Canceling a sprint is a rare but drastic event in agile working. But when does it make sense to cancel Sprint and what happens after that? Although sprints are rarely cancelled, in some circumstances it can be helpful and perfect to save time and resources. Dominic Winter and Oliver Winter discuss this in this episode of the ProductWorker Podcast.
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Reasons for Sprint Cancellation
An important aspect related to the idea of canceling a sprint is the role of the sprint goal. If a Sprint Goal becomes obsolete during the Sprint, whether due to new findings, technical obstacles, or strategic decisions, this is an obvious reason for Sprint termination. For example, changes on the client side may mean that previously required functionality is no longer required.
Or in the course of work it turns out that the planned technical solution cannot be implemented. In such situations, the Product Owner is responsible for taking the right decisions. After all, only he has the right to cancel the sprint.
Cancellation does not mean failure
Dominic Winter and Oliver Winter also ask themselves whether sprints are not canceled too often. Often there is a lack of clearly defined sprint goals or the ability to measure progress during the sprint. These factors can cause teams to stick with tasks for too long that do not provide true added value for users because teams cannot easily recognize when they have lost their way.
Finally, Product Owners should consider the effects of sprint cancellation and use the remaining time wisely. It is important to recognize that abandoning a sprint is not a sign of failure, but rather a step that helps focus on what’s important.
The current version of the podcast is also available on the ProductWorker blog: “ When do I cancel sprint? And what do I do after that?,
(May)
