I never imagined that a simple tweak in my task management would have such a substantial impact on my life.
It completely changed the way I work. Every single day.
As an ambitious solopreneur who struggled with procrastination and self-criticism, I am now …
- more productive and mindful.
- more realistic about how much I can achieve in a day or week.
- more reliable towards myself and others.
- = overall happier with myself and my work
So let me share with you how it’s done.
In this short video (8min) I explain the “The Story Point System” and its value.
I prefer “effort points” over “story points”. How much effort does it take to finish the task at hand?
But first, what exactly is the Fibonacci Sequence?
The Fibonacci Sequence is a series of numbers where each number is the sum of the two before it. [0+1=1, 1+1=2, 1+2=3, 2+3=5, 3+5=8, 5+8=13, 8+13=21, …]
The sequence is known for the harmonic relationship of its numbers. It reflects an organic pattern of growth (Natural Patterns: Found in sunflowers, pinecones, seashells, and galaxies.)
Why use Fibonacci Numbers for Story Points? 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21
There are two main concepts that make the Fibonacci Numbers particularly beneficial:
- “Just noticeable difference” (JND) is the smallest change in something that you can notice. For example, if you’re holding a weight, the JND is the smallest increase or decrease in weight that you can feel.
- “Hick’s Law” says that the more choices you have, the longer it takes to make a decision. For example, if you have two options, you’ll decide faster than if you have 10 options. It shows that more choices create more mental effort and delay in decision-making.
So, instead of arguing (with the team) whether the task should receive a 5, 6, 7, or 8 it’s much easier to choose between 5 or 8.
That means that the Fibonacci Numbers help put things in perspective or relate tasks to each other (JND) while imposing constraints and limitations, as you can only select Fibonacci numbers from the specified sequence. Which reduces overwhelm and choice overload (Hick’s Law).
How I Use Fibonacci Story Points as a Solopreneur
Personally, I apply the numbers exactly as the Reddit User “Oboshu” commented:
| Story Points | Relative Effort |
|---|---|
| 1-2 | tasks that are easy and can be done very quickly |
| 3 | tasks that are still fairly easy, can be done in an hour or two |
| 5 | tasks that are more complex, might need the whole day |
| 8 | tasks that are effortful, likely need more than one day |
* I do not use the numbers 13 and 21 as I focus more on task- rather than project management. However, if you’re a fan of the SCRUM methodology and want to use Story Points in your business, you might want to consider adding these.
Art lives from constraints and dies from freedom.
Leonardo Davinci
Let’s sum it up. What are the benefits of using Story Points?
Using Story Points in your Task or Project Management has at least five main benefits. Some are related to the outcome, and some to the mode or the psychology of work.
1. More Realistic Estimates
By relating tasks to each other and comparing them, you understand the effort needed to complete each task better. e.g. Is Task B (2) really double the effort of Task A (1)? Is Task C really 5x the effort of Task A?
2. Helps Identify Sub-Tasks (Multi-Step-Processes)
The higher the number of points, the more steps are likely involved. By adding numbers to the task, you’re much quicker to identify the number of steps. Weirdly, they often correlate or are exactly the same. e.g., a task estimate with a (5) often needs exactly 5 sub-tasks to be completed before it’s finished.
3. Puts Things in Perspective (Enhances Focus)
By looking at the tasks’ effort and complexity, you can see what your team’s energy levels can handle. I tend to tackle bigger tasks early in the day and keep smaller ones for the end. I like to group smaller tasks together or I isolate myself to focus on the biggest task of the day.
4. More Fun (Gamification)
By adding up the numbers, I like to challenge myself to achieve an as high as possible number at the end of the day. This makes ticking of tasks fun instead of a nuisance. Being a competitive character “beating records” is a lot of fun to me.
5. Added Feedback Loop
By adding the numbers for each task, you can gather feedback on what you can realistically achieve in a set time. Is it 8 points per day? Or 40 per week? This number shows the “velocity.” For example, 40 story points per week means 40 divided by 5. This results in 8 points per day.
But don’t forget: Everything is relative, and velocity is highly individual to each person, team, and project.
The Fibonacci sequence turns out to be the key to understanding how nature designs.
Ian Stewart