Produce a valuable increment of work within a sprint

5 min

By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:

  • Define a sprint as a fixed time-box delivering one or more “measurable” product increments
  • Explain that the scrum team defines the definition of done if no organizational standard exists
  • Explain that no changes during the sprint should risk the sprint goal
  • State that only the product owner can cancel a sprint
  • Identify that the scrum team refines the product backlog as needed

What is a sprint?

A sprint is the heartbeat of scrum. It’s a fixed-length time-box, usually one month or less—with many teams choosing a default of two weeks as an easy cadence to work with, during which the scrum team works to deliver a usable, potentially releasable product increment.
At the end of each sprint, the scrum team should have at least one, but potentially many, things that are “done”, meaning it meets the agreed quality standards and is ready for use or release.

The definition of done is a clear and shared understanding of what “done” means for a product increment. This ensures everyone is aligned on quality and completeness. No more “almost done” or “this just needs a bit more testing.” If no organizational standard exists, the scrum team defines the definition of done.

The benefits of working in sprints include:
  • A predictable cadence of working
  • Teams get fast feedback on work done to avoid wasted effort
  • A fixed planning horizon that provides a clear point in time to use when thinking ahead

Determine the length of a sprint

The scrum team sets the length of a sprint to match the shortest amount of time the team needs (this should not exceed a month) to produce a valuable increment. Sprint length should be consistent and doesn't normally change, but it’s not unchangeable - if a retrospective identifies the sprint duration is a blocker, changing it should be considered but teams should try to be consistent with length to help with planning.

Scrum recommends that the team spends as much time as needed on frequent backlog refinement (when the team reviews and updates the product backlog), ensuring upcoming work is well-understood and ready for future sprints.

Explore the sprint process

The sprint is the main event of the scrum process, and within it are smaller events. The product goal and product backlog should already be decided before the first sprint.
👇Click the five numbered icons below to learn more about the sprint.
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A diagram of the sprint process. There is a continuous arrow connecting sprint planning, daily scrum, sprint review, and sprint retrospective.

Making changes during a sprint

Once a sprint starts, its goal is set. No changes should be introduced that would endanger the sprint goal. This focus allows the team to deliver what they committed to, without distractions or shifting priorities.

Can you cancel a sprint?

Only the product owner has the authority to cancel a sprint, and only if the sprint goal becomes obsolete (for example, if market conditions change dramatically) or something emerges that is of higher priority than the sprint goal, making it unachievable. Cancellation is rare, as it disrupts the team’s rhythm and focus.

Sprint cancellation is a rare and disruptive occurrence. Only the product owner can cancel a sprint. A merger or acquisition that significantly changes strategy could be considered a reason to cancel a sprint.

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