Timebox questions are some of the easiest points on a Scrum Master exam — if you know the numbers. Here are all five Scrum events from the 2020 Scrum Guide on one page.
The cheat sheet
| Event | Maximum timebox | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| The Sprint | One month or less | The container for all the other events. A new Sprint starts immediately after the previous one ends. |
| Sprint Planning | 8 hours (for a one-month Sprint) | Lays out the work for the Sprint: why it is valuable, what can be Done, and how. |
| Daily Scrum | 15 minutes | The Developers inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog. |
| Sprint Review | 4 hours (for a one-month Sprint) | Inspect the outcome of the Sprint with stakeholders and decide what to do next. |
| Sprint Retrospective | 3 hours (for a one-month Sprint) | Plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness. It concludes the Sprint. |
For shorter Sprints, the events are usually shorter. The Daily Scrum stays 15 minutes whatever the Sprint length.
Things to remember about each event
The Sprint
- Sprints have a fixed length; during the Sprint, no changes are made that would endanger the Sprint Goal.
- Quality does not decrease, and scope may be clarified and renegotiated with the Product Owner as more is learned.
- Only the Product Owner can cancel a Sprint, if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete.
Sprint Planning
- The whole Scrum Team attends and may invite others to give advice.
- The whole Scrum Team collaborates to define the Sprint Goal.
Daily Scrum
- Held at the same time and place every working day of the Sprint, to reduce complexity.
- The Developers choose its structure and techniques.
Sprint Review
- A working session, not just a presentation.
- The Product Backlog may be adjusted to meet new opportunities.
Sprint Retrospective
- The team looks at individuals, interactions, processes, tools and its Definition of Done.
- The most helpful changes may even be added to the Sprint Backlog for the next Sprint.
What about refinement?
Product Backlog refinement is an ongoing activity, not a Scrum event, so it has no timebox in the Guide. It adds detail such as a description, order and size to items.
Practise the numbers
Lock these in with the free Scrum flashcards, then test yourself with the free Scrum Master chapter test and the 80-question Scrum Master mock exam.
Independent study material based on the Scrum Guide 2020 by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland (CC BY-SA 4.0). Not affiliated with or endorsed by Scrum.org or Scrum Alliance.