Continuing the Scrum FAQ series,  let’s talk about Sprint Backlog.

When should it be created and what should be included in it?

We will also see which roles should be involved in setting up the Sprint Backlog.

What is it?

The Sprint Backlog represents 

everything that should be done during the next Sprint of your project. It should be made based on what the Product Owner has listen on the Product Backlogg.  Most of the items on the Product Backlog will be implemented one day, however, in order to be considered for the Sprint Backlog, they must be prepared, estimated and prioritized according to the definition of what a prepared item is, which was established in the beginning of the project.

The choice of which items will be part of the Sprint Backlog should be based on the Sprint Goal, which defines the purpose of that Sprint for Product Owner, or what he expects the product will be able to do at the end of that development cycle. This is also the goal that directs the Product Owner and Development Team to determine which items will be part of the Product Backlog and Sprint Backlog.

 

When and How?

The Sprint Backlog is created during the Planning Meeting, where the three Scrum roles are involved. At this time, the backlog of items to be considered must have been prepared by the Product Owner. With all the items prepared, the Development Team should estimate each item according to the Sprint Goal, and these items are than prioritized and a number of them are picked to be part of the Sprint Backlog.

This should be all based on what the Development Team can accomplish in a Sprint, and what has the highest priority.

It is advised that not all Sprint Backlog items are directly related to Goal, because if you can not finish one of them, the goal will be compromised and the Sprint will not be successful

Another important point is that the Sprint Backlog should not be changed because the Sprint Goal can not be changed. Also, including a new item in the Sprint Backlog may result in the non-completion of another item. Therefore, new items can only enter the Sprint Backlog if they are related to the Goal, and if they will not affect the items already present on the Sprint Backlog.

Do you have any more questions about the Sprint Backlog? Feel free to comment them below and be sure to watch our videos on University Scrum.