Targetprocess: Estimate Story Points

Story Points are referred to as Effort within Targetprocess. Effort is managed within the Assignments section of the Story details.

Story points are an estimation of the overall effort required to complete the Story. Story points should reflect a combination of the actual amount of work, the complexity of the work, and how much risk or uncertainty is involved. 

OIT uses a Fibonacci scale (1, 2, 3, 5, 8) for estimating story points.

NOTE: For stories that are estimated to be 8 points or higher, consider breaking those down into separate smaller stories with lower point values.

Table of Contents:

• Adding Story Points to a Story
• Using the Estimate Work Function
• Error: Failed ensure user vote session
   

Adding Story Points to a Story

1. Open the Story.
   • Refer to Find Stories in Targetprocess.
2. Expand the Assignment section.
3. Enter the number for Effort next to Team Member.
4. Press Enter on your keyboard.

Using the Estimate Work Function

Estimate Work can be used to quickly get input on Story Points from team members. These instructions are for the facilitator (usually the Scrum Coach). The Estimate Work function uses the Scrum Planning Poker feature of Targetprocess.

1. Select the Story to open the details.
2. Select the Estimate Work button at the top right; indicated by a planning poker icon.
   
3. Your screen should have a message stating Nobody is here yet with a link to Copy Session Link.
   
   1. If you do not have that message, you are in an old session. To start a new session, select the … icon, and select Start New Session.
   2. This action is not available if there are no active sessions.
4. Select Copy Session Link and share that link with the associated team members.
   • Whomever facilitates cannot vote on Story Points from the voting session page, but they can participate if they copy and paste the session link into another tab or window.
5. When team members follow the link, they will begin appearing in the voting list.
   
6. Each Team Member should select the number of Story Points they feel best reflects the effort required for the Story.
7. Once everyone has voted, team members can see each other's votes. Below the votes are three numbers:
   • In the center is the average of the votes.
   • On the left of the average is the next lower Fibonacci number.
   • On the right of the average is the next higher Fibonacci number. 
8. Select a Fibonacci sequence number of Story Points and Apply or Revote.
   • Apply will apply the Effort to the story. 
   • Revote allows the team members to choose a new number of Story Points. 

Error: Failed ensure user vote session

If you get the Failed ensure user vote session error when estimating work, this can be solved by clearing your cache.

To clear your cache for just Targetprocess data, follow the steps for your browser below. Alternatively you can follow Clear Cache and Cookies to clear your entire cache.

• Edge and Chrome
  1. Go to Settings and in the searchbar type cookies and search.
  2. Select Cookies and site data.
  3. Select See all cookies and site data or See all site data and permissions.
  4. Search for tpondemand.
  5. Select delete next to anything that appears in the list for tpondemand.
• Firefox 
  1. Navigate to the Open application menu . 
  2. Select Settings and choose Privacy & Security.
  3. In the Cookies and Site Data section select the Manage Data... button.
  4. Search for tpondemand and select any thing that appear in the list for tpondemand.
  5. Select the Remove Selected button then Save Changes.
  6. In the pop-up window to clear cache for this site select Remove.
• Safari
  1. Select Safari from the top menu bar.
  2. Select Preferences, then open the Privacy tab. 
  3. In the Cookies and website data section select the Manage Website Data... button.
  4. Search for tpondemand and select any thing that appear in the list for tpondemand.
  5. Select Remove and Done.