Key takeaways
- Scrum has five events: the Sprint, which contains the four others, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review and Sprint Retrospective.
- A Sprint has a fixed length of one month or less; a new Sprint starts immediately after the previous one ends.
- Maximum timeboxes for a one-month Sprint: Sprint Planning 8 hours, Sprint Review 4 hours, Sprint Retrospective 3 hours. The Daily Scrum always lasts 15 minutes.
- Each event is a formal opportunity to inspect and adapt Scrum artifacts.
- Product Backlog refinement is an ongoing activity, not a Scrum event.
Overview and timeboxes
Scrum defines five events. The Sprint is a container for the four others. Each event is a formal opportunity to inspect and adapt Scrum artifacts. Events are used to create regularity and to minimize the need for meetings not defined in Scrum. Each event has a maximum duration, called a timebox.
| Event | Purpose | Who | Timebox (one-month Sprint) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint | Turn ideas into value through a usable Increment | Scrum Team | One month or less (fixed length) |
| Sprint Planning | Lay out the work for the Sprint | Scrum Team (+ invited people) | 8 hours maximum |
| Daily Scrum | Inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the plan | Developers | 15 minutes |
| Sprint Review | Inspect the outcome of the Sprint and determine future adaptations | Scrum Team + stakeholders | 4 hours maximum |
| Sprint Retrospective | Plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness | Scrum Team | 3 hours maximum |
For shorter Sprints, the Sprint Planning, Sprint Review and Sprint Retrospective are usually shorter. The Daily Scrum is always 15 minutes.
The Sprint
Sprints are the heartbeat of Scrum. They have a fixed length of one month or less to create consistency, and a new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous one. All the work necessary to achieve the Product Goal, including the four other events, happens within Sprints.
During the Sprint:
- no changes are made that would endanger the Sprint Goal;
- quality does not decrease;
- the Product Backlog is refined as needed;
- scope may be clarified and renegotiated with the Product Owner as more is learned.
A Sprint can be cancelled if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete. Only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel the Sprint.
Sprint Planning
Sprint Planning initiates the Sprint by laying out the work to be performed. The resulting plan is created by the collaborative work of the entire Scrum Team. It addresses three topics:
- Why is this Sprint valuable? The Scrum Team defines a Sprint Goal that communicates why the Sprint is valuable to stakeholders.
- What can be Done this Sprint? The Developers select items from the Product Backlog to include in the current Sprint.
- How will the chosen work get done? The Developers plan the work necessary to create an Increment that meets the Definition of Done.
The Sprint Goal, the selected Product Backlog items and the plan for delivering them together form the Sprint Backlog.
Daily Scrum
The purpose of the Daily Scrum is to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog as necessary. It is a 15-minute event for the Developers, held at the same time and place every working day to reduce complexity.
The Developers can choose whatever structure and techniques they want, as long as the Daily Scrum focuses on progress toward the Sprint Goal and produces an actionable plan for the next day of work. It is not a status meeting for management, and it is not the only time Developers can adjust their plan.
Sprint Review
The purpose of the Sprint Review is to inspect the outcome of the Sprint and determine future adaptations. The Scrum Team presents the results of its work to key stakeholders, and progress toward the Product Goal is discussed. The Product Backlog may also be adjusted to meet new opportunities.
The Sprint Review is a working session, and the Scrum Team should avoid limiting it to a presentation. It is the second-to-last event of the Sprint.
Sprint Retrospective
The purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness. The Scrum Team inspects how the last Sprint went with regard to individuals, interactions, processes, tools and its Definition of Done. It identifies the most helpful changes, which may even be added to the Sprint Backlog for the next Sprint.
The Sprint Retrospective concludes the Sprint.
What about Product Backlog refinement?
Product Backlog refinement is the act of breaking down and further defining Product Backlog items into smaller, more precise items. It is an ongoing activity to add details such as a description, order and size. It is not a Scrum event, and the Scrum Guide does not define a timebox for it.
Continue with Scrum artifacts and their commitments, or test yourself with the Scrum Library.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland, The Scrum Guide, November 2020.
- Manifesto for Agile Software Development, 2001.
- SCRUM Framework, How our certification exams work.
Exam content is based on the Scrum Guide by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0). SCRUM Framework is an independent certification body. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Scrum.org, Scrum Alliance or Scrum Inc., whose names and trademarks belong to their respective owners.
