Sprint Planning

Purpose

Sprint Planning is a collaborative event that marks the beginning of a sprint in Agile methodologies. Its primary purpose is to define the sprint goal, determine the work to be completed during the sprint, and create a plan to achieve these objectives. This meeting ensures that the team is aligned, understands the priorities, and is prepared to deliver the increment by the end of the sprint.

• Establish a clear and concise goal for the sprint that aligns with the product vision and objectives.
• Ensure all team members understand the sprint goal and are committed to achieving it.

• Identify and select user stories, features, and tasks from the product backlog that will be worked on during the sprint.
• Prioritize work based on business value, dependencies, and team capacity.

• Develop a detailed plan for completing the selected work within the sprint.
• Break down user stories into smaller tasks and estimate the effort required.

• Ensure that the entire team, including stakeholders, is aligned on the sprint goal, scope, and plan.
• Address any questions or concerns and clarify expectations.

Attendees

• Development Team — all members responsible for delivering the work during the sprint
• Product Owner — to provide the product backlog items, clarify requirements, and prioritize work
• Scrum Master — to facilitate the planning process and ensure adherence to Agile principles
• Stakeholders (optional) — to provide input on priorities and ensure alignment with business goals
• Dependent Teams (optional) — to provide input on user stories and requirements where applicable

Input

• Product Backlog — a prioritized list of user stories, features, and tasks
• Sprint Review Feedback — insights and feedback from the previous sprint review
• Team Capacity — availability and capacity of team members for the upcoming sprint
• Sprint Goal — high-level objective or goal for the sprint
• Dependencies and Risks — information on dependencies and potential risks that could impact the sprint

• Review the quarterly planning board before confirming sprint priorities, timelines and dependencies.
• Review team availability, planned annual leave, upcoming shows and other activities that may reduce delivery capacity or create deployment risk.
• Bring any new, urgent or high-priority tickets that need to be considered for the next sprint, including the reason, known blockers and action required.

Outcome

• Sprint Goal — a clear and concise goal for the sprint
• Sprint Backlog — a list of user stories, features, and tasks selected for the sprint
• Task Breakdown — detailed tasks derived from user stories, including estimates
• Commitment — the team's commitment to delivering the selected work within the sprint timeframe
• Identified Risks and Mitigation Plans — a list of potential risks and strategies to address them

• Small set of clear sprint goals linked to the highest-priority outcomes the team is committing to deliver.
• Capacity-aware sprint backlog, with ownership, assumptions, dependencies and risks understood.
• Platform Owner comments or actions captured for the bi-weekly sprint review and planning alignment session.

Responsibilities

• Present the product backlog and clarify any questions
• Prioritize backlog items based on business value and stakeholder input
• Define and communicate the sprint goal

• Facilitate the planning session to ensure it runs smoothly
• Ensure adherence to Agile principles and timeboxing
• Help resolve any impediments or conflicts during the meeting

• Review and select backlog items for the sprint
• Break down selected user stories into smaller, actionable tasks
• Estimate the effort required for each task and plan the work
• Commit to the sprint goal and the selected work

• Provide input on priorities and business value
• Ensure alignment with broader organisational goals and objectives
• Address any high-level questions or concerns