Storypoints in Software Development Management

Story points are a popular method used by software development teams to estimate the size and complexity of user stories, features, or tasks that need to be completed during a sprint or project. The idea behind using story points is to create a common understanding of the level of effort required to complete a particular piece of work, and use this as a basis for planning and prioritization.

However, story points can also be used as a tool to prevent scope creep in software development. Scope creep is a common problem in software development projects, where the initial scope of work expands over time due to additional requirements, changes in business priorities, or other factors. This can lead to delays, budget overruns, and frustration for both the development team and the client.

Using story points to prevent scope creep involves setting a clear definition of done for each user story or feature, and agreeing on the story point estimate for that piece of work. This helps to create a shared understanding of what is required to complete the work, and how much effort is involved.

When new requirements or changes are proposed, the development team can use the story point estimates as a way to assess the impact of these changes on the overall scope of work. For example, if a new feature is proposed that has a significantly higher story point estimate than the existing work, the team can discuss the implications of this and decide whether to accept the change or to adjust the scope of work accordingly.

I see founders that are both first-time and repeat founders trying to build products without using a structure, more often because they lack the knowledge of how easy it is to set up and implement this type of system. Without it, they should absolutely expect to have:

Inaccurate estimates (Without story points, it can be difficult to accurately estimate the size and complexity of user stories or tasks. This can lead to unrealistic project timelines and budgets, as well as incorrect prioritization of tasks).

Scope creep (Without a clear understanding of the size and complexity of tasks, it can be easy for scope creep to occur. Additional tasks or changes may be added to the project without fully understanding the impact on project timelines and budgets).

Lack of transparency (Without a tracking mechanism such as a burndown chart, it can be difficult to track progress and identify potential roadblocks. This can lead to delays and cost overruns, as well as a lack of transparency and accountability in the development process).

Difficulty in prioritization (Without a common language to understand the relative complexity and effort involved in tasks, it can be difficult to prioritize tasks effectively. This can lead to tasks being tackled out of order, or less important tasks taking up more resources than necessary).

Let's say a software development team is tasked with building a new e-commerce website for a client. The team has a list of user stories, such as:

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• As a customer, I want to be able to search for products by keyword
• As a customer, I want to be able to add products to my cart and checkout
• As an administrator, I want to be able to add, edit, and delete products
• The team agrees to use story points to estimate the size and complexity of each user story. They decide that a story point represents a relative measure of complexity, based on factors such as the amount of work involved, the level of technical difficulty, and the amount of risk involved.

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They start by using the Fibonacci sequence to assign story points to each user story, starting with 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, and so on. For example, they might estimate that the "search for products" user story is a 3-point story, while the "add/edit/delete products" user story is an 8-point story.

As the project progresses, the team tracks the amount of work completed and the remaining work using a burndown chart. This allows them to see how much work is left to be done, and whether they are on track to meet their sprint or project goals.

If new user stories or changes are requested during the project, the team can use the story point estimates to assess the impact on the overall scope of work. For example, if a new feature is requested that the team estimates to be a 13-point story, they can discuss whether it's feasible to add this feature within the existing project timeline and budget. If it's not feasible, they may need to adjust the scope of work or negotiate a change in project timeline or budget.

By using story points to estimate and track the size and complexity of user stories, the team can better manage project scope and ensure that they are delivering value to the client while staying on track with project goals. This method also helps to bridge the communication gap between technical and non-technical team members. Story points provide a common language and understanding of the complexity and effort involved in completing a task, making it easier for non-technical founders to communicate with the development team. By using story points to prevent scope creep, the development team can ensure that they stay focused on delivering the agreed-upon scope of work, while also being able to respond to changing requirements in a controlled and transparent way. This can help to ensure that projects are delivered on time and within budget, while also meeting the needs of the clients or internal team/superiors.