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Lesson
Lesson 5.1 — The three artifacts and their commitments
Tell the three Scrum artifacts apart and bind each to its commitment.
Three Artifacts, Three Commitments
Three Artifacts, Three Commitments
Scrum defines three artifacts, each designed to maximize transparency of key information. Transparency is one of the three pillars of empiricism — without it, inspection and adaptation are impossible.
The Product Backlog is an ordered list of everything that might be needed in the product. It is never complete; it evolves as the product and its environment change. The Product Owner is responsible for it. Its commitment is the Product Goal — the long-term objective the Scrum Team works toward. Every item in the Product Backlog should contribute to that goal.
The Sprint Backlog is composed of three things: the Sprint Goal (why this Sprint matters), the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint (what will be done), and an actionable plan for delivering the Increment (how the work will be done). It belongs to the Developers and is updated throughout the Sprint. Its commitment is the Sprint Goal.
The Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal. It is a usable, done piece of the product. Multiple Increments may be created within a single Sprint. Its commitment is the Definition of Done — a shared quality standard that describes what 'done' means for the whole Scrum Team. An item is not considered part of the Increment and does not count as complete unless it meets the Definition of Done. This keeps quality consistent and transparent.
Lesson notes
Three Artifacts, Three Commitments
Scrum defines three artifacts, each designed to maximize transparency of key information. Transparency is one of the three pillars of empiricism — without it, inspection and adaptation are impossible.
The Product Backlog is an ordered list of everything that might be needed in the product. It is never complete; it evolves as the product and its environment change. The Product Owner is responsible for it. Its commitment is the Product Goal — the long-term objective the Scrum Team works toward. Every item in the Product Backlog should contribute to that goal.
The Sprint Backlog is composed of three things: the Sprint Goal (why this Sprint matters), the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint (what will be done), and an actionable plan for delivering the Increment (how the work will be done). It belongs to the Developers and is updated throughout the Sprint. Its commitment is the Sprint Goal.
The Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal. It is a usable, done piece of the product. Multiple Increments may be created within a single Sprint. Its commitment is the Definition of Done — a shared quality standard that describes what 'done' means for the whole Scrum Team. An item is not considered part of the Increment and does not count as complete unless it meets the Definition of Done. This keeps quality consistent and transparent.