Sprints in Scrum

Sprint — a short, time-boxed iteration during which the team delivers a specific amount of work.

This is a key attribute of the Scrum framework. All project work is divided into sprints. During each iteration, the team creates a usable increment of the product. As a result, the work becomes more predictable, the team more manageable, and complex projects easier to handle.

How long should a sprint last?

A sprint can last one week, two weeks, a month, or even longer. Fixed timeboxes help organize the workflow, set the team’s rhythm, and encourage smarter use of time.

The team itself defines sprint duration, based on its working style and convenience. It is important, however, to maintain balance: if the sprint is too short, the team may not be able to deliver a meaningful increment; if it is too long, the team may lose focus on the goal.

The sprint length should remain consistent. Still, finding the optimal duration and cadence can take some time.

How to work in sprints?

Sprint Planning

First, the sprint must be planned. If the team already has a Product Backlog with prioritized items, the Product Owner (or Scrum Master) works with the team to translate them into specific Sprint Goals and larger objectives. Based on these, the Sprint Backlog is created.

Each sprint should have a clear goal. For example: develop a specific increment of the product or implement new functionality in a service. Alternatively, the team may use a measurable target such as the number of completed Product Backlog Items (PBIs) or Story Points delivered.

Workflow

Ideally, a sprint should not be disrupted by adding new work. However, since Scrum is part of the Agile family, it allows flexibility. For urgent tasks, exceptions may be made.

To monitor progress, the team holds Daily Stand-ups (Daily Scrum) during the sprint. These are short meetings where each member shares what they did yesterday, what they will do today, and whether they face any impediments. The best time to hold stand-ups is in the morning.

Sprint Review

At the end of the sprint, the team reviews the results — for example, by demonstrating the completed increment to the Product Owner and stakeholders. A sprint can end in several ways:

• the Sprint Goal is achieved;
• the plan is exceeded;
• the team does not complete all committed work.

In the latter case, unfinished items are returned to the Product Backlog. From there, they may be pulled into a future sprint as technical debt that needs to be addressed.

Scrum teams often recommend allocating around 10% of sprint capacity to handling technical debt.

Sprint Retrospective

To improve effectiveness, the team should regularly inspect and adapt its processes and collaboration. This is done through the Sprint Retrospective — a dedicated meeting where the team reflects on issues in workflows and communication and agrees on concrete improvements.