Scrum Ceremony Facilitation Guide
Comprehensive facilitation guides for all Scrum ceremonies with practical tips and common pitfalls
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Sprint Planning
Duration
2-4 hours (for 2-week sprint)
Participants
Product Owner, Scrum Master, Development Team
Purpose
Plan the work to be performed during the sprint
Inputs
- Product Backlog
- Latest product increment
- Team capacity
Outputs
- Sprint Goal
- Sprint Backlog
- Sprint Plan
Agenda
- Review Product Backlog and priorities
- Discuss team capacity and availability
- Select backlog items for the sprint
- Break down items into tasks
- Estimate effort and commit to Sprint Goal
Facilitation Tips
- Ensure all voices are heard during estimation
- Keep discussions focused on the current sprint
- Help the team commit to a realistic Sprint Goal
- Document decisions and commitments clearly
Common Issues
- Planning takes too long due to unclear requirements
- Team commits to too much work
- Product Owner unavailable for clarification
- Technical debt not considered in planning
Pro Tips
- Prepare the backlog before the meeting
- Use planning poker for estimation
- Keep the Sprint Goal visible throughout
- Time-box discussions to maintain focus