What Is a Sprint Plan?

In project management, a sprint plan is a document that details a set of activities that a development team will accomplish during a specific span of time, known as a "sprint." A sprint plan is part of the Scrum framework, a popular Agile methodology for managing and executing projects. Sprint plans are prevalent in technology environments, particularly for software development.

What is sprint planning?

Sprint planning is a process that breaks big projects into smaller parts, a common practice in the Scrum framework. The sprint takes place for a short period, such as two weeks, and encourages a team to focus on specific objectives to drive adaptation. The main goal is to deliver incremental results frequently. Team members will identify a list of tasks that they need to work on, prioritise them, and work together to accomplish the objectives by the end of the sprint.

By taking a sprint approach, a development team can produce high-quality software more quickly.

Team capacity is a vital sprint planning concept. It refers to the amount of work a team can realistically accomplish during a sprint. What is each team member's availability in terms of working hours? How many members make up the team? Consider team capacity to plan your upcoming sprint effectively during a sprint planning session.

Benefits of sprint planning 

A sprint plan can help a Scrum team get things done on time and on budget. Facing a six-month-long project, for example, can be daunting. In that case, following a sprint plan makes the project more manageable. 

Other advantages include:

• Motivating teams to be productive by assigning tasks that are doable in the time allotted for the sprint

• Fostering a sense of accomplishment as team members achieve goals more regularly

• Offering transparency into what everyone is doing to help balance the workload

• Encouraging greater employee engagement through collaboration, which can support an organisation's retention efforts 

Phases of sprint planning 

Learning about the different stages of a sprint cycle to better understand sprint planning. Typically, a sprint has four phases:

1. Planning involves the team collaboratively deciding the sprint’s goal.

2. Checking in often during the current sprint happens daily in short, stand-up Scrum meetings, in which participants share what they’ve accomplished and will be working on next. If any challenges arise, team members can share them.

3. Reviewing occurs at the end of each sprint. Again, everyone participates and will share what the team completed, what wasn’t, and what obstacles they need to address. Actual output could be demonstrated at this stage.

4. Retrospective occurs before the next sprint planning session. The team meets to collaboratively discuss what everyone needs to continue or change to make the next sprint more successful.

How to create a sprint plan: Quick checklist 

Every sprint begins with sprint planning. This quick checklist can help you keep sprint planning focused and productive.

Gather data. 

The sprint plan starts with the team gathering data, including:

• Product backlog: List of what a product needs, in terms of functionality or improvements to complete it

• Historical data: Information about tasks completed in the previous sprint

• Sprint goal: Objective or value the team hopes to deliver during the sprint

• Risk assessment: List of risks that may have an impact on the sprint and evaluation of the potential consequences

Select backlog items for the sprint.

To determine which backlog items to include in the sprint, consider these factors:

• The sprint goal

• The items that are ready and can contribute to the goal

• The duration of the sprint

• Team members who are available to be on the sprint team

Assess team capacity and skills.

After considering who will be available (considering vacations, holidays, and other conflicting activities), you’ll want to assess the skills and capacity at your disposal. These will affect how you deliver the work. Do you have a balance of skills? What skill gaps do you notice? Which team members have the necessary skills and time to complete different tasks?

Establish when a task is completed. 

Once the team divides the work into functional increments known as user stories, you’ll need to define what completes each story. A user story is complete when it meets specific criteria. Having well-defined criteria helps team members know how to fulfil their tasks effectively.

Create an interactive process to earn investment.

Encouraging collaboration is part of a good sprint plan. Since product owners are typically the project's key stakeholders, give them the opportunity to share the vision. Collect stakeholder feedback often. Offer the team the chance to estimate how long something will take and choose how much work gets done in that sprint.

Team roles

Effective sprints involve everyone on the project team, which helps keep the goals achievable and improves process transparency. At the same time, everyone will have different roles to prepare for the various stages of sprint planning.

Scrum Master

Average annual base salary: £57,026 [1]

The Scrum Master is a type of project manager responsible for reviewing the team’s capacity against the project timeline. A successful sprint has a leader who ensures the project moves forward and tracks the overall deliverables and expectations. In this position, you will also estimate the time and budget needed to complete each item on the sprint plan.

This role tracks the sprint cycle by setting agendas for group meetings, removing distractions, and providing needed supplies. You will also facilitate collaborative discussion and invite questions and answers before people return to their tasks.

Product owner

Average annual base salary: £57,590 [2]

The product owner is usually the project’s key stakeholder. In this position, you’ll have a holistic view of the product’s users, a vision of the marketplace, competitors, and relevant trends. Your point of view can help give shape to the team’s goals and inspire productivity.

As a product owner, your job will encompass the following:

• Define the project vision and goals

• Prioritise the list of what the team must accomplish 

• Oversee the product development from start to finish

• Communicate with other stakeholders and teams

• Know what the client needs

• Evaluate progress

Team member

Average annual base salary: £33,879 [3]

As a team member, you can prepare for sprint planning, check-ins, reviews, and retrospectives by going over your own tasks or sprint assignments. Be ready to discuss what you’ve been working on as well as any hurdles. 

The success of a sprint depends on everyone collaborating. Contribute concisely to the meetings. It’s always a good idea to ask for help along the way.

How to build your expertise in sprint planning

Effective sprint planning requires a good understanding of Scrum and Agile methods. You can expand your knowledge of what happens in a sprint, product backlog items, user stories, and the process of iteration planning in various ways.

Bachelor’s degree programme 

Agile project managers and Scrum Masters usually have a bachelor’s in business, computer science, or electrical engineering. You may also need to complete graduate training, depending on the requirements of your potential employer. 

Certifications 

If you want to advance to become a Scrum product owner, getting certified could be helpful. Certifications and other credentials are an excellent way to build your CV and learn more about project management methodologies. For example, the University of Westminster offers a course to prepare you for Professional Scrum Master Certification. You can also pursue in-person and online courses from organisations like Agile Centre. 

Gain project management experience with Coursera

Sprint planning is a crucial part of Agile development. It spans several phases, including planning, checking in, reviewing, and conducting retrospectives. 

Continue learning about spring planning and other valuable project management methodologies. Consider Coursera's offerings, such as The Introduction to Scrum Master Training, which helps beginners learn the foundations of Agile Scrum. Learn Agile project management, including the Scrum framework and sprint planning, from Google’s Agile Project Management course. If you’re just starting, you may want to start your journey with the Foundations of Project Management.