most sense!

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Margurite

4 months ago

I thought averaging estimates was a common method, but now I'm questioning if that's really what we should do here.

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Bettye

4 months ago

I feel like we practiced a question similar to this where discussing estimates was key, so option D might be the best approach.

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Reynalda

4 months ago

I'm not entirely sure, but I think the three-point estimation technique mentioned in option A is more for different contexts, right?

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Erick

5 months ago

I remember we discussed that in planning poker, it's important to reach a consensus, so option B sounds familiar.

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Reita

5 months ago

I'm a bit stumped here. The options all seem plausible, but I'm not sure which one is the best. Maybe we should discuss it as a team before deciding.

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Talia

5 months ago

I'm not sure about this one. The three-point estimation technique in Option A seems like it could work, but I'm not sure if that's the best approach for this scenario.

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Frederic

5 months ago

Okay, I'm feeling pretty confident about this one. I think Option B is the way to go - we should keep doing estimation rounds until everyone agrees on a single value.

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Dierdre

5 months ago

Hmm, I think I have an idea. Option D sounds like the best approach - we should get Memb6 and Memb4 to explain their reasoning, then have a discussion to try and reach a consensus.

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Mabel

5 months ago

I'm a bit confused here. The question seems to be asking about the best way to proceed with the estimation session, but the options don't seem straightforward to me.

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Hollis

1 year ago

I'm not sure, but I think option A could also be a valid approach. Using the three-point estimation technique might provide a more balanced estimate.

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Viola

1 year ago

This is why we use planning poker - to avoid one person skewing the entire estimate. Let's keep talking it through until we reach a consensus.

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Margart

1 year ago

Let's listen to their explanations and see if it changes our estimates.

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Azalee

1 year ago

Maybe they have different perspectives that we haven't considered yet.

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Callie

1 year ago

I agree, we need to understand their reasoning before moving forward.

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Kindra

1 year ago

Let's discuss why Memb6 and Memb4 chose such extreme estimates.

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Trina

1 year ago

Memb6 must have been daydreaming when they chose 1 story point. I bet they were thinking about their weekend plans instead of the task at hand!

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Lenora

1 year ago

Memb1: Let's hear from Memb6 and Memb4 before we proceed with the next round.

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Benton

1 year ago

Memb2: Maybe we should consider the average of our estimates for a more balanced approach.

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Isidra

1 year ago

Memb4: I was optimistic with my estimate, but let's discuss before the next round.

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Ming

1 year ago

Memb6: Oops, I might have underestimated the story points.

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Lashonda

1 year ago

I agree with Pamela. It's crucial to have a discussion and gain insights from Memb6 and Memb4 before moving forward.

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Laila

1 year ago

Totally agree. We need to understand each other's perspectives before settling on a final estimate. Discussing the reasoning behind the outliers is the way to go.

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