story point
A relative sizing unit teams use to gauge how much effort a user story will require to deliver.
Key Points
- Represents relative effort or size, not hours or days.
- Estimated by the team, often using Fibonacci-like scales (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13...).
- Considers complexity, uncertainty, and risk in addition to work volume.
- Enables forecasting via velocity (points completed per iteration).
Example
During sprint planning, the team uses a 2-point reference story for a simple profile update. A password reset story seems more complex and uncertain, so they assign it 5 points. With a historical velocity of 20 points, the team forecasts how many stories they can confidently include in the next sprint.
PMP Example Question
In Agile estimation, what does assigning 5 story points to a user story primarily indicate?
- The work will take exactly five ideal hours.
- A relative effort/complexity compared to other stories.
- The business value delivered is five times higher than average.
- The story requires five developers to complete.
Correct Answer: B — Relative effort estimate for a user story
Explanation: Story points express relative sizing of effort, complexity, and uncertainty, not fixed time, headcount, or monetary value.
HKSM