Estimation best practicies...?

Question

Guys,

Can you share some knowledge on this?

How do you estimate?

When you create an epic and divide it on user stories - what is the best practice?

* To estimate on sub-task level?
* To estimate on story level?
* To work with time trackng (estimate in hours) or with story points?

I'm asking because I'm not sure how to work with agile board.

When I enter estimates in subtasks - they do not show as original estimate on Agile Board, just as remaining values - which i loose from view when sprint starts.

When I enter estimates on story card - it by default sums this estimate with those from subtasks (checkbox include subtasks always on).

How do you work daily?
Which estimates do you use to track work...?

Nic Brough -Adaptavist- · Answer

I think you mean "never estimate subtasks".

Estimates should not be done on subtasks because Atlassian haven't coded for any of the seventy three different ways people might want to handle estimates at that level.

But, they're very useful for breaking down stories into pieces that are managable, or need to go to different people or apply to different parts of what you're doing, or, or, or...

The reason they aren't in the plan mode is because they're irrelevant to planning.  It's complete nonsense to prioritise them outside the context of the story they belong to.

David Skreiner2 · Answer

If I understood it right, you should never use subtasks, because subtasks and estimates for them won't be shown in planning mode, and can only be part of a sprint if the parent is in the same sprint.

https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JSW-6825

https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JSW-5614

https://answers.atlassian.com/questions/49582

https://answers.atlassian.com/questions/11439770

Maybe this can help:

https://confluence.atlassian.com/agile/jira-agile-user-s-guide/configuring-a-board/configuring-estimation-and-tracking