Plan, Estimate, and Break Down Sprints
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Plan, Estimate, and Break Down Sprints
This course is part of Getting Started with Jira Specialization
Instructor: LearningMate
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What you'll learn
Learners will plan sprints, apply story-point estimation, and break down user stories into sub-tasks to ensure a collaborative delivery.
Skills you'll gain
- Scrum (Software Development)
- Jira (Software)
- Product Requirements
- User Story
- Workflow Management
- Work Breakdown Structure
- Agile Methodology
- Backlogs
- Meeting Facilitation
- Agile Project Management
- Agile Product Development
- Project Estimation
- Agile Software Development
- Project Planning
- Estimation
- Sprint Planning
- Analysis
Tools you'll learn
Details to know
January 2026
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There are 3 modules in this course
Move from participating in sprints to actively planning them with Plan, Estimate, and Break Down Sprints. This course is designed for any agile team member who wants to master the core mechanics of creating a predictable and successful sprint. You will learn to facilitate and execute the key ceremonies and practices that turn a backlog of ideas into a committed and actionable plan.
You will begin by mastering the Sprint Planning ceremony, learning to leverage its structure and time-boxes to drive focus and commitment. Next, you will dive into the art of agile estimation, using story points and collaborative techniques to assess complexity and build a shared understanding of the work. Finally, you will learn the critical skill of deconstruction, breaking down user stories into granular sub-tasks to improve visibility and workflow. By the end of this course, you will be able to analyze, estimate, and structure a sprint backlog in Jira, ensuring your team starts every sprint with a plan that is clear, realistic, and built for success.
This module moves beyond the theory of Sprint Planning to focus on its strategic execution. You will learn not just the purpose and time-boxes of this critical ceremony, but how to prepare for and participate in it effectively. By analyzing the inputs (a well-refined backlog) and outputs (a sprint goal), you will be equipped to help your team create a realistic and valuable plan.
What's included
2 videos2 readings2 assignments
2 videosβ’Total 12 minutes
- Why a time-box matters?β’6 minutes
- How to Prepare for Sprint Planning in Jiraβ’7 minutes
2 readingsβ’Total 16 minutes
- A Practical Guide to Sprint Planningβ’10 minutes
- Backlog Management: Refining Processes and Developing Essential Skillsβ’6 minutes
2 assignmentsβ’Total 35 minutes
- Hands-On Learning (HOL): Critique a Sprint Planning Agendaβ’25 minutes
- Knowledge Check: Mastering the Sprint Planning Ceremonyβ’10 minutes
In this module, you will master the collaborative art of story-point estimation. You will learn why abstract, relative estimation is more effective than time-based estimates for assessing complexity and uncertainty. Through hands-on scenarios, you will practice using agile estimation techniques and learn to justify your estimates, helping your team build a shared understanding of the work ahead.
What's included
2 videos1 reading1 assignment
2 videosβ’Total 14 minutes
- The Problem with "How Long Will It Take?"β’6 minutes
- How to Run a Planning Poker Session in Jiraβ’8 minutes
1 readingβ’Total 6 minutes
- Story Points and Agile Estimationβ’6 minutes
1 assignmentβ’Total 10 minutes
- Knowledge Check: The Art of Estimation with Story Pointsβ’10 minutes
This final module focuses on making work visible and actionable by breaking it down. You will learn how to analyze a user story and deconstruct it into the concrete technical and procedural sub-tasks required to get it to "Done." This skill is essential for improving workflow, enabling parallel work, and providing clear, daily visibility into a story's true progress.
What's included
2 videos1 reading2 assignments
2 videosβ’Total 13 minutes
- The "Done" Story That Wasn't Doneβ’6 minutes
- How to Create and Assign Sub-Tasks in Jiraβ’6 minutes
1 readingβ’Total 5 minutes
- Navigating User Story Breakdown: A Practical Guide for Scrum Mastersβ’5 minutes
2 assignmentsβ’Total 40 minutes
- Final Project: Sprint Planning and Estimation Reportβ’30 minutes
- Knowledge Check: From User Stories to Actionable Sub-Tasksβ’10 minutes
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University of Maryland, College Park
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