Agile Product Poker

Agile Product Poker - by Thinkpilot

What is the Agile Product Poker Template?

The Agile Product Poker template is an interactive and gamified approach to feature prioritization and roadmap planning. It combines collaborative decision-making, strategic investment, and playful elements of poker to help teams align on priorities, effort, and strategic fit for upcoming sprints or roadmaps.

What Does It Help You Achieve?

• Streamline Feature Prioritization: Quickly identify and prioritize feature ideas that align with your product’s goals.

• Encourage Team Collaboration: Foster a sense of shared ownership and collective decision-making among team members.

• Assess Feasibility and Appetite: Gauge team commitment to invest time and resources into specific features.

• Plan a Clear Roadmap: Develop a well-structured roadmap based on team consensus, balancing ambition with practicality.

• Reflect and Align Goals: Ensure that team decisions are in harmony with broader business objectives.

Who Would Benefit From It?

• Product Managers & Product Owners: Simplify feature prioritization and gain team alignment.

• Agile Teams: Collaboratively decide which features to focus on during sprints.

• Cross-Functional Teams: Engage engineers, designers, marketers, and stakeholders in a shared planning process.

• Startups & Scale-ups: Make informed decisions with limited resources and maximize impact.

• Decision Makers: Align team efforts with strategic business priorities.

How to Use the Agile Product Poker Template

Setup: “The Poker Table”

1. Prepare the Deck: List feature ideas, each tied to a problem statement and value proposition.

2. Distribute Poker Chips: Provide chips to all participants; chips represent their “investment” in solutions.

3. Select a Dealer: Assign a facilitator to guide the session.

4. Add Players: Adjust participants as needed, and optionally add their photos to personalize the board.

Round 1: Feature Ideation – “Deal the Cards”

• Step 1: Present the feature ideas. Allow team members to pitch additional (non-duplicate) ideas.

• Step 2: Participants allocate chips to features they believe are most critical.

• Outcome: A prioritized list of features based on chip investment.

Round 2: Determine Appetite – “Bet Your Chips”

• Discuss each feature’s required effort.

• Bet Chips based on appetite:

• Small Stack (S): Low effort (1 chip).

• Medium Stack (M): Moderate effort (2 chips).

• Large Stack (L): High effort (3 chips).

• All-In (XL): Very high effort (4 chips).

• Outcome: Average the bets to find team consensus on effort.

Round 3: Order of Play – “Call or Fold”

• The Dealer reviews the prioritized list and asks the team whether to:

• Call: Commit to a feature for the sprint/roadmap.

• Fold: Defer the feature for later.

• Outcome: A refined shortlist of features to advance to planning.

Round 4: Plan the Roadmap – “Show Your Hand”

• Use the appetite data to:

• Finalize features for the roadmap.

• Determine execution order.

• Allocate time and resources.

Round 5: Reflection – “Check the Pot”

• Review the prioritized features and resource allocation.

• Discuss alignment with company goals and adjust as needed.

• Summarize the roadmap in a “Winner’s Pot” celebration to recognize team efforts and commitments.

Why It Works

This template blends structure and creativity, ensuring everyone has a voice while maintaining focus on strategic objectives. It’s a perfect tool for teams looking to align quickly and make confident decisions in a fun, engaging way.