Sprint
A fixed-duration cycle in Scrum during which the team plans, builds, and reviews work to produce a usable product increment.
Key Points
- Timeboxed iteration of consistent length (commonly 1 to 4 weeks).
- Guided by a Sprint Goal; scope can be refined, but changes that jeopardize the goal are discouraged.
- Ends with a done, usable increment that meets the Definition of Done.
- Includes Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective.
Example
A software team runs two-week Sprints. For Sprint 7, their goal is to enable passwordless login. Over the two weeks they design, implement, and test the feature, demonstrate it to stakeholders in the Sprint Review, then capture improvements during the Retrospective.
PMP Example Question
Which statement best describes a Sprint in Scrum?
- A continuous flow of work with no preset time limits.
- A fixed-length iteration used to deliver a usable product increment aligned to a Sprint Goal.
- A phase gate used to authorize transitioning to the next project phase.
- A single backlog item representing a small slice of functionality.
Correct Answer: B — A fixed-length Scrum cycle that delivers a usable increment
Explanation: A Sprint is a preset-duration iteration focused on producing a done increment. The other options describe Kanban flow, phase-gate governance, and an individual backlog item.