Scrum doesn’t stop you from optimising flow

TL;DR; Scrum allows you to optimise workflow as long as you maintain accountability through a Sprint Goal and a Done Increment. If your team already delivers quality software continuously and meets these standards, you do not need to force all work to finish within strict Sprint timelines. Focus on outcomes and professionalism rather than rigid rules, and let work flow naturally if your processes support it.

Published on 25 May 2025

Written by Martin Hinshelwood

1 minute read

https://nkdagility.com/resources/BD9f00po0V6

Scrum doesn’t stop you from optimising flow. It just demands accountability: a Sprint Goal and a Done Increment.

If your system of work already delivers high-quality software continuously, why impose hard delivery cuts every two weeks? Let work flow—sustainably—across Sprint boundaries.

This isn’t about bypassing Scrum. It’s about doing it professionally. If your team uses CI/CD, practices TDD, has a rock-solid Definition of Done, and meets the Sprint Goal—there’s no problem letting a Product Backlog Item finish next Sprint.

Teams stuck in “you must finish everything” are optimising for calendars, not outcomes. That’s not agility. That’s a theatre.

Professional Scrum is not about following arbitrary rules. It’s about transparency, empirical process control, and delivery with integrity.

Also published on: LinkedIn

Connect with Martin Hinshelwood

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.

Our Happy Clients

We partner with businesses across diverse industries, including finance, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, engineering, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, legal, government, and military sectors.