Answering: “Which output from Sprint Planning provides the Scrum Team with a target and overarching direction for the Sprint?” (PSPO II)

The Sprint Goal gives the Scrum Team a target and overall direction for the Sprint. The Sprint Backlog contains the goal and the plan, but the Sprint Goal is what provides focus.

Exam Question

Which output from Sprint Planning provides the Scrum Team with a target and overarching direction for the Sprint?
(choose the best answer)
A. Sprint Review minutes.
B. The Sprint Goal.
C. The release plan.
D. The Sprint Backlog.

Correct Answer

B. The Sprint Goal.

Why This Is the Correct Answer

The Scrum Guide calls the Sprint Goal “the single objective for the Sprint.” It says the goal “creates coherence and focus, encouraging the Scrum Team to work together rather than on separate initiatives.” It is created during Sprint Planning and added to the Sprint Backlog. When the Developers learn something new mid-Sprint, the Sprint Goal is what they use to decide which work matters, while the selected items and plan can change around it.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

A. Sprint Review minutes. Scrum does not require minutes, and they come from the end of a Sprint, not Sprint Planning.

C. The release plan. A release plan is not a Scrum artifact or an output of Sprint Planning.

D. The Sprint Backlog. The Sprint Backlog contains the Sprint Goal, but the selected items and plan can change. The direction itself comes from the Sprint Goal.

Exam Tip

When a question asks about focus, direction or coherence for a Sprint, the answer is the Sprint Goal, not the Sprint Backlog.

Key Takeaways

• The Sprint Goal is the single objective for the Sprint.
• It gives the team focus and a reason to work together.
• Plans and items can change while the Sprint Goal stays.