Scrum Terminology
Welcome to the Scrum Glossary, your quick reference for understanding essential Scrum terms and concepts. Whether you're a Scrum veteran or a newcomer, this glossary will help you decode Scrum's language and practices, making your agile journey smoother and more efficient. Let's get started!
Terms glossary
A
Criteria that define the conditions that a product or feature must meet to be accepted by the product owner or customer. They are used to determine whether a user story or product backlog item is complete and satisfies the requirements.
The act of making adjustments or changes to the Scrum process based on feedback and insights gained during the Sprint. It involves inspecting the progress and adapting the plans, backlog, or process to optimize value and address emerging challenges.
A project management and development approach that emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, iterative development, and continuous improvement. It promotes adaptive planning, early delivery, and rapid feedback to foster efficiency and responsiveness in delivering high-quality products.
The process of estimating the size, effort, or duration of work items or user stories in Agile projects. It is typically done using relative sizing techniques, such as story points or t-shirt sizes, to provide a rough estimate of the work involved.
A foundational document that outlines the core values and principles of Agile software development. It emphasizes individuals and interactions, working software, customer collaboration, and responding to change as key priorities in the development process.
B
A prioritized list of user stories, features, or work items that represent the requirements or desired functionality of a product. It serves as the source of work for the development team and is continually refined and reprioritized throughout the project.
Scrum backlog grooming, also known as backlog refinement, is an ongoing activity where the product owner and development team review, prioritize, and refine the items in the product backlog. It ensures that the backlog is well-prepared and ready for Sprint planning.
A Scrum board is a visual representation, typically a physical or digital board, used by the development team to visualize and track the progress of their work during a sprint. It usually consists of columns representing different stages of work, such as to-do, in progress, and done.
A visual representation of the progress made by the development team during a Sprint. It tracks the remaining work (usually in story points or hours) over time, allowing the team to assess their progress and project how much work will be completed by the end of the Sprint.
A visual representation of the work completed over time in a project or Sprint. It shows the cumulative progress towards completing the scope of work, allowing stakeholders to track the total work done and compare it to the initial estimates or target.
C
A Scrum ceremony refers to the formal events or meetings that take place within the Scrum framework, such as the daily Scrum, sprint planning, sprint review, and sprint retrospective. These ceremonies provide opportunities for collaboration, inspection, and adaptation.
Scrum certification refers to the process of obtaining a formal certification that validates an individual's understanding and knowledge of Scrum principles, practices, and roles. There are various Scrum certification programs available, such as Certified Scrum Master (CSM) or Professional Scrum Master (PSM).
A fundamental principle of Agile and Scrum that emphasizes the ongoing effort to refine and improve processes, practices, and products. It involves regularly reflecting on performance, identifying areas for enhancement, and implementing changes to increase efficiency and value delivery.
A team composed of individuals with diverse skills, expertise, and roles necessary to deliver a complete product or feature. Cross-functional teams are self-organizing and collaborate closely to collectively work on and complete the items from the product backlog.
D
A short, time-boxed meeting held by the development team every day during a Sprint. It provides an opportunity for team members to synchronize their work, discuss progress, identify impediments, and plan their activities for the next 24 hours.
A shared understanding within the Scrum team of the criteria that must be met for a product increment, user story, or task to be considered complete. It typically includes quality standards, testing requirements, documentation, and other criteria agreed upon by the team.
A set of criteria or conditions that a user story or product backlog item must meet before it can be pulled into a Sprint. It ensures that the item is well-defined, sufficiently understood, and ready to be worked on by the development team.
A self-organizing and cross-functional group of individuals responsible for delivering the product increment or work items. The development team collaborates closely, plans and executes the work, and is accountable for meeting the Sprint goals.
Scrum documentation refers to the artifacts, records, and information generated or maintained during the Scrum process. It includes items like the product backlog, sprint backlog, meeting notes, and any other relevant documentation that provides transparency and supports the development effort.
E
The foundation of Scrum, based on the principles of transparency, inspection, and adaptation. It emphasizes making decisions based on observed data and feedback, rather than relying solely on predefined plans or assumptions.
Large, high-level user stories or work items that are too big to be completed within a single Sprint. Epics are broken down into smaller, more manageable user stories during backlog refinement or Sprint planning.
A Scrum event, also known as a Scrum ceremony or meeting, is a time-boxed gathering where the Scrum team collaborates to inspect and adapt the progress, plan the work, review the product, or reflect on the process. Examples of Scrum events include the daily Scrum, sprint planning, sprint review, and sprint retrospective.
Scrum event timeboxing refers to the practice of setting specific time limits for Scrum events to ensure they are focused, efficient, and respect the principles of Scrum. Timeboxing helps maintain discipline and ensures that the events do not exceed their allocated time.
G
The Scrum Guidance Body refers to a group of individuals who provide guidance, support, and expertise to Scrum teams within an organization. They may consist of experienced Scrum practitioners, coaches, or Scrum Masters who help ensure adherence to Scrum principles and practices.
I
Any obstacle or issue that hinders the progress or effectiveness of the Scrum team. Impediments can be related to technical challenges, organizational issues, resource constraints, or any other factor that prevents the team from delivering value efficiently.
An increment is the sum of all the product backlog items completed during a sprint, including all the work completed in prior sprints. It represents the latest version of the product that is potentially shippable to the customer or stakeholders.
Inspection is a formal examination or review of a Scrum artifact or process to identify any variances, defects, or areas for improvement. It is typically done during Scrum events like the Sprint Review or Sprint Retrospective to ensure transparency and quality.
K
Kanban is an Agile project management framework that emphasizes visualizing work, limiting work in progress, and optimizing flow. It uses boards or cards to represent tasks and columns to reflect the various stages of work, providing real-time visibility into the project's progress.
M
Scrum metrics are quantitative measurements or indicators used to assess the progress, performance, and health of a Scrum project. Examples of Scrum metrics include sprint velocity, burn-down charts, cycle time, and lead time.
P
Scrum principles are the core values and beliefs that underpin the Scrum framework. They include principles such as empirical process control, self-organization, and iterative development to foster collaboration, transparency, and adaptability.
The product backlog is a prioritized list of all the desired features, enhancements, and bug fixes for a product. It serves as the single source of requirements for the Scrum team and is continuously refined and reprioritized based on feedback and changing needs.
Product backlog refinement is an ongoing activity in Scrum where the product owner and development team collaborate to review, clarify, and add details to the items in the product backlog. It involves breaking down larger items into smaller, actionable user stories and ensuring that the backlog is well-prepared for upcoming sprints.
A product increment is the sum of all the completed and potentially shippable product backlog items at the end of a sprint. It represents an incrementally improved version of the product that provides value to the customer or stakeholders.
The product owner is a role in Scrum responsible for representing the interests of the stakeholders, managing the product backlog, and ensuring the team delivers a valuable and high-quality product. They work closely with the development team to prioritize work and make product-related decisions.
A product roadmap is a strategic document that outlines the vision, goals, and planned features of a product over a specified time horizon. It provides a high-level overview of the product's direction and helps align stakeholders and guide decision-making.
The product vision is a concise and inspiring statement that describes the desired future state or purpose of the product. It serves as a guiding principle for the development team and helps align stakeholders around a common goal.
R
A release plan is a high-level plan that outlines the schedule and scope of product releases. It identifies the major features, enhancements, or fixes to be included in each release, along with the estimated timelines and dependencies.
Release planning is the process of creating a release plan and determining the scope, content, and timing of product releases. It involves collaborating with stakeholders, considering market factors, and aligning the team's capacity to deliver the planned releases.
Scrum risk management refers to the process of identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks within a Scrum project. It involves proactive identification of potential risks, prioritizing risks based on their impact and likelihood, and implementing risk mitigation strategies.
S
Scrum is an Agile framework for managing complex projects that emphasizes iterative and incremental development, self-organizing teams, and frequent inspection and adaptation. It provides a structure for delivering value in short iterations called sprints.
Scrum artifacts are the tangible and visible items created or used within the Scrum framework to provide transparency and support the development process. Examples of Scrum artifacts include the product backlog, sprint backlog, product increment, and burndown charts.
Scrum framework rules refer to the set of guidelines and principles that govern how the Scrum framework operates. These rules outline the responsibilities, interactions, and practices that the Scrum team follows to achieve the goals of transparency, inspection, and adaptation.
The Scrum Master is a role in Scrum responsible for facilitating the Scrum process, ensuring adherence to Scrum principles, and removing any obstacles or impediments that the team may face. The Scrum Master serves as a servant-leader and helps the team achieve their goals.
A Scrum meeting refers to any of the formal gatherings or ceremonies within the Scrum framework, such as the daily Scrum, sprint planning, sprint review, or sprint retrospective. These meetings provide opportunities for collaboration, communication, and synchronization within the Scrum team.
Scrum of Scrums is a technique used to coordinate multiple Scrum teams working on a larger project. It involves representatives from each team meeting regularly to discuss progress, dependencies, and any cross-team issues or coordination required.
Scrum patterns refer to proven practices or solutions that address common challenges or problems encountered in implementing Scrum. These patterns provide guidance and insights into how to effectively apply Scrum principles and practices in different contexts.
Scrum workflow refers to the sequence of activities and processes followed in a Scrum project. It typically includes steps such as backlog refinement, sprint planning, daily Scrum meetings, development iterations, sprint review, and sprint retrospective.
Self-organization is a fundamental principle of Scrum where the development team has the autonomy and responsibility to determine how the work is done. They organize themselves, make decisions collectively, and collaborate to deliver the sprint goals.
A sprint is a time-boxed iteration in Scrum, typically lasting one to four weeks, during which the development team works to deliver a potentially shippable product increment. The sprint has a fixed duration and a defined goal, and it provides a predictable rhythm for development.
The sprint backlog is the subset of product backlog items selected for a particular sprint, along with a plan on how to deliver them. It represents the work that the development team commits to completing during the sprint.
Sprint backlog refinement, also known as sprint backlog grooming, is the ongoing activity where the development team reviews and updates the sprint backlog. It involves refining and breaking down backlog items into actionable tasks and ensuring that the sprint backlog is well-prepared and ready for execution.
The sprint goal is a short, concise statement that describes the objective or outcome the development team intends to achieve during a sprint. It provides focus and direction to the team, guiding their work and ensuring that the sprint delivers tangible value.
Sprint goal refinement is the process of clarifying and refining the sprint goal throughout the sprint. It involves collaboration between the product owner and development team to ensure a shared understanding of the goal and any adjustments needed based on emerging insights or changing circumstances.
Sprint Planning is a meeting in Scrum where the team decides what work to do in the upcoming sprint. They select items from the product backlog, break them down into tasks, estimate effort, and create a sprint backlog. The team also sets a sprint goal to guide their work. It's a collaborative session that ensures everyone is aligned and committed to delivering the sprint's objectives.
The sprint retrospective is a Scrum event that takes place at the end of each sprint. It is a dedicated time for the Scrum team to reflect on the sprint, identify what worked well and what can be improved, and create a plan for implementing those improvements in future sprints.
The sprint review is a Scrum event held at the end of each sprint where the development team presents the completed work to the stakeholders. It provides an opportunity for stakeholders to provide feedback, ask questions, and collaborate with the team to ensure that the product increment meets their expectations.
The sprint review meeting is the specific session during which the sprint review takes place. It is a collaborative gathering where the development team, product owner, and stakeholders come together to discuss the completed work, demonstrate the product increment, and engage in feedback and discussion.
Stakeholders are individuals or groups who have an interest or influence in the outcome of a project. In Scrum, stakeholders can include customers, users, executives, managers, and other relevant parties who provide input, feedback, and support to the Scrum team.
Story points are a relative estimation technique used in Scrum to estimate the effort or complexity of user stories or backlog items. It is a unit of measure that represents the team's assessment of the work required, taking into account factors such as complexity, effort, and risk.
T
A Scrum task board, also known as a Kanban board, is a visual representation of the tasks or user stories in a sprint backlog. It typically consists of columns representing different stages of work and cards representing individual tasks or user stories, providing a visual overview of the team's progress.
The Scrum Team consists of the product owner, development team, and Scrum Master. They work together to deliver the product increment in iterations called sprints. The team is self-organizing, cross-functional, and collectively responsible for achieving the sprint goals.
Test-Driven Development is a development practice where tests are written before the code is implemented. It follows a cycle of writing a failing test, writing the minimum amount of code required to pass the test, and then refining the code to improve its design and maintainability.
Timeboxing is a technique used in Scrum to set fixed time periods for activities or events. It ensures that activities are focused and have a predefined duration, promoting efficiency and discipline. Scrum events, such as sprint planning and daily Scrum, are timeboxed to maintain their effectiveness.
Transparency is a core principle in Scrum that emphasizes openness and visibility of information. It involves sharing information, progress, and challenges openly among the Scrum team, stakeholders, and relevant parties. Transparency helps build trust, facilitate collaboration, and enable effective decision-making.
U
A user story is a concise, user-centric description of a feature or functionality from the perspective of an end user or customer. It captures the "who," "what," and "why" of a requirement in a simple and understandable format, serving as a basis for prioritization and development.
V
Scrum values are the core principles and beliefs that guide the behavior and interactions of individuals and teams practicing Scrum. The five Scrum values are openness, courage, focus, commitment, and respect. They provide a foundation for collaboration and contribute to the success of Scrum projects.
Velocity is a metric used in Scrum to measure the amount of work a development team can accomplish in a given sprint. It is typically measured in story points or other relevant units and is used to forecast the team's capacity and guide sprint planning.
Velocity-based planning is an approach in Scrum where the team's velocity, or the amount of work they can complete in a sprint, is used as a basis for planning future sprints. It involves using historical velocity data to forecast the amount of work that can be taken up in upcoming sprints.
