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T-Shirt Sizing
Intuitive relative sizing that keeps the focus on complexity, not numbers.
What is T-Shirt Sizing?
T-Shirt Sizing replaces numerical story points with familiar clothing labels — XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL — to represent the relative size of a task. Instead of debating whether something is a 5 or an 8, the team simply asks: is this small, medium, or large?
This technique is especially useful in early-stage planning, roadmap discussions, or any context where the goal is a rough sense of scale rather than a precise estimate.
Why Use T-Shirt Sizing?
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Approachable for everyone
Non-technical stakeholders and new team members can participate immediately. There is no learning curve — everyone understands what small, medium, and large mean.
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Keeps discussions on complexity
Without numbers in the room, conversations stay focused on relative effort rather than drifting into debates about exact hour counts or deadlines.
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Reduces estimation pressure
Labels feel less committal than numbers, which encourages honest estimates rather than conservative ones driven by accountability concerns.
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Great for high-level backlog grooming
When you need to size a full quarter's worth of work quickly, T-shirt sizing lets you move fast without sacrificing useful signal.
How to Use T-Shirt Sizing
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1.
Bring the team together
Include developers, product owner, and any stakeholders who have context on the work. T-shirt sizing benefits from diverse perspectives.
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2.
Present each item
Read each story or task aloud. Make sure everyone understands what is being asked before sizing begins.
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3.
Discuss complexity
Before voting, briefly surface any technical risks, dependencies, or unknowns that might affect the size.
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4.
Vote and compare
Each person picks a size privately, then all votes are revealed. Discuss any differences and agree on a final size.
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5.
Record and move on
Log the final size and continue through the backlog. You can always convert sizes to points later once you have more context.
T-Shirt Sizing in PlanPoker
PlanPoker includes a T-shirt sizing deck ready to use. No setup — just open a room, switch the deck, and start.
- T-shirt sizing deck included alongside Fibonacci, Scrum, and custom decks
- Simultaneous reveal so no one is anchored by others' choices
- Vote distribution charts to see where the team aligned
- No sign-up required — share a link and your team joins instantly