Scrum for Beginners 3-5-3 Part 4: Sprint Planning Basics and 3 Pro Patterns
Hello! This is Part 4 of a series on scrum using the 3-5-3 framework (3 roles, 5 events, and 3 outputs) where we use the Scrum Guide as a base for our learning.
In this article we will cover:
Click the emoji to jump to each section in the article.
What is Sprint Planning?
Sprint planning is one of 5 scrum events as detailed in the Scrum Guide and the first in every sprint.
As a tip, if you want to know basic information about scrum, the Scrum Guide is a fantastic resource.
The Scrum Guide says:
Sprint Planning initiates the Sprint by laying out the work to be performed for the Sprint. This resulting plan is created by the collaborative work of the entire Scrum Team.
This means that during sprint planning the scrum team (developers, product owner, scrum master) and whoever else is necessary (sometimes stakeholders) collaborates to decide what will be done during the sprint to create user value.
Another way to think of this is the 3 outcomes and 3 outputs of sprint planning respectively.
During sprint planning, the Scrum Team meets to create a shared understanding of the following outcomes:
- why the sprint is valuable
how this new increment will give value to users and how it connects to the product goal - what they might get done this sprint given known information about team capacity
- how they plan to get the work to Done according to the team's standards of quality
The scrum team is also accountable for the following outputs:
- A sprint goal that the team is committed to that aligns with the overall product goal
- A Ready sprint backlog (a forecast of work needed to achieve the sprint goal that is based on team capacity)
- A plan for how the developers intend to do the work (knowing this will likely change as the sprint continues)
As with everything in the Scrum Guide, the 'what' and 'why' are listed but not the how.
This is because teams are expected and trusted to know how to do good meaningful work that meets the 'what' and 'why' discussed in sprint planning.
Who joins Sprint Planning?
There are lots of people who can join sprint planning. Here are the mandatory participants and their roles:
Developers:
Developers turn ideas into successful implementation and are an integral part of sprint planning. Their technical expertise is necessary if we want a working increment by the end of the sprint.
Product Owner:
The product owner brings the product vision from the point of view of stakeholders (business and users included). They are responsible for preparing the product backlog and making sure it is clear for sprint planning
Scrum Master:
The scrum master's role in sprint planning is to ensure that every voice is heard and the team are focusing on delivering value at the end of the sprint.
Additionally these people may also be found during sprint planning:
Designers, domain experts outside the team, users, business stakeholders, agile coaches, etc
Who you invite to sprint planning is up to you but they should only be people who are necessary for a discussion to happen. The more people who join "just because" the slower and less effective planning sessions tend to be.
3 Sprint Planning pro patterns for any team
Here are 3 quick pro patterns that any team doing any form of scrum, scrumban, LeSS, SaFe, etc can follow for more productive planning sessions:
1. Have an agenda
2 hours is a long time to wander aimlessly in a discussion. It's easy to use up the entire time-box and realize that you didn't talk about what you need in order to start working. Having an agenda will help guide your sprint planning so you can keep on track
Here is an example agenda that many teams use for sprint planning:
- Check-in
- Confirm task status
- Confirm sprint goal completion
- Finish sprint
- Share team capacity
- Make sprint backlog
- Discuss what's needed in the next sprint
- Make new sprint goal
- Start sprint
The biggest benefit of having an agenda is not to follow it 100% every time; it's a reminder of the team's purpose for gathering and the outcomes and outputs they hope to achieve.
2. Prepare for sprint planning
Sprint planning is the longest time-boxed event in scrum because there are a lot of important discussions that need to be had. 2 hours for a 1 week sprint, up to 8 hours for a 4 week sprint. Preparing for sprint planning is a part of participating in sprint planning in order to maximize the value able to be received.
Some preparations that could helps improve sprint planning sessions:
- Check if product backlog is up to date (all product backlog items are accurately described, product backlog is prioritized, user stories/epics are written)
- Check if sprint board (JIRA, miro, Trello, etc) is up to date
- Prepare a draft sprint goal ahead of time
- Share any important links or documents ahead of time
- Gather and review necessary feedback from stakeholders
Just by implementing a few of the above pre-planning tips you can reduce the time you spend getting everyone on the same page and more time discussing what's important for the upcoming sprint.
3. Add a break in your sprint planning
This isn't in the Scrum Guide but I read it in a book called The Workshop Survival Guide: How to design and teach educational workshops that work every time and I've used it ever since.
It states,
For every 60 minutes of work, you should build in a 5-10min break.
Breaks are a chance to refresh our bodies and attention. They also are an opportunity to let ideas and words settle in. In a meeting as important as sprint planning I have found a small break every 60min creates more engagement and better ideas.
I hope this helps clear up some basic information about sprint planning and gives you some inspiration for how you can make your planning sessions more effective.