The Agile Coaches Report · Volume 01 · 2026

Agile estimation: from prediction to alignment

Why story points were never about hours, and what more than 30 Agile coaches say estimation is actually for.

Read the report online or download the PDF.

Key findings

  • More than 30 Agile coaches were interviewed across distributed and co-located teams worldwide.
  • The value of estimation is in the conversation and shared understanding, not the number.
  • Coaches are shifting estimation away from prediction and toward alignment.

“Once velocity becomes a KPI, estimation stops being honest.”

Coach 9, quoted in The Agile Coaches Report

Turn estimation into shared understanding

Quely gives teams a structured place to think before they meet, capture the reasoning behind estimates, and surface blind spots without letting AI make the decision.

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