SCRUM: Getting to Done: Creating Good Sprint Goals by Stephanie Ockerman

𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝒅𝒐 𝒘𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝑺𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒕 𝑮𝒐𝒂𝒍? 🎯

𝑊𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑛 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤𝑛.

𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝐺𝑜𝑎𝑙 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑐𝑢𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑒.

Here are four common problems with Sprint Goals:

𝟏 - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐛𝐢𝐠. 😮

When we have compound Sprint Goals (e.g. achieve X and Y and Z), we are splitting focus and not allowing much flexibility.

Because of:

🔹 We are working on multiple unrelated projects or initiatives.

🔹 We try to encompass every Product Backlog Item (PBI).

🔹 We think the team may not work as hard if the challenge isn't big enough. #distrust

𝟐 - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞. 😵‍💫

🔹 During Sprint Planning, ask "How will we know if we have achieved the Sprint Goal?

🔹 Make the Sprint Goal measurable.

🔹 Confirm everyone's understanding and commitment to the Sprint Goal.

𝟑 - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭. 😎

🔹 Make it visible.

🔹 Talk about progress towards the Sprint Goal in the Daily Scrum.

🔹 Make the Sprint Goal a team measure and keep it visible in the team space. (Achieving a Sprint Goal is pass/ fail. There is no such thing as 85% achieved.)

𝟒 - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐟𝐮𝐥. 👎🏻

A Sprint Goal is supposed to provide a purpose.

This is a driver for intrinsic motivation.

🔹 Make it business or user-focused when possible. (What will a user be able to do when we implement this feature? What will a business area be able to achieve when we implement an enhancement?)

🔹 Make it focused on testing business assumptions and getting feedback. (Know what users need or are willing to do. Get early feedback to test assumptions.)

🔹 Make it focused on reducing risk. (If we learn about risk: the earlier we change direction, the cheaper the cost of the change.)

#scrum #sprint #goal

Full article👉🏻 https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/getting-done-creating-good-sprint-goals