Final answer:
In Agile development, planning poker is an estimation and planning tool used to reach consensus on task effort. Estimators discuss their 'bids' to arrive at a common estimate through collaboration and physical reasoning, which are practices shared across various fields, including physics, engineering, and software development.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Agile development, planning poker, also known as Scrum poker, is a tool for estimation and planning used in development processes. Estimators use cards with values to represent the amount of work required for a task. During the estimation process, each participant reveals their 'bid' on the task which reflects their estimate of the effort involved. This is done in a collaborative manner until a consensus is reached, with the aim of having all estimators arrive at the same estimate through discussion. The practice encourages team members to engage in conversation and share their perspectives, leading to more accurate estimates.
Estimating in Agile processes often involves considering variables and their potential relationships. To improve at the art of estimation, professionals may draw on strategies such as applying physical reasoning and leveraging prior knowledge to make educated guesses. In complex fields such as physics, engineering, or even software development, these estimations are not random but are based on a good understanding of underlying principles and a reasonable approximation of key variables.
Moreover, the process of prototyping, testing, and refinement in design steps similar to those in Agile requires iterating and improving estimates as new information is revealed.