Scrum Myth Debunked: Unfinished Work is Allowed in Scrum

TL;DR; Scrum does not require all work to be finished by the end of a Sprint, only that the Increment is Done and meets the Definition of Done. Unfinished items can carry over as long as the Sprint Goal and Increment are not compromised. Managers should focus on delivering value and avoid forcing work to fit arbitrary Sprint boundaries.

Published on 24 May 2025

Written by Martin Hinshelwood

1 minute read

https://nkdagility.com/resources/uhQlOorRmkA

For years I repeated a myth without questioning it: “You can’t have unfinished work in Scrum.” But the truth is, that’s not what the Scrum Guide says at all.

You must have a Done Increment by the end of the Sprint, but not every item must be finished. There’s no rule against work flowing across Sprints—so long as it doesn’t compromise the Sprint Goal or the Increment.

If you’re doing Continuous Delivery, you already have working software. You just need to make sure whatever you deliver meets the Definition of Done. That’s it.

Too many teams limit their flow by artificially cutting work to fit a two-week calendar. It’s time we stopped teaching dogma and started reading the guide.

Have you challenged this assumption in your team? You might be surprised what’s possible.

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