T-shirt sizes in product backlog? This is the most common question that people have in the mind, especially those who are curious on how programmers create a software and make an estimate to product backlogs quickly. Since you don’t want to waste time waiting for results for so long just for product backlog estimates, the team now has developed another technique in achieving a consensus of what will be the final estimates of that certain product or item. Thus, this T-shirt sizing in agile is found as an efficient tool in coming up with an agreeable and reliable product estimation. Now, what is really the use of the strategy “T-shirt sizing?
T-shirt sizing is an effective way of knowing a particular product size. By comparing its features, you can break it into different sizes such extra-large, large, medium, small and extra small. Estimating through tis relative sizes or buckets are far better than making an estimate based on absolute effort or time. Nobody wants to waste time thinking and estimating. Also, it will just turn into a disappointment if it happens to be a false precision.
Procedure
• In starting with t-shirt sizes in agile, each backlog item or product should written first on a 3×5 index card and be placed on a table before anything else.
• Choose the smallest sized product that will serve as your point of reference
• Organize and group the cards with its corresponding sizes approximately 2x as big as the first one, (M = S + S , L= M+M). Items having sizes larger than XL is an epic for it too big to estimate.
• Once all of the items are organized and placed to their groups, points will be assigned to each size. You can use the Fibonacci series to make the estimate more precise.
Pros
• T-shirt sizing is a much easier way to get started with your product estimation. It is much accessible and convenient to use than other techniques that requires a great time just for the team to arrive with a final estimate of the product features or item. As the team uses this T-shirt in agile, they become more accustomed to having a relative estimating. Starting with T-shirt sizes is not necessarily wrong but incorporating underlying numbers on each of it will make a better result and accurate estimation
Cons
• They are not additive. In a formal context, you cannot use its terms in giving an estimation on a product. You may even sound funny if you are going to tell your manager that your work will be done in 4 mediums, 6 larges and 3 petites.
• The view of an extra-large size may vary and not match on your boss. You cannot say that the product is 25% bigger than a large size or the large size is 50% bigger than small size for it’s so confusing. Thus, it cannot be applied to a large scaled items for definitely, you will find it hard to make an estimation out of it.
Truly, there are a lots of ways on how you can make an estimate on products backlogs or item. T-shirt sizes in agile is just one of the numerous methods. Which strategy or technique to be used depends already to the team. What is more important is that the outcome of that strategy should provide precise and accurate estimate of the item to avoid conflicts with your manager or stakeholders.
— Slimane Zouggari