Sprint planning is a foundational event in Scrum that serves as the official kick-off for a new sprint. Its primary purpose is to define what work can be delivered within the upcoming sprint and how that work will be achieved. This collaborative session involves the entire Scrum Team working together to lay out the sprint's objectives and execution strategy.
The Core Purpose of Sprint Planning: Defining "What" and "How"
During sprint planning, the Scrum Team collaboratively addresses two key questions, which are crucial for setting the direction and scope of the sprint:
1. Defining "What" Can Be Delivered
This phase focuses on selecting the most valuable Product Backlog Items (PBIs) that the team believes it can realistically complete within the sprint. It involves:
- Understanding the Sprint Goal: The Product Owner proposes a Sprint Goal and discusses the most important Product Backlog items. The team collaboratively refines this goal to ensure it is clear, achievable, and aligned with product vision.
- Forecasting Work: The Development Team assesses their capacity, skills, and the complexity of the PBIs to determine a realistic amount of work to pull into the sprint. This isn't a commitment to finish every item, but a forecast of what is likely to be done.
- Selecting Product Backlog Items: Based on the Sprint Goal and the team's capacity, specific PBIs are chosen from the Product Backlog to form the initial Sprint Backlog. These items should be well-understood and ready for development.
2. Determining "How" That Work Will Be Achieved
Once the "what" is defined, the team shifts its focus to planning the execution of the selected work. This involves detailing the steps necessary to turn the chosen PBIs into a releasable increment:
- Breaking Down Items: The Development Team decomposes the selected Product Backlog items into smaller, more manageable tasks. These tasks might include design, technical analysis, coding, testing, and documentation.
- Creating the Plan: The team outlines the sequence and approach for tackling these tasks. This might involve discussing technical solutions, identifying dependencies, and assigning initial responsibilities.
- Ensuring Achievability: The team considers the Definition of Done (DoD) for each item to ensure that the planned work will meet the quality standards and ultimately contribute to a valuable increment.
The table below illustrates the distinct yet interconnected focus areas of "what" versus "how" in sprint planning:
| Aspect | Focus: Defining "What" | Focus: Determining "How" |
|---|---|---|
| Objective | Identify the overarching goal and selected items | Plan the execution to achieve the goal and complete items |
| Outcome | A clear Sprint Goal and selected PBIs | Decomposed tasks forming the detailed Sprint Backlog |
| Involves | Product Owner, Development Team | Primarily the Development Team |
Collaborative Nature and Key Outcomes
Sprint planning is inherently a collaborative event, with active participation from the entire Scrum Team:
- Product Owner: Clarifies the Product Backlog items, explains the desired value, and helps define the Sprint Goal.
- Development Team: Selects the Product Backlog items, forecasts the work, and plans how to turn those items into a "Done" increment.
- Scrum Master: Facilitates the event, ensures it is productive, and helps the team adhere to Scrum principles.
The successful completion of sprint planning results in two key artifacts:
- Sprint Goal: A concise, single objective that the Scrum Team aims to achieve during the sprint. It provides a shared purpose and flexibility for the team.
- Sprint Backlog: Comprising the selected Product Backlog items for the sprint, along with the detailed plan for delivering them and achieving the Sprint Goal. This serves as the Development Team's plan for the sprint.
By carefully planning "what" to deliver and "how" to achieve it, sprint planning ensures the team starts each sprint with clarity, focus, and a shared understanding of their immediate objectives.
