Understanding and Apply Scrum [P6]: Sprint Goal - Scrum from the trenches (the sprint goal)

Question 1

Super high level difference between the product goal and sprint goal?

Answer 1

• product goal - commitment to product backlog
• sprint goal - commitment to sprint backlog

Question 2

Key benefits of the sprint goal

Answer 2

• fosters collaboration across accountabilities with the scrum team —> create shared responsibility on achieving goal
• grounds for convos for next steps
• focus

Question 3

What is the relationship between the sprint goal and the sprint backlog?

Answer 3

Sprint backlog should constantly reflect the goal

Question 4

Tips to deal with the challenge of “There is no Sprint Goal”

Answer 4

• Talk to PO - what is it that we want to achieve at the end of this Sprint?
• experiment - try something out and verify outcome

Question 5

Tips to deal with “The work is the Sprint Goal”

Answer 5

• Product Owners should share their vision and what goals need to be achieved next
• PO talks with Devs to create product backlog items that will achieve goal
• PO starts off planning but then Devs self-organise plan to reach goal
• Look at the way the product is organised - product backlog organised around features or as breadcrumbs for clients?
• Look at alternative ways to achieve the sprint goal

Question 6

Tips to deal with the challenge of “There is no room for anything else”

Answer 6

• primary and secondary goal - focus is on main goal but still cohension on rest of the sprint
• OR shorter sprints
• spent more time doing backlog refinement - better insights, smaller items

Question 7

What is the risk when a sprint is full?

Answer 7

achieving the sprint goal — e.g. capacity reduces due to external issues (people sick, production failures, hot fix), hard implementation

Question 8

Tips to deal with the challenge of “There is no focus on the Sprint Goal”

Answer 8

• be transparent - visible goal somewhere
• talk about it - make sure always raised in the stand up (and only talked about)
• colour code product backlog items that are relevant for the sprint goal so team knows relevant ones

Question 9

Tips to deal with the challenge of “The goal is not a goal”

Answer 9

• Needs to have a WHAT focus
• Reflect on if other responsibilities are impacting goal creation e.g. some has two roles in company (PO is also PM)
• SM needs to figure out these impediments - ask questions