Sprint Planning is an important Scrum event in which the Developers decide what work they will do during the upcoming Sprint. The Scrum Master is critical in facilitating a great Sprint Planning event by ensuring that the event is well-organized and the team is properly prepared.
One of the Scrum Master’s primary responsibilities is to ensure that Sprint Planning is scheduled at the start of each Sprint and that all necessary attendees are invited. The Scrum Master should collaborate closely with the Product Owner to ensure that the Developers understand the Product Backlog as well as the Sprint Goal for the upcoming Sprint.
During Sprint Planning, the Scrum Master should facilitate discussion and collaboration by encouraging the team to actively participate and mediating any conflicts that may arise. The Scrum Master should also make certain that the team understands the Definition of Done and is aware of any constraints or limitations that may impact the Sprint.
Sprint Backlog and Sprint Goal
The Sprint Planning process includes developing a Sprint Backlog, which is a list of PBIs that the team will work on during the Sprint. The Scrum Master and Product Owner should collaborate closely with the Developers to ensure that the Sprint Backlog is well-defined and that the team understands what work is required.
During Sprint Planning, the Product Owner clarifies the goals and priorities for the upcoming Sprint and assists the team in determining the Sprint Goal. The Sprint Goal is a short, concise statement that summarizes the Sprint’s purpose and what the team hopes to accomplish. It provides focus and direction for the Sprint by providing a shared understanding of what the team is working towards.
The Product Owner must also ensure that the Sprint Goal is consistent with the overall product vision and goals. The Product Owner should collaborate closely with the team to ensure that the Sprint Goal is met within the Sprint, and should be willing to make changes as needed to ensure that the Sprint Goal remains relevant and valuable.
Values and principles
When discussing Scrum Events, one thing that always comes to my mind is the Scrum Master’s awareness of how the events contribute to empirical process control and the embodiment of the Scrum Values. The Scrum Master can be extremely helpful in facilitating and coaching during this Scrum event.
The Scrum Values can be embodied in the Sprint Planning in the following ways:
- Commitment
- The team commits to the Sprint Goal and the items that will be worked on to achieve it;
- Focus
- The team should make every effort to identify and remove any distractions or obstacles that may prevent them from completing the work they have planned and obstruct the completion of the Sprint Goal. Furthermore, the event is time-boxed;
- Openness
- The team should be open to new perspectives and ideas, as well as changes and adaptations. The Scrum Master fosters an open and honest environment in which all team members can express their opinions and provide input into Sprint Planning. There is a Sprint Goal, a Sprint Backlog, and a Definition of Done;
- Respect
- During the planning process, the team should be respectful of each other’s opinions, ideas, and contributions, as well as the boundaries of how (Developers) and what (Product Owner);
- Courage
- The team should be brave in their decision-making (such as taking on a reasonable amount of work) and willing to take risks in order to achieve their objectives.
The Sprint Planning appeals to the three pillars of Empiricism by:
- Transparency
- Giving all team members a clear understanding of the Sprint Goal and what they will be working on to achieve it by providing a transparent view of the work the team will be doing in the upcoming Sprint;
- Inspection
- Allowing the Scrum Team to review the DoD, past performance, and Retrospective actions taken in previous Sprints, and adapt the plans as needed;
- Adaptation
- Allowing the team to make necessary changes to their plans in response to new information and changing circumstances. In order to achieve the Sprint Goal, the team must be flexible and willing to change their plans as needed.
How to facilitate – a summary
To end the article, a small summary on how to facilitate a great Sprint Planning:
- Schedule Sprint Planning at the beginning of each Sprint and invite all relevant stakeholders.
- Ascertain that the team understands the Product Backlog and the Sprint Goal for the upcoming Sprint.
- Encourage active participation and collaboration, and mediate any potential conflicts.
- Ensure that the team understands the DoD as well as any constraints or limitations that may impact the Sprint.
- Assist the team in developing a well-defined Sprint Backlog and ensuring that everyone understands what work needs to be done.
- Remember, “A great start is half the work!” as we say in the Netherlands. A well-executed Sprint Planning often results in a successful Sprint!