Happy Backlog
ESTIMATE WITHOUT ANCHORING

Estimate stories together with free online planning poker

Planning poker helps a delivery team compare effort, uncertainty and complexity before committing to work. Happy Backlog keeps estimates hidden until the Scrum Master reveals them, reducing anchoring bias while making disagreement easy to spot.

Start free No login · Share one link · Live collaboration
WHAT IT HELPS YOU DO

Designed for participation, not presentation

01

Private estimates

Each participant selects a Fibonacci value while other estimates remain hidden.

02

Synchronized reveal

The Scrum Master reveals all cards at once and can hide them for another round after discussion.

03

Fast team signal

See participation count and the numerical average without turning the estimate into a command.

FACILITATOR PLAYBOOK

How to run it well

Keep the mechanics simple so the team can focus on the conversation.

  1. Explain the story

    Clarify the outcome, acceptance criteria and meaningful unknowns before asking for estimates.

  2. Vote independently

    Everyone chooses a card based on effort, risk and complexity—not elapsed time alone.

  3. Discuss the spread

    Invite the highest and lowest estimators to share assumptions, then estimate again if needed.

SCRUM MASTER TIPS

Small choices that make the activity better

  • Use the question-mark card when important information is missing.
  • Do not average away meaningful disagreement.
  • Keep estimation focused on a single backlog item.
COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently asked questions

Does planning poker require an account?+

No. Participants join the shared room using a link or six-character code.

Which estimation cards are included?+

The deck includes 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 and 21 plus question-mark and coffee-break cards.

Are votes hidden?+

Yes. Votes remain private until the Scrum Master chooses Reveal together.

BETTER RETROS · STRONGER TEAMS

Run your next activity with Happy Backlog

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