Learning the Planning Game


Joe Bergin
http://csis.pace.edu/~bergin


This exercise is intended to help your students understand XP and especially the planning game. It will take about one class periodand can be the second class you devote to XP. It should probably not be the first unless you have two or more hours in that session.


Initial Story Writing (10 minutes)
Customers decide what they want and begin to develop feature cards--one feature per card. Keep the developers informed. Give them the cards as they are written
Developers self organize and discuss things with the customers. When you get a card, estimate its time in ideal minutes/seconds. Give it back to Customers.


Planning (5 minutes)
Developers announce your velocity for the next peroid.
Customers choose the most desirable features up to a time limit determined and announced by developers (velocity).


Developing (10 minutes)
Developers draw features on the cards given above and consult with customers as needed.
Customers develop new cards as desired.


Planning (5 minutes)
Developers estimate new cards if any and decide on a new effective time.
Customers choose new features as before.


Developing (10 minutes)
As above.


Planning (5 minutes)
As above.


Developing (10 minutes)
As above.


Discussion by instructor and students (5 minutes)


The other page includes more specific instructions for your role.
There is a write up about this exercise at:
http://csis.pace.edu/~bergin/xp/planninggame.html