Daniel Bartl

It is quite intriguing that an agile concept of user story points was invented for estimating the cost instead of the value of the story it relates to, even though its naming is so close to the user and his story, needs, pain points, and desires.

How come?

It becomes clearer if you think about who the customer is in the Agile Manifesto itself. The customer is mentioned in the context of collaboration being valued more than contract negotiation. And one is not usually negotiating contracts with users. But with the customer who is paying for custom development work, and thus mostly handing out requirements. And inside these requirements is where the user lives and where, fingers crossed, the value lies. Since it is required, already, the only thing left to negotiate is the costs.