Stop treating the end of the Sprint like a finish line. It’s not. It’s a checkpoint for planning, inspection, and adaptation. The Increment gives us a view of what’s Done. The Sprint Goal gives us focus. That’s it.
If your team needs two Sprints to complete a large item—fine. That’s reality. Show the Increment, adapt the Product Backlog, and move on.
Scrum is a social technology. It thrives in complexity, not control.
The idea that every task must be completed within the Sprint is a hangover from project thinking. Let it go. Flow is the future. Professional Scrum Teams already know this. The rest need to catch up.
Still clinging to the idea that flow breaks Scrum? Re-read the guide. You might discover you’ve been holding your team back.
If you've made it this far, it's worth connecting with our principal consultant and coach, Martin Hinshelwood, for a 30-minute 'ask me anything' call.
We partner with businesses across diverse industries, including finance, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, engineering, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, legal, government, and military sectors.
Higher Education Statistics Agency
Boxit Document Solutions
Trayport
Capita Secure Information Solutions Ltd
ALS Life Sciences
Ericson
Sage
DFDS
ProgramUtvikling
Flowmaster (a Mentor Graphics Company)
Freadom
Milliman
Philips
Bistech
SuperControl
Brandes Investment Partners L.P.
Jack Links
Kongsberg Maritime
Washington Department of Enterprise Services
Ghana Police Service
Nottingham County Council
Department of Work and Pensions (UK)
New Hampshire Supreme Court
Royal Air Force
Emerson Process Management
Sage
New Signature
ALS Life Sciences
Epic Games
Brandes Investment Partners L.P.