AGile@Acro

What is a Sprint?

Emily Wilson, Project Manager for some of our largest clients, explains one of the cornerstones of Agile development: sprints.  

Learn what they are and how they contribute to faster, better web development and more successful client projects.

Transcript

Hi, I'm Emily, a Project Manager here at Acro Commerce. Thanks for joining me! Today I'll be talking to you about sprints.

So, what is a sprint?

In the simplest of explanations, a sprint is a set amount of time to complete a set amount of tasks. All things essential to a product or project goal, like development, sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and retros, all happen during a sprint. These activities are called ceremonies and are part of the scrum framework that we use in Agile development. 

A sprint can be anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks long, and the duration of your sprint can depend on a few factors. In Agile, the goal is to always be delivering something usable. So, your sprint duration should be long enough to create a releasable increment but short enough to prevent any scope creep. 

Say, for example, you have a six-month-long sprint and only 12 months to develop a product; you could get to the end of your first sprint, halfway through your development time and find that your product needs a ton of work, testing or refinements. Now, you'd be running against the clock to make sure it's done in time.

By breaking things down into smaller chunks, you enable an iterative approach, which is at the heart of agile. And you're much more likely to deliver on time, on budget, and within scope. As a scrum team, you'll decide what sprint duration is best for you and your stakeholders.

So why is it called a sprint? In sport, in a sprint, your goal is to run as fast as you can towards the finish line. To be a great sprinter, you plan, you prepare, and you set up with great enthusiasm and urgency. And it's exactly the same in a sprint and Agile. 

And that's it! That's a sprint. I hope you found this video helpful. Thank you for watching.

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