What are sprint goals? Why you need them and how to write them

Sprint goals are a critical yet often neglected component of the scrum framework, serving as a guiding objective for teams to achieve during a sprint, which aligns with the overarching product goals. These goals help maintain team focus, enable self-organization, and manage expectations by providing a clear direction amid potential changes and distractions during the sprint. Proper implementation of sprint goals involves accountability, aiming for 70–80 percent of team capacity to accommodate unforeseen tasks, and ensuring goals are contextually relevant and achievable. Additionally, having a well-defined "done" criterion is crucial for determining the completion of sprint goals, facilitating effective daily meetings and retrospectives that center around these objectives. Celebrating the achievement of sprint goals reinforces their significance and encourages a culture of accountability, ultimately contributing to a more cohesive and productive team dynamic.