Intro to Estimates
Video Placeholder Duration: 4-6 minutes Topics covered: What are estimates, estimate types, setting up estimates, using estimates
What are Estimates?
Estimates in Plane quantify the effort required for work items. They help teams gauge task complexity quickly, plan capacity, and track velocity over time.
Estimates act as a proxy for:
- Complexity — How difficult is this?
- Effort — How much work is involved?
- Time — How long will it take?
Why Use Estimates?
Benefits
- Sprint Planning — Know how much you can commit to
- Capacity Planning — Balance work across team members
- Progress Tracking — Measure velocity over time
- Stakeholder Communication — Set realistic expectations
Estimate Types
Plane supports three types of estimation systems:
1. Points
Numeric systems for relative sizing:
| System | Values | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Linear | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... | Simple, incremental tasks |
| Fibonacci | 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21 | Varying complexity (most popular) |
| Squares | 1, 4, 9, 16, 25 | Exponential complexity growth |
| Custom | Your own values | Team-specific systems |
Why Fibonacci?
The Fibonacci sequence works well because:
- Larger items have more uncertainty
- Gaps between numbers increase naturally
- Prevents false precision for big items
2. Categories
Text-based relative sizing:
| System | Values | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| T-shirt Sizes | XS, S, M, L, XL | Quick, intuitive estimation |
| Easy/Medium/Hard | Easy, Medium, Hard | Simplest classification |
| Custom | Your own labels | Team terminology |
When to Use Categories
- Teams new to estimation
- When relative effort matters more than numbers
- Non-technical stakeholders involved
3. Time (Pro)
Actual time-based estimates:
| Format | Example |
|---|---|
| Hours | 2h, 4h, 8h |
| Days | 1d, 2d, 5d |
| Custom | Your duration units |
When to Use Time
- Client billing based on hours
- Deadline-driven projects
- Productivity tracking
Setting Up Estimates
Step 1: Access Estimate Settings
- Go to Project Settings
- Select the Estimates tab
Step 2: Add Estimate System
- Click Add estimate system
- Choose your estimation type (Points, Categories, or Time)
Step 3: Choose a Template or Customize
For Points:
- Select preset (Linear, Fibonacci, Squares)
- Or create custom values
For Categories:
- Select preset (T-shirt, Easy/Medium/Hard)
- Or create custom labels
For Time:
- Define duration units
- Set your values
Step 4: Enable
Toggle the estimate system on to make it available for work items.
Using Estimates
Assigning Estimates to Work Items
- Open a work item
- Find the Estimate property
- Select a value from your configured system
In Views
Display estimates in your views:
- Enable "Estimate" in display properties
- Group or filter by estimate
In Planning
Use estimates for sprint planning:
- Sum estimates to understand capacity
- Compare to historical velocity
- Balance workload across team
Velocity Tracking
Track team velocity over time:
Using Velocity
- Plan capacity — Don't commit more than your average
- Identify trends — Is velocity improving?
- Spot issues — Sudden drops indicate problems
Estimation Best Practices
Start Simple
Begin with fewer values:
- 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 (Fibonacci subset)
- S, M, L (T-shirt subset)
Estimate Relatively
Compare items to each other:
- "Is this bigger or smaller than X?"
- Use a reference item as baseline
Include the Team
Estimation is most accurate when:
- Multiple perspectives contribute
- Team reaches consensus
- Historical data informs future estimates
Don't Over-Optimize
Estimates are approximations:
- Perfect accuracy isn't the goal
- Consistency matters more than precision
- Trend tracking beats individual accuracy
Common Estimation Mistakes
| Mistake | Problem | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Too many values | Decision paralysis | Limit to 5-7 options |
| Estimating in hours | False precision | Use points for relative sizing |
| Individual estimation | Bias and blind spots | Team estimation sessions |
| Never updating | Stale baselines | Regular retrospectives |
Estimation Workflows
Planning Poker
- Present a work item
- Team members secretly choose estimates
- Reveal simultaneously
- Discuss differences
- Re-estimate if needed
- Reach consensus
T-Shirt Sizing Session
- Lay out category definitions
- Sort backlog items into buckets
- Review and adjust
- Move to detailed estimation if needed
Key Takeaways
- Estimates quantify effort for planning and tracking
- Three types: Points (numbers), Categories (text), Time (duration)
- Fibonacci is popular for handling complexity uncertainty
- Set up estimates in Project Settings → Estimates
- Track velocity to improve planning accuracy
- Estimate relatively, not absolutely
- Team estimation produces better results
Next Steps
Now that you can estimate work, learn how to collect external requests with Intake Forms.
Next Lesson: Intro to Intake Forms