scrum

Scrum

A lightweight framework for delivering complex products through iterative, incremental work. Scrum is founded on empiricism (knowledge from experience) and lean thinking (reduce waste, focus on essentials). Teams work in fixed-length iterations called Sprints, inspecting and adapting continuously.

Three Pillars

Pillar	Meaning
Transparency	The process and work must be visible to those performing and receiving the work
Inspection	Scrum artifacts and progress must be inspected frequently to detect problems
Adaptation	When inspection reveals deviation, adjust immediately

Five Values

Commitment, Focus, Openness, Respect, Courage. The Scrum Team commits to achieving goals, focuses on Sprint work, is open about challenges, respects each other as capable people, and has courage to do the right thing.

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Sprint Goal

The Sprint Goal is the single objective for the Sprint. It is the commitment of the Sprint Backlog. The Sprint Goal provides focus and coherence, encouraging the Scrum Team to work together rather than on separate initiatives.

Quick Template (Focus / Impact / Confirmation)

Our focus is on [outcome].
We believe it delivers [impact] to [stakeholder/customer].
This will be confirmed when [measurable event happens].

Example: "Our focus is on sending a basic notification email containing a report link. We believe it delivers confidence to our finance team. This will be confirmed when we have an email in an inbox with a working link."

SMART Criteria

Criterion	Applied to Sprint Goals
Specific	Define exactly what the team will achieve, not a vague direction
Measurable	Include a way to confirm completion objectively
Achievable	The team can realistically deliver within the Sprint timebox
Relevant	Connects to the Product Goal and delivers stakeholder value
Time-bound	Bounded by the Sprint duration

Anti-Patterns

Anti-Pattern	Problem	Fix
Task list disguised as goal	"Complete stories #101, #102, #103" provides no strategic focus	State the outcome those stories achieve
Vague aspiration	"Improve the system" gives no direction or measurable outcome	Be specific: what improves, for whom, how will you know
Multiple unrelated objectives	"Build auth AND redesign dashboard" splits focus	Pick one objective; if truly independent, they belong in separate sprints
Dictated by PO alone	Team has no ownership or buy-in	Craft the goal collaboratively during Sprint Planning
Never referenced after planning	Goal becomes forgotten wallpaper	Reference the goal daily in the Daily Scrum
Too ambitious	Team cannot deliver, loses motivation	Base on actual velocity and capacity

See Sprint Goals Reference for 5 complete templates with examples and the FOCUS evaluation checklist.

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Scrum Events

All events are timeboxed. Shorter Sprints use proportionally shorter event timeboxes. Every event is an opportunity to inspect and adapt.

Event	Timebox (1-month Sprint)	Purpose	Key Output
Sprint	Max 1 month	Container for all work and events	Usable Increment
Sprint Planning	Max 8 hours	Define the Sprint Goal and Sprint Backlog	Sprint Goal + selected backlog items + delivery plan
Daily Scrum	15 minutes	Inspect progress toward Sprint Goal	Actionable plan for next 24 hours
Sprint Review	Max 4 hours	Inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog	Feedback, updated Product Backlog
Sprint Retrospective	Max 3 hours	Inspect the team's process and plan improvements	Improvement actions for next Sprint

Sprint Planning: Three Topics

1. Why is this Sprint valuable? -- Product Owner proposes how to increase value; team defines Sprint Goal
2. What can be done this Sprint? -- Developers select Product Backlog items based on capacity and velocity
3. How will the chosen work get done? -- Developers decompose items into tasks (typically one day or less)

See Scrum Events Reference for detailed facilitation guidance, formats, and tips.

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Scrum Roles

Role	Accountability	Key Responsibilities
Scrum Master	Scrum framework effectiveness	Facilitates events, removes impediments, coaches team and organization on Scrum
Product Owner	Product value maximization	Manages Product Backlog, communicates Product Goal, ensures backlog transparency
Developers	Creating a usable Increment each Sprint	Self-managing, cross-functional, accountable for quality and Definition of Done

The Scrum Team is a small, cohesive unit (typically 10 or fewer people) with no sub-teams or hierarchies. Everyone is accountable for creating a valuable, useful Increment every Sprint.

See Scrum Roles Reference for detailed responsibilities and facilitation techniques.

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Scrum Artifacts

Each artifact contains a commitment that provides transparency and focus:

Artifact	Commitment	Purpose
Product Backlog	Product Goal	Ordered list of everything needed to improve the product
Sprint Backlog	Sprint Goal	Selected items + Sprint Goal + delivery plan
Increment	Definition of Done	Concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal

Definition of Done

A formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets quality standards. If a Product Backlog item does not meet the Definition of Done, it cannot be released or presented at the Sprint Review. It returns to the Product Backlog for future consideration.

The Definition of Done creates transparency by giving everyone a shared understanding of what "complete" means. It is a minimum quality bar -- individual items may have additional acceptance criteria.

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Sprint Goal Quality Checklist

Before committing to a Sprint Goal, verify:

• Single objective: one clear outcome, not a list of tasks
• Outcome-oriented: describes what the team achieves, not what they do
• Measurable: includes a way to confirm completion
• Achievable: realistic given team capacity and velocity
• Valuable: connects to the Product Goal and matters to stakeholders
• Collaboratively crafted: team contributed, not just the PO
• Visible: will be referenced daily and displayed prominently
• Flexible execution: the goal is fixed but the work to achieve it can adapt

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Integration with Team Roles

Situation	Recommended Skill
Writing user stories with acceptance criteria	Install knowledge-virtuoso from krzysztofsurdy/code-virtuoso for testing patterns
Planning API work in a sprint	Install knowledge-virtuoso from krzysztofsurdy/code-virtuoso for API design principles
Sprint involves architecture decisions	Install knowledge-virtuoso from krzysztofsurdy/code-virtuoso for clean architecture guidance
Sprint retrospective reveals code quality issues	Install knowledge-virtuoso from krzysztofsurdy/code-virtuoso for refactoring techniques