The Scrum framework : Sprint

The Scrum framework consists of Scrum Teams and their associated accountabilities, artifacts, events and rules as defined in the Scrum Guide.

Scrum events

• Sprint
• Sprint Planning
• Daily Scrum
• Sprint Review
• Sprint Retrospective

Sprint definition

• Sprints are the heartbeat of the Scrum framework, where ideas are turned into value :
  • They are fixed length events to create consistency.
  • All the work necessary to achieve the Product Goal, including Sprint Planning, Daily Scrums, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective, happen within Sprints.
  • Sprint is a time-boxed Event during which a “done” usable, and potentially releasable Product Increment is created.

Sprint purpose

• The purpose of each Sprint is to deliver Increments of potentially releasable functionality that adheres to the Scrum Team‘s current Definition of Done (DoD).
  • Sprints enable predictability by ensuring Inspection and Adaptation of progress toward a Product Goal at least every calendar month.

Sprint as a container

• Sprint is an Event and its role is being a container for other Events.
  • Sprint is a time-boxed Event that serves as a container for the other Scrum Events and activities.
  • All the work necessary to achieve the Product Goal, including Sprint Planning, Daily Scrums, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective, happen within Sprints.
• Each Sprint may be considered as a short project.

Sprint time-box

• Sprint is a time boxed Event of 30 days or less
  • They are fixed length Events of one month or less.
  • At least every calendar month (4 weeks).
  • Sprints are limited to one calendar month or shorter.
  • The length of a Sprint thus could be weekly, biweekly or monthly.
  • 2, 3 or 4 weeks.
• Sprint should be short enough to keep the risk acceptable to the Product Owner.
  • When a Sprint’s horizon is too long the Sprint Goal may become invalid, complexity may rise, and risk may increase.
  • Shorter Sprints can be employed to generate more learning cycles and limit risk of cost and effort to a smaller time frame.

Sprint participants

• All members of the Scrum Team share in the accountability for creating value every Sprint.

Sprint practice

• Sprints contain and consist of five parts, work and 4 mandatory Events :
  • Sprint Planning
  • Daily Scrum
  • Development Work
  • Sprint Review
  • Sprint Review
• There is just regular Sprint in Scrum within which the Developers tries to create releasable Increment.
  • Therefore, there are no such things as Sprint Zero, Hardening Sprint, Stabilization Sprint, Integration Sprint, etc.
  • Scrum does not acknowledge:
    • Hardening Phases.
    • Sprint 0 (there is no such thing as Sprint 0)
    • Technical Sprints that consists only of tasks which help reduce the technical debt and do not add any functionality to the Product.
• Sprint is the sole Event that can not be finished or over earlier or later than its predefined time-box duration.
  • Other Events are time-boxed but can be finished earlier if the team achieves each event’s goal.
  • On the other hand, it is possible the Team finishes all selected Sprint Backlog Items and tasks before the Sprint time-box, but the Team should continue the Sprint until the end of the related time-box through accepting new Items from the Product Backlog by negotiating with the Product Owner.

Sprint rules

• A new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint.
  • A Sprint begins right after the previous Sprint ends and ends depending upon the length of the Sprint.
  • There is no gap or work done between Sprints.
• The duration of a Sprint is fixed and cannot be shortened or lengthened.
• The Product Backlog is refined as needed; and,Scope may be clarified and renegotiated with the Product Owner as more is learned.
  • No changes are made that would endanger the Sprint Goal;
• Quality does not decrease;

Sprint and Product Backlog refinement

• The Product Backlog is refined as needed; and Scope may be clarified and renegotiated with the Product Owner as more is learned.

Sprint progress

• Various practices exist to forecast progress, like Burn-Down Chart, Burn-Up Charts, or Cumulative Flow Diagrams (CFD).
  • While proven useful, these do not replace the importance of empiricism.
  • In complex environments, what will happen is unknown.
  • Only what has already happened may be used for forward-looking decision making.

Sprint Impediments

• What happens if the Developers cannot complete its work by the end of the Sprint ?
  • The Sprint ends on time and the team learns what is possible to accomplish in that sprint length.
• What happens if part of the work in a cancelled Sprint is potentially releasable ?
  • The Product Owner typically accepts it.
• May we cancelled the Sprint ?
  • Sprint could be cancelled if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete.
  • Only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel the Sprint.
• What happens when a Sprint is cancelled by the Product Owner ?
  • Completed/”Done” PBIs are reviewed, incomplete PBIs are re-estimated and put back on the Product Backlog.

Scrum framework

More informations for the Scrum PSD certification here.

Updated : 03/09/2021