Story points are a measure of the effort required to complete a task. Unlike hours, they account for complexity, risk, and uncertainty, making them a holistic metric for project planning. This unit helps teams focus on delivering value without being bogged down by time-specific estimates.
At Offin, story points align with our user-centred design approach to measure the scope of design tasks, ensuring they’re prioritised effectively within our clients’ business objectives
The story point matrix is a widely adopted tool in agile project management that helps teams estimate work effort based on complexity, time, and risk. It is particularly effective for fostering a shared understanding of priorities among cross-functional teams. The matrix provides a structure for categorising tasks on a scale ranging from low-effort, simple activities to high-effort, complex undertakings:
1 point
Minimum effort, minimal time (a few minutes), low complexity, and no risk or uncertainty.
2 points
Still minimal effort but requiring a few hours instead of minutes.
3 points
Mild effort, completed in a day, with low complexity and manageable risk.
5 points
Moderate effort, spanning a few days, involving medium complexity and moderate risk.
8 points
Severe effort, requiring about a week, with increasing complexity and moderate risk.
13 points
Maximum effort, demanding up to a month, with high complexity and significant uncertainty.
Through the Offin subscription model, clients are allocated 40 story points monthly, allowing them to assign tasks directly via Jira. This structured system ensures that all requests—from UX enhancements to full-scale design projects—are scoped, planned, and delivered efficiently. Our Design Intelligence System automates much of the task estimation process, providing clients with clarity on timelines and outputs. Here’s how story points work within Offin’s framework:
We evaluate each task’s complexity and assign the appropriate story points. For instance, a small UI tweak might cost 2 points, while a new component for an enterprise application could cost 10.
Clients have full visibility into the effort required for each task through Jira dashboards, ensuring transparency in how story points are utilised.
With 40 points per month, clients can strategically allocate resources to what matters most, whether it’s a quick turnaround for a pressing issue or significant resources toward an innovation sprint.
Our system uses data from past projects to ensure accurate point allocation, streamlining delivery and minimising bottlenecks.
Hourly estimations often fail to account for the inherent uncertainty and variability in creative projects. By focusing on effort instead of time, story points:
Offin’s subscription model is designed to fit seamlessly into enterprise workflows, allowing for flexibility and scalability without compromising on quality or delivery timelines.
The allocation of 40 story points per month empowers clients to take full control of their design needs. These points can be used across a wide range of services, such as:
If unused, points can be rolled into future projects, offering flexibility and ensuring clients get maximum value from their subscription.
By integrating story points into our subscription model, Offin bridges the gap between agile development and innovative design. Our Design Intelligence System ensures clients have a predictable, efficient, and strategic framework for delivering exceptional experiences at scale.
At Offin, we’re committed to making design a central pillar of our clients’ success. Let us help your organisation harness the power of design intelligence to achieve its full potential.
