Sprint planning is a key event in the Scrum framework where the Scrum Team collaboratively plans the work to be completed during the upcoming Sprint. It is a timeboxed meeting that occurs at the beginning of each Sprint and involves the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and the Development Team. The main purpose of sprint planning is to define a sprint goal and select a set of user stories or tasks from the Product Backlog that the team will work on during the Sprint.
Here’s an overview of what happens during sprint planning:
- Reviewing the Product Backlog: The Product Owner presents the top items from the Product Backlog, typically in the form of user stories, to the Development Team. These items are based on their priority and are potentially deliverable within the upcoming Sprint.
- Understanding the Sprint Goal: The Product Owner communicates the sprint goal, which is the overarching objective or outcome that the team aims to achieve by the end of the Sprint. The sprint goal provides focus and direction for the team’s work during the Sprint.
- Discussing and Clarifying Requirements: The Development Team asks questions and seeks clarification from the Product Owner about the user stories or tasks selected for the Sprint. They discuss the requirements, acceptance criteria, and any dependencies or constraints that may affect the implementation.
- Estimating and Committing to Work: The Development Team estimates the effort required to implement each user story or task using techniques such as story points or planning poker. Based on these estimates and their capacity, the team determines how much work they can realistically commit to completing during the Sprint.
- Creating the Sprint Backlog: The Development Team creates a Sprint Backlog, which is a list of all the user stories or tasks selected for the Sprint. They break down the selected user stories into smaller, actionable tasks and assign them to individual team members.
- Agreeing on the Definition of Done: The team agrees on the definition of done (DoD) for the Sprint, which outlines the criteria that must be met for each user story or task to be considered complete and potentially shippable. The DoD ensures that the team delivers high-quality work that meets the agreed-upon standards.
- Timeboxing the Meeting: Sprint planning is timeboxed to a specific duration, typically between one and four hours, depending on the length of the Sprint and the complexity of the work. The Scrum Master ensures that the meeting stays focused and on track to accomplish its objectives within the allotted time.
By the end of sprint planning, the Scrum Team should have a clear understanding of what work will be done during the Sprint, how it will be accomplished, and what the expected outcome is. This clarity and alignment set the stage for a successful Sprint and enable the team to work collaboratively towards achieving their goals.