But when we refer to a Sprint and its goal, it is mostly considered as an unchangeable entity. Interestingly, it might seem contrary to the agile principles, but there is strong reasoning behind it. Understanding why the Sprint Goal doesn’t change once it is set can provide insight into how effective Scrum is meant to work.
1. What is a Sprint Goal?
Before dissecting why Sprint Goal doesn’t change, let’s first understand what a Sprint Goal is. It is an objective set for the Sprint that can be met through the implementation of the Product Backlog. It’s a guiding light for the development team, providing direction and promoting a shared purpose.
2. The Concept of Immutable Sprint Goal
Scrum Guide, the seminal work on the topic, emphatically insists that “Once a Sprint begins, its duration is fixed and cannot be shortened or lengthened”, and “the remaining events may end whenever the purpose of the event is achieved.” This implies that Scrum relies on stability, coherence, and focus during the Sprint.
Why the Sprint Goal doesn’t change during the Sprint could be seen from various perspectives:
2.1 Ensuring Focus and Stability: Altering the goal during the sprint could result in disruption and destabilizing the efforts of the team. A constrained window provides the team the required clarity, focus and reinforces the need to work towards a specific outcome.
2.2 Encourages Proper Planning: If goals can be altered mid-sprint, this could encourage poor planning. The committed goal signifies a promise of delivery and ensures that appropriate planning and estimating occur during the Sprint Planning meeting.
2.3 Avoids Scope Creep: Sprint Goal doesn’t change, this effectively prevents “scope creep” or the gradual shift in objectives during the project duration which often leads to delays and cost overruns.
2.4 Promotes Team Commitment: A fixed goal strengthens the morale of the team by promoting a sense of achievement on successful completion of the Sprint.
For example, consider a scenario of developing a new feature for an existing product. During Sprint Planning, the team agrees on a Sprint Goal of “Implement user login feature with email verification”. Once the Sprint starts, changing this goal to include additional functionalities like “Implementing profile creation” would disrupt the focus and introduce new complexities. It can lead to overload, decreased quality, and possibly the failure of the initial goal.
Rather if during the course of the Sprint, another critical feature arises, it can be included in the next Sprint and planned accordingly in the next Sprint Planning event, ensuring that the new change doesn’t impact the current Sprint’s focus and goal.
3. Exception to the Rule
It is important to note that sometimes, drastic changes in the organization or market can necessitate a change in the Sprint Goal. In such a situation, the Sprint should be terminated, and a new Sprint Planning is initiated to accommodate the new requirements. However, this should be seen as a last resort.
In essence, keeping the Sprint Goal unchanged during the Sprint is crucial for maintaining focus, stability, and creating an environment for delivering a quality product. It is an embodiment of discipline and consistency- essential attributes to successfully manage and deliver complex projects using Scrum.
Practice Test
True or False: The Sprint Goal can be changed or altered anytime during a Sprint.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: The Sprint Goal, once defined and committed, is unchangeable throughout the Sprint. It provides guidance and focus, so altering it can disrupt the work and the team’s momentum.
In Scrum, when can the Sprint Goal be established?
- a) At any time during the Sprint
- b) Only during the Sprint Planning
- c) Once the Sprint has been reviewed
- d) Before the Sprint begins
- a) At any time during the Sprint
- b) Only during the Sprint Planning
- c) Once the Sprint has been reviewed
- d) Before the Sprint begins
Answer: b) Only during the Sprint Planning
Explanation: The Sprint Goal is established during the Sprint Planning session. It sets the objective of the Sprint which is then unchangeable.
What happens if a new requirement comes up during the Sprint?
- a) The Sprint Goal is modified
- b) The new requirement is disregarded
- c) The new requirement is added to the next Sprint’s backlog
- d) The Sprint is cancelled
Answer: c) The new requirement is added to the next Sprint’s backlog
Explanation: New requirements that arise during a Sprint are not added to the ongoing Sprint, but instead are placed in the backlog for consideration in future Sprint planning.
True or False: The Sprint Goal provides flexibility for the Scrum team in terms of work execution.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: While the Sprint Goal does not change, the way in which the Scrum team meets that goal can adapt and evolve as necessary throughout the Sprint.
Why does the Sprint Goal not change during a Sprint?
- a) To accommodate new requirements
- b) To maintain focus and productivity
- c) To extend the Sprint duration
- d) To change the team members
Answer: b) To maintain focus and productivity
Explanation: Keeping the Sprint Goal consistent helps the team stay focused and maintain productivity throughout the Sprint.
What happens if the Sprint Goal becomes unachievable during the Sprint?
- a) The Sprint continues with a new goal
- b) The Sprint Goal is modified
- c) The Sprint is cancelled
- d) The Scrum team continues working on current Sprint backlog
Answer: c) The Sprint is cancelled
Explanation: If the Sprint Goal becomes unachievable or irrelevant, the Product Owner can decide to cancel the Sprint.
True or False: A Sprint can have multiple Sprint Goals.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: A Sprint has one clear, concise goal which provides a shared understanding for the Scrum team.
Who is responsible for defining the Sprint Goal?
- a) Scrum Master
- b) Product Owner
- c) Development Team
- d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
Explanation: While the Product Owner has the initial responsibility, the Sprint Goal is a collaborative decision involving the entire Scrum team.
Can the Scrum team negotiate the scope of the Sprint Goal during the Sprint?
- a) Yes
- b) No
Answer: b) No
Explanation: While the Development Team can negotiate how the work will be done to achieve the Sprint Goal, the Sprint Goal itself and its scope won’t be negotiated.
True or False: The Sprint Goal is an essential aspect of Scrum.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: The Sprint Goal is a key aspect of Scrum as it provides a direction, enables team collaboration, and offers a measure of success.
Interview Questions
What is the purpose of the Sprint Goal in Scrum?
The Sprint Goal in Scrum provides guidance as to why the sprint is being undertaken. It provides a high-level objective that the team is working towards and is defined during the sprint planning meeting.
Can the Sprint Goal change during a Sprint?
No, the Sprint Goal does not change during a Sprint. Once it is established during the planning meeting, it remains consistent throughout the sprint to maintain focus and direction.
Why is it important that the Sprint Goal does not change during a Sprint?
Constant changes in the Sprint Goal would lead to the lack of focus, decreased productivity as well as decreased predictability. It can also disorient the team and create a lack of clarity on the objectives to be achieved.
What can be done if there is a significant change that would impact the Sprint Goal?
If there is a significant change, the Scrum team can opt to cancel the sprint. After canceling, they perform a whole new Sprint Planning including the setting of a new Sprint Goal.
What is the benefit of having a consistent Sprint Goal?
A consistent Sprint Goal helps the team to stay focused on the desired outcome of the sprint. It provides clarity and direction, and it guides all the development work in the sprint.
What happens if the Sprint Goal is achieved early?
If the Sprint Goal is achieved early, the team can add in more product backlog items that are in line with the Sprint Goal.
Who is responsible for defining the Sprint Goal?
The Sprint Goal is agreed upon during the Sprint Planning Meeting by the entire Scrum team, but it is the Product Owner who has the final say.
Is it mandatory to have a Sprint Goal for every Sprint?
Yes, it is mandatory to establish a Sprint Goal for every sprint. It provides a single objective for the sprint and gives the team a shared purpose.
How is the Sprint Goal used during the Daily Scrum?
The Sprint Goal is used during the Daily Scrum as a means to inspect progress towards the goal and redirect efforts if necessary.
When can a Sprint Goal be modified or removed?
The Sprint Goal cannot be modified or removed once accepted at the start of a Sprint. The only circumstance in which it can be altered is if the Sprint itself is cancelled.
How can a Sprint Goal bring value to the product development?
A Sprint Goal adds value by providing a clear focus and direction for the team. It aligns their efforts towards a common goal which improves productivity and enables them to deliver valuable increment to the product.
What happens if the team fails to meet the Sprint Goal?
If the Scrum Team fails to meet the Sprint Goal, this is discussed in the Sprint Review and Retrospective to understand why it happened and to make improvements in future Sprints.
How are Sprint Goals different from Sprint Backlog items?
While Sprint Backlog items are specific tasks the team chooses to work on during the Sprint, the Sprint Goal is the overarching objective those items are meant to achieve.
Can all Scrum Team members contribute to formulating the Sprint Goal?
Yes, all Scrum Team members can contribute to formulating the Sprint Goal. It is a collaborative effort by the Product Owner, the Scrum Master, and the Development Team.
Is the Sprint Goal linked to the product backlog?
Yes, the Sprint Goal is linked to the product backlog. It is formulated based on the selected product backlog items for the sprint.
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