Stop treating the end of the Sprint like a finish line

TL;DR; The end of a Sprint is a checkpoint for review and planning, not a finish line where all work must be completed. It is normal for large items to span multiple Sprints; focus on showing progress, adapting plans, and maintaining flow. Managers should move away from rigid project thinking and support teams in embracing continuous delivery and adaptation.

Published on 5 June 2025

Written by Martin Hinshelwood

1 minute read

https://nkdagility.com/resources/3N_y67L5LD9

Stop treating the end of the Sprint like a finish line. It’s not. It’s a checkpoint for planning, inspection, and adaptation. The Increment gives us a view of what’s Done. The Sprint Goal gives us focus. That’s it.

If your team needs two Sprints to complete a large item—fine. That’s reality. Show the Increment, adapt the Product Backlog, and move on.

Scrum is a social technology. It thrives in complexity, not control.

The idea that every task must be completed within the Sprint is a hangover from project thinking. Let it go. Flow is the future. Professional Scrum Teams already know this. The rest need to catch up.

Still clinging to the idea that flow breaks Scrum? Re-read the guide. You might discover you’ve been holding your team back.

Also published on: LinkedIn

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