I’ll freely admit that I have been guilty of not having a Sprint Goal for every iteration. When you neglect this part of Scrum, well., it’s no longer Scrum. A unifying Sprint Goal is an essential part of this agile framework, and without it, there’s nothing to guide the team during an iteration. If you fall into the trap of skipping this vital part of agile, then this blog is for you.
What is a Sprint Goal?
A Sprint Goal is the value statement for an iteration – it provides the foundation for a successful Sprint by giving the Scrum Team the context for their work and organizing it into a theme to help them focus on what they are trying to accomplish.
It’s might be easy to say that your Sprint Goal is “to complete everything we planned for in the Sprint,” – but this is not a good Sprint Goal – it’s lazy. Instead, your Sprint Goal should be SMART (specific, relevant, achievable, realistic, and time-bound), and it should expressly state what you want to achieve.
What happens if you don’t have a Sprint Goal?
If you don’t have a Sprint Goal at all, your team is likely to be all over the map; with nothing guiding the Scrum Team’s work, they may decide to do things that don’t align with the Product Owner’s vision. Not having a Sprint Goal is like not having a soul – it’s a crucial aspect of a team that gives it purpose.
How is a Sprint Goal different from a Product Goal?
The Scrum Guide introduced the Product Goal as a new artifact and commitment in its last update. The Product Goal is the overarching goal for the entire product – not just a piece of it. Every Sprint Goal you craft should support the Product Goal; if not, you should question whether it’s something you should do.
Who creates the Sprint Goal?
The Scrum Team creates the Sprint Goal, with guidance and direction from the Product Owner. The team uses the Sprint Goal to hold themselves accountable for their commitment. Working together to create your goal ensures that everyone agrees to it and has a shared understanding of it.
When should you create your Sprint Goal?
The team crafts the Sprint Goal during Sprint Planning. In the latest update to the Scrum Guide, this is known as “Topic One: Why is this Sprint Valuable.” Having the Sprint Goal defined prior to story selection helps the Scrum Team choose the best stories to support the goal and the Product Owner‘s vision for delivering value.
What happens if the Sprint Goal becomes invalid?
Rarely (very rarely), something happens to invalidate your Sprint Goal. When this happens, it typically leads to the cancellation of the Sprint. The Product Owner decides on whether to cancel the Sprint. If a drastic change occurs, this may make sense. If not, the Scrum Team may want to revisit the goal to see if it still makes sense or whether to change it.
Can you change your Sprint Goal during an iteration?
In a perfect world, no, you would never want to modify your Sprint Goal once an iteration has begun. However, should circumstances change that requires an immediate pivot, it might make sense to revisit and revise your Sprint Goal during a Sprint. While I usually don’t advise doing this, there are some times that it might make sense.
Final Thoughts
Don’t get lazy and skip creating a unifying Sprint Goal for each of your iterations; this is a critical aspect of Scrum that focuses your Scrum Team on their work that ultimately supports your overall Product Goal. Avoid making changes to your Sprint Goal during a Sprint unless the goal has become irrelevant.
That’s all, folks! Are you like me, regularly skipping over this important part of Scrum? If so, you need to bring it back! If you haven’t used a Sprint Goal, what problems have you noticed as a result? Do you have any examples of good Sprint Goals? If so, please share in the comments below!