Scrum guide · Scrum events
Sprint Planning in Scrum: Agenda, Time-box and Tips
Sprint Planning starts the Sprint by laying out the work to be performed. The whole Scrum Team collaborates to create a plan everyone understands and believes in.
Key takeaways
- Sprint Planning answers why, what and how.
- It produces a Sprint Goal and Sprint Backlog.
- A well-refined backlog makes planning fast.
Time-box
Sprint Planning is time-boxed to a maximum of eight hours for a one-month Sprint. For two-week Sprints, many teams need two to four hours, often less once the backlog is well refined.
Inputs
- A refined, ordered Product Backlog.
- The latest Increment.
- The team's projected capacity.
- Past performance, such as velocity.
- The Definition of Done.
The three topics
| Topic | Question | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Why | Why is this Sprint valuable? | A Sprint Goal |
| What | What can be done this Sprint? | Selected Product Backlog items |
| How | How will the chosen work get done? | A plan, often items broken into tasks of a day or less |
The Sprint Goal, the selected items and the plan together form the Sprint Backlog.
Sample agenda (two-week Sprint)
- Review the Product Goal and context (10 minutes).
- Product Owner proposes how the Sprint could increase value (10 minutes).
- Team agrees a draft Sprint Goal (15 minutes).
- Developers select items based on capacity (30 to 45 minutes).
- Developers plan how to do the work (45 to 60 minutes).
- Confirm the Sprint Goal and commitment (10 minutes).
Common mistakes
- Unrefined backlog items that need hours of discussion.
- A Sprint Goal that is just a list of items.
- Planning at 100% of capacity with no slack.
- The Product Owner or managers deciding how much the Developers take on.
- Skipping the "how", so problems appear mid-Sprint.
Free templates for this topic
Frequently asked questions
Who attends Sprint Planning?
The whole Scrum Team. Others may be invited to provide advice.
Who decides how much work goes into a Sprint during Sprint Planning?
The Developers decide how much they can take on, through discussion with the Product Owner.
How long is Sprint Planning?
The Scrum Guide time-boxes it to a maximum of eight hours for a one-month Sprint. For shorter Sprints the event is usually shorter.
What are the three topics of Sprint Planning?
Why is this Sprint valuable, what can be done this Sprint, and how will the chosen work get done.
What is the output of Sprint Planning?
A Sprint Goal, the Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint and a plan for delivering them. Together they form the Sprint Backlog.
Who creates the Sprint Goal in Sprint Planning?
The whole Scrum Team collaborates to define it. The Sprint Goal must be finalised before the end of Sprint Planning.
How do you calculate team capacity for Sprint Planning?
Start with available working days per person, subtract holidays, meetings and other commitments, and compare with past performance such as velocity or throughput.
What should be ready before Sprint Planning?
A refined, ordered Product Backlog, the latest Increment, known capacity, past performance data and the Definition of Done.
Should tasks be estimated in hours during Sprint Planning?
Scrum does not require it. Many teams break items into tasks of a day or less instead of estimating hours, which gives enough detail to track progress daily.
Can stakeholders attend Sprint Planning?
The Scrum Team may invite other people to provide advice, but planning decisions remain with the Scrum Team.
What if the team cannot agree on a Sprint Goal during Sprint Planning?
Look at the top of the Product Backlog for a coherent objective, revisit the Product Goal, and ask the Product Owner which outcome matters most. Persistent difficulty often signals a backlog of unrelated items.