Sprint Planning in Agile Projects

At the start of each Sprint, the Scrum Team selects the Stories and Tasks to be completed during the sprint.  This planning session is the Sprint Planning meeting.  During this Planning Event, the Scrum Team creates a Sprint Backlog detailing all of the work required to be completed.  During this process, the scope of work must be communicated to the Scrum Team. Once the Sprint Backlog is prepared, the Development Team must commit to delivering these Tasks within the Sprint.

Sprint Planning Meeting

The Sprint Planning will typically take 4 hours for a two-week Sprint.  During the first two hours, the Scrum Team agree the Product Backlog Items be considered for the Sprint.  During the final two hours, the Development Team will create the Sprint Backlog.

Each Sprint begins with a Sprint Planning session that should not exceed two hours for each week of the Sprint.  Therefore if a Sprint is one week in duration, then the Sprint Planning should last no more than two hours.  The aim of the session is to define a Sprint Backlog, identify the work to be completed for the Sprint and to commit to a Sprint Goal.

 The Product Owner must ensure that the Product Backlog is well refined, and prioritized in advance of the Sprint Planning session. The Scrum Team must advise on how much can be done and how it will be done. The Product Owner must not tell the Scrum Team how much work must be done during the Sprint.

Product Planning

Firstly the product roadmap should support the Vision Statement and it should include the highest priority requirements.  Splitting up the product requirements provides a high-level timetable of features and this timetable is also known as the Release Plan.   The Release Plan then facilitates dialogue between the Scrum Team and the Product Stakeholders because of the visibility and frankness it creates.

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