Scrum Artifact: Sprint Backlog

Q: Is it possible for the Sprint Backlog to change during a Sprint?

While the goal is for the Sprint Backlog to remain largely stable during the Sprint, it can change as the team gains more knowledge about the work. However, the objective of the Sprint should remain consistent.

Q: Who holds ownership of the Sprint Backlog?

The Development Team owns the Sprint Backlog. They're responsible for forecasting the work that will be done during a Sprint and updating the Sprint Backlog throughout.

Q: Does the Sprint Backlog contain functional requirements?

Yes, the Sprint Backlog contains functional requirements as well as any other work the Development Team identifies as necessary to meet the Sprint Goal. This might include design work, technical tasks, or even bug fixes.

Q: At what point is an item in the Sprint Backlog deemed as complete?

An item in the Sprint Backlog is considered complete when it meets the Definition of Done established by the Scrum Team. This includes not only fulfilling the functional requirements but also any necessary documentation, testing, and code reviews.

Q: Who has the authority to make changes to the Sprint Backlog?

Only the Development Team has the authority to make changes to the Sprint Backlog. While the Product Owner can suggest changes, it's ultimately up to the Development Team to determine how much work they can do in a Sprint.

Q: Who is in charge of prioritizing items in the Sprint Backlog?

The Development Team is in charge of managing and organizing the work in the Sprint Backlog. However, the order of the Product Backlog items, which forms the basis for the Sprint Backlog, is determined by the Product Owner.

By Abhay Talreja

7/4/2023

My latest article - Empirical Process Control - The Key to Agile Success

Scrum Artifact: Sprint Backlog

The Sprint Backlog, a key Scrum artifact, is a meticulously curated list of tasks that a Scrum Team aims to accomplish during a specific sprint.

Derived from the overarching product backlog during the sprint planning session, the Sprint Backlog is a strategic tool that helps the team maintain focus and ward off scope creep.

It clearly delineates the tasks to be undertaken during the sprint, providing a dynamic roadmap that can be updated as the sprint progresses to accommodate changes or new insights.

In this article, we will explore the purpose, structure, and management of the Sprint Backlog, and its importance in guiding the Scrum Team's work during a Sprint.

Table Of Contents-

Purpose of the Sprint Backlog

The Sprint Backlog serves as the Scrum Team's plan for a specific Sprint and offers several key benefits:

Focus: The Sprint Backlog helps the Development Team maintain focus on the work items that they have committed to completing during the Sprint.
Transparency: The Sprint Backlog provides a transparent view of the work that is planned for the current Sprint, allowing the Scrum Team and stakeholders to monitor progress and understand the team's commitments.
Adaptability: The Sprint Backlog is a dynamic artifact that can be updated by the Development Team throughout the Sprint to reflect new insights, emergent requirements, or changes in priority.
Accountability: The Sprint Backlog holds the Development Team accountable for delivering the work items they have committed to during the Sprint.

Structure of the Sprint Backlog

The Sprint Backlog consists of the following elements:

Sprint Goal: A high-level objective that the Scrum Team aims to achieve during the Sprint, providing guidance and focus for their work.
Selected Product Backlog Items: The Product Backlog Items (PBIs) that the Development Team has committed to addressing during the Sprint, usually chosen based on their priority and the team's capacity.
Work Breakdown: A detailed breakdown of the tasks, activities, and dependencies required to complete each PBI, often expressed as a to-do list or a task board.

Managing the Sprint Backlog

The Development Team is responsible for managing the Sprint Backlog, which involves:

Selecting PBIs during Sprint Planning: The Development Team selects the PBIs from the Product Backlog that they will address during the Sprint, considering the priority, the team's capacity, and the Sprint Goal.
Breaking down PBIs into tasks: The Development Team breaks down each PBI into tasks, activities, and dependencies, creating a detailed plan for completing the work during the Sprint.
Updating the Sprint Backlog: The Development Team continuously updates the Sprint Backlog throughout the Sprint, adding new tasks, marking completed tasks, and adjusting the plan as needed to reflect new insights or changes in priority.

In conclusion, the Sprint Backlog is an essential artifact in the Scrum framework, providing a focused, transparent, and adaptable plan for the Scrum Team's work during a specific Sprint.

Quiz on Sprint Backlog in Scrum

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Question: What is a Sprint Backlog in Scrum?

A list of all product featuresThe set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint, plus a plan for delivering themA list of tasks to be done after the SprintA record of all past Sprints

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) / People Also Ask (PAA)

Is it possible for the Sprint Backlog to change during a Sprint?

Who holds ownership of the Sprint Backlog?

Does the Sprint Backlog contain functional requirements?

At what point is an item in the Sprint Backlog deemed as complete?

Who is responsible for managing the Sprint Backlog?

Who has the authority to make changes to the Sprint Backlog?

Who is in charge of prioritizing items in the Sprint Backlog?

Product Backlog Product Increments