Sprint Planning
The Scrum ceremony that kicks off each sprint. The team selects items from the top of the product backlog, commits to a sprint goal, and creates a sprint backlog of tasks to achieve it. Effective sprint planning produces a realistic, team-owned commitment — not a manager-assigned workload. The sprint goal (a single unifying objective) is more important than the list of tickets.
How to run it
- 1
Part 1 — What: the product owner presents the top backlog items. The team asks questions to understand each item fully. Together, select items that fit within the team's velocity.
- 2
Agree on a sprint goal: one sentence capturing the purpose of the sprint.
- 3
Part 2 — How: the team breaks selected items into tasks. Estimate effort if not already done (Planning Poker).
- 4
Check the total estimated work against team capacity (accounting for meetings, leave, etc.).
- 5
Adjust the scope if the sprint is over-committed.
- 6
The team commits to the sprint goal (not necessarily every single ticket).
- 7
Update the sprint board and begin.
Tips
The sprint goal is the anchor — when unexpected work arrives mid-sprint, the goal guides trade-off decisions.
Never let sprint planning become a negotiation between the team and management about how much work can be squeezed in.
Variations
Run a 'Sprint Zero' for brand new teams: focus entirely on setup, agreements, and tooling rather than delivery. For Kanban teams, run a 'Replenishment Meeting' instead.
Where it fits
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