Affinity Estimating
Affinity Estimating is a specialized form of estimation technique employed in agile methodologies for gauging the relative size or effort required for Product Backlog Items (PBIs). This technique differs from traditional estimation techniques like story points or time-based estimates and is commonly used for agile projects where the scope of work is often fluid and subject to change.
Overview
In Affinity Estimating, team members collaboratively categorize PBIs into groups based on their relative size or effort required to complete them. It's an interactive and participative approach that facilitates a better understanding of the workload and aids in planning sprints or releases. Teams often use familiar terms such as T-shirt sizes (Small, Medium, Large, Extra-Large) to establish a scale for estimation. These T-shirt sizes serve as an intuitive, less granular way of assessing the relative effort for each PBI.
Process and Methodology
Initial Sorting: All PBIs are laid out, and team members individually or collectively categorize them into T-shirt sizes or groups of similar size.
Discussion: The team discusses any disagreements or clarifications needed, ensuring a shared understanding of what each category or T-shirt size represents in terms of work effort.
Finalization: Post-discussion, PBIs are moved to their final categories, effectively producing a relative estimate of the workload.
Validation: Occasionally, teams may opt to validate the affinity estimates by comparing them to more granular estimation methods or historical data.
Benefits
Quick Estimation: Affinity Estimating is generally faster than other methods because it's less granular and based on intuitive understanding.
Collaborative: The technique encourages team participation and generates collective intelligence, ensuring a well-rounded perspective.
Scalability: Effective for estimating a large number of PBIs, particularly useful during initial stages of a project.
Flexibility: As the project evolves, so can the affinity estimates, making it an adaptable technique.
Use-case
While Affinity Estimating is commonly used in agile software development, it also finds utility in other domains of business analysis. For instance, it can be employed to estimate the effort required for different Business Analysis tasks, activities, or even the development of specific Business Requirements.
By effectively leveraging Affinity Estimating, Business Analysts and project teams can benefit from a streamlined and collaborative approach to estimation, which in turn aids in effective sprint and project planning.