Scrum Guide 2020 replaced the word “estimation” with “sizing” to include different practices teams use to plan their work. Estimation can mean different things, such as story points or time-based estimates, which can limit and create the illusion that story points are an essential part of Scrum. Sizing, on the other hand, refers to the size of a product backlog item and allows for more flexibility in terms of practices, such as counting cards or using flow-based metrics. This change in the guide aims to give teams more freedom in their planning process.
Additionally, the change also emphasizes that there doesn’t have to be a specific activity or method for determining the size of a backlog item. It can be done in many ways. The change to “sizing” also aligns better with the focus on the product backlog and its management in the Scrum framework. The change in wording is subtle, but the implications are significant in giving teams more autonomy in planning and managing their work. Overall, the change from “estimation” to “sizing” in the Scrum Guide 2020 is intended to be more inclusive and flexible for teams to use different practices for planning their work.
Check out the video below to see how the conversation unfolded:
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