Deciding what an iteration contains.
WHAT IT ESTABLISHES
A goal for the iteration What work will be undertaken How it will be approached
WHAT TO ESTABLISH FIRST
The goal.
WHY
Without one, an iteration is an arbitrary collection of tasks.
WHAT A GOOD GOAL IS
A statement of what will be achieved, in one sentence.
WHAT TO BRING TO THE MEETING
A prepared, ordered backlog Items understood well enough to estimate Clarity about capacity
WHAT REDUCES CAPACITY
Leave, meetings, support duties, and work carried over.
WHAT TO ACCOUNT FOR
All of those, honestly.
WHAT TO AGREE FOR EACH ITEM
What done means Any dependency Who will work on it, or that the team decides
WHAT TO AVOID
Committing to full capacity, with no allowance for the unexpected Accepting items nobody understands Planning meetings that run for hours
WHAT TO END WITH
A shared understanding of the goal and a realistic plan.
WHAT TO NOT TREAT IT AS
A commitment made under pressure.
