Each sprint starts with a sprint planning meeting and ends with a sprint review, followed by a sprint retrospective. But what happens if a sprint has to be terminated prematurely?

According to the official scrum guide by the founders of Scrum – Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland, a sprint can be cancelled before the sprint time-box is over. However, Sprint cancellations are often considered as exceptional cases and are not a regular event.

Table of Contents

Under What Conditions Can A Sprint Be Cancelated Prematurely?

  • Changes In The Organization’s Priorities:
  • A sprint can be terminated when the sprint goal becomes obsolete. This could be due to changes in business perspectives, market dynamics, or corporate strategic decisions. For example, a global crisis, a radical shift in market demand, or a sudden regulatory change can prompt the organization to switch priorities, making the current sprint work irrelevant.

  • Realization Of Wrong Sprint Goal:
  • Wrongly estimated or identified Sprint Goals may become evident in the midst of a sprint. This could be due to miscommunication of priorities, improper backlog grooming, or misinterpretation of client requirements. In such cases, the sprint can be cancelled before it develops into a significant problem.

  • Unachievable Sprint:
  • In some scenarios, it may become clear that the team will not be able to deliver the goal of the Sprint. This could be due to technical challenges, a significant proportion of the development team falling sick, or unavoidable disturbances such as sudden infrastructural issues. In these circumstances, it is prudent to terminate the sprint prematurely.

  • Product Owner Decision:
  • The product owner has the authority to cancel the sprint, for reasons that might be outside the control of the Scrum team. This might include strategic reasons related to business, stakeholders, or budget among others.

Who Can Terminate A Sprint Prematurely?

Only a product owner has the authority to cancel a sprint, though the decision can be influenced by the stakeholders, scrum master or the development team.

What Happens After A Sprint Is Terminated?

All undone work goes back to the Product Backlog. Any completed and “Done” Product Backlog Items are reviewed. With the input from the Product Owner, these items may be acceptable, and therefore a new increment is created. If part of the work is potentially usable, the Product Owner usually accepts it.

It’s essential to understand that prematurely ending a sprint has considerable repercussions. Some of the negative effects include loss of momentum, diminished team morale, increased cost and potential scheduling impacts on the delivery timeline.

However, the goal of Scrum is to maximize value and minimize waste. Therefore, if continuing with the current sprint will lead to wasted effort or missed opportunities, termination could be the most appropriate action. As the Scrum guide says, ‘the only time something should be built is when it’s the very next most important thing that might be worth building, not just because it was mentioned once in a meeting.’

In conclusion, early termination of a sprint should always be seen as a last resort and not a standard practice. The discipline to finish Sprints as planned, overcoming challenges and delivering value incrementally, is the foundation of any successful Scrum team.

Practice Test

True/False: A sprint can be terminated prematurely only if the ScrumMaster and product owner agree.

  • True
  • False

Answer: False

Explanation: While the input of the ScrumMaster and the product owner is significant, it is ultimately the decision of the product owner to terminate a sprint prematurely.

Under which of the following conditions can a sprint be terminated prematurely?

  • a. Due to an emergency company-wide meeting
  • b. When sprint goals become obsolete
  • c. When team members are feeling too stressed
  • d. When a key team member leaves the project

Answer: b. When sprint goals become obsolete

Explanation: A sprint can be terminated prematurely if the sprint goal becomes obsolete. While stress and personnel changes can be detrimental to a sprint, they are not typically grounds for termination.

True/False: If the team is not performing well, the ScrumMaster can terminate the sprint prematurely.

  • True
  • False

Answer: False

Explanation: Only the product owner has the authority to cancel the sprint, even if the team is not performing well.

Who has the authority to terminate a Sprint?

  • a. The Scrum Team
  • b. The ScrumMaster
  • c. The Product Owner
  • d. Any Stakeholder

Answer: c. The Product Owner

Explanation: The Product Owner has the power to terminate a Sprint based on his/her understanding of progress and priorities.

True/False: A carefully planned sprint will never be terminated prematurely.

  • True
  • False

Answer: False

Explanation: Even a carefully planned sprint may face circumstances such as a significant market change, causing the sprint’s objective to become obsolete, consequently causing termination.

A sprint can be terminated prematurely if

  • a. A new technology renders the current work obsolete
  • b. There is a substantial change in project priorities
  • c. The sprint goals are not clear
  • d. All of the above

Answer: d. All of the above.

Explanation: All these circumstances can make the goals of the sprint obsolete, warranting a premature termination.

True/False: The early termination of a Sprint results in increasing the length of the subsequent Sprints.

  • True
  • False

Answer: False

Explanation: The termination of a sprint does not affect the length of subsequent sprints. Each sprint remains timeboxed.

What happens when a sprint is terminated prematurely?

  • a. The team starts the next sprint immediately
  • b. The team conducts a sprint review and retrospective
  • c. The team takes a break
  • d. The team goes back to the product backlog to plan the next sprint

Answer: b. The team conducts a sprint review and retrospective

Explanation: When a sprint is terminated, any complete and “Done” Product Backlog items are reviewed and accepted. Further, a retrospective is held to reflect on the events leading to termination.

True/False: Sprint termination is a regular practice in Scrum.

  • True
  • False

Answer: False

Explanation: Sprint termination is considered a last resort and is not a regular practice because it can disrupt the rhythm of the team and waste resources.

Who bears the cost of terminating a sprint prematurely?

  • a. The Scrum Team
  • b. The ScrumMaster
  • c. The Product Owner
  • d. All stakeholders

Answer: d. All stakeholders

Explanation: All stakeholders bear the cost of a terminated sprint because they all bear the consequences of the delay, misused time, resources, and potential demotivation of the team.

Interview Questions

Who has the authority to cancel the Sprint in Scrum?

The Product Owner is the only person who has the authority to cancel the Sprint in Scrum.

What can be a reason for terminating a Sprint prematurely?

A Sprint can be terminated prematurely if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete. This might occur if the company changes direction or the market conditions change drastically.

Can the Scrum Master cancel the Sprint?

No, the Scrum Master does not have the authority to cancel a Sprint. The Product Owner is the only person who has this authority as specified in the Scrum Guide.

Is it advisable to frequently cancel Sprints?

No, frequent cancellation of Sprints can lead to a loss of confidence in the team, decreased productivity and can disrupt the rhythm established by Scrum.

If a Sprint is cancelled, what happens to the incomplete Sprint backlog items?

If a Sprint is cancelled, the incomplete Sprint backlog items are re-estimated and put back into the product backlog. The work done on them depreciates quickly and must be frequently re-estimated.

Can a Sprint be cancelled if the team feels they will not be able to deliver the Sprint Goal?

No, failure to meet the Sprint goal is not a valid reason for a Sprint cancellation. The decision to cancel a Sprint rests solely with the Product Owner.

Upon cancelling a Sprint, what is the next step recommended by Scrum?

When a Sprint is cancelled, the next step recommended by Scrum is to conduct a new Sprint Planning meeting to start a new Sprint.

What happens to the potentially shippable increments that were developed during the cancelled Sprint?

From a Scrum perspective, they are considered as ‘done’ and can be potentially shipped. However, the decision regarding what to do with them resides with the Product Owner.

Can the Development Team decide to cancel the Sprint?

No, only the Product Owner has the power to cancel the Sprint.

Can a Sprint be cancelled in the middle of the Sprint?

Yes, a Sprint can be cancelled before the Sprint time-box is over. However, it incurs significant cost, complexity, and is considered as the last resort.

How frequently should Sprints be cancelled?

Sprint cancellations should be a rare occurrence. If Sprints are being cancelled regularly, it indicates a problem with the product planning or goal setting process.

What is one of the significant drawbacks of cancelling a Sprint?

One of the significant drawbacks of cancelling a Sprint is that it could result in demotivation in the Development Team and a decrease in their velocity due to repeated context-switching.

Should the team make any adjustments if a Sprint is cancelled frequently?

Yes, if a Sprint is cancelled often, it may indicate that the team needs to revise their practices around Backlog refinement and Sprint planning or reconsider their Sprint Goals.

What happens to the Sprint Burndown Chart if a Sprint is cancelled?

If a Sprint is cancelled, the Sprint Burndown Chart ends abruptly. The team then re-plans and starts a new Sprint with a new Sprint Burndown Chart.

Does cancellation of Sprint lead to a change in the overall project scope?

Yes, the cancellation of a Sprint can lead to changes in the overall project. These can include changes to the schedule, costs, and scope, based on the decision of the Product Owner and stakeholders.

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