9.4.2. Assignment

While deciding the stories and tasks which should be assigned to an iteration, additional details of the assignment may be considered. Generally a team member will be set as the owner of the the story or task and be responsible for its completion. While planning the iteration, ownership assignment can be handled at the same time. Sub-tasks can be assigned to individual users.

To assist in the accuracy of the iteration plan, time estimates should also be made on the stories that are assigned to the iteration. Providing the time estimate allows the total time planned for an iteration to be measured for purposes of velocity. The estimated time for individual team members can also be viewed so that individuals are not overloaded during an iteration.

Of course, stories themselves should be marked as part of an iteration. Doing so allows the iteration progress to be tracked over time and reports to be generated. Keep in mind that when stories are assigned to an iteration, the sub-tasks of such stories are also considered assigned to the iteration. Remember that iterations are only available for assignment if they have not been marked "Finished".

Next Section: 9.5. Starting/Finishing