An artifact is a defined, inspectable representation of work that supports transparency, empirical decision-making, and continuous improvement in agile systems.
An artifact is a formal, inspectable output that represents work and progress in a system of delivery. In Agile, Lean, and DevOps contexts, artifacts provide a shared understanding of what is being worked on, what is Done, and what remains. They are not tools or documents, but defined constructs that exist to support transparency, inspection, and adaptation.
In Scrum, there are three core artifacts: the Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and the Increment. Each artifact is designed to make key information visible and understandable. The Definition of Done further ensures that an Increment meets a standard of quality and completeness.
Artifacts serve as reference points for empirical decision-making. They enable teams and stakeholders to inspect the current state of the work, identify risks, and adapt their approach. In Kanban and DevOps, similar constructs exist—such as visual work boards, flow diagrams, and deployment pipelines—that function as artifacts by exposing delivery progress and system behaviour.
Artifacts are not passive records. They are active instruments of delivery governance. When used effectively, they enhance alignment, support evidence-based forecasting, and reinforce trust between stakeholders and teams by making progress and value delivery visible.
We partner with businesses across diverse industries, including finance, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, engineering, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, legal, government, and military sectors.
Flowmaster (a Mentor Graphics Company)
Brandes Investment Partners L.P.
Bistech
Milliman
Genus Breeding Ltd
Emerson Process Management
Teleplan
Trayport
Schlumberger
Akaditi
Deliotte
Illumina
Cognizant Microsoft Business Group (MBG)
Big Data for Humans
Capita Secure Information Solutions Ltd
Lockheed Martin
Slaughter and May
Microsoft
Ghana Police Service
Department of Work and Pensions (UK)
Nottingham County Council
Washington Department of Enterprise Services
New Hampshire Supreme Court
Royal Air Force
NIT A/S
Genus Breeding Ltd
Big Data for Humans
Microsoft
YearUp.org
Lockheed Martin