CSM key terms

The idea that knowledge comes from experience and that decisions should be based on what is actually observed rather than on assumptions or detailed upfront plans.

A way of managing complex work in short cycles so that plans are checked against real results and adjusted frequently as new information appears.

A state in which the process, the work being done and the resulting product are visible and understood by the people doing the work and the people receiving it.

Frequent, careful examination of Scrum artifacts and progress toward agreed goals, carried out to detect problems or unwanted variation early.

Adjusting the process, the plan or the product as soon as inspection shows that something is off track or could be improved.

Commitment, Focus, Openness, Respect and Courage. These five values guide how team members behave and make the three pillars of empiricism work in practice.

Describes a team that decides internally who does what, when and how, rather than being directed by a manager or someone outside the team.

Describes a team that holds all the skills needed to create a valuable Increment each Sprint without relying on people outside the team.

Working in repeated short cycles and adding to a usable product each cycle, so that value grows step by step and feedback arrives early.

Giving an event or activity a fixed maximum duration; when the time is up the activity ends, and any unfinished thinking carries into the next opportunity.

A small group made up of one Scrum Master, one Product Owner and the Developers, focused on one product and collectively responsible for delivering value.

The person accountable for maximizing product value, mainly by ordering and clarifying the Product Backlog so the team works on what matters most.

The person accountable for establishing Scrum as described in the Scrum Guide and for helping the team and the organization improve how they work.

The Scrum Team members who do the work of creating an Increment each Sprint, including design, build, testing and any other skills the work requires.

A leadership style that puts the needs of the team and its customers first, removing obstacles and helping others succeed rather than giving orders.

Helping the team and the wider organization grow their capability through questions, feedback and guidance instead of direct instructions.

The Product Owner may ask other people to carry out backlog work, but accountability for the product and the value it delivers cannot be handed over.

Ongoing engagement with the people who care about the product, so their needs are understood and the value delivered can be checked with them.

A fixed period of one month or less in which the team turns backlog items into a usable Increment; it contains all the other Scrum events.

The event that starts a Sprint, where the team agrees on why the Sprint is valuable, what can be delivered and how the work will be done.

A fifteen-minute event for the Developers each working day to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adjust their plan for the next day.

An event near the end of the Sprint where the team and stakeholders inspect the Increment, discuss progress toward the Product Goal and adapt the backlog.

The last event of the Sprint, where the team inspects how it worked together and chooses improvements to apply in the next Sprint.

Ending a Sprint before its timebox expires, which happens only when the Sprint Goal is no longer relevant; only the Product Owner can make this decision.

An emergent, ordered list of everything that might improve the product; it is the single source of work for the Scrum Team.

The Product Backlog items chosen for the Sprint together with the team's plan for delivering them and reaching the Sprint Goal.

A concrete, usable step toward the Product Goal that adds value on top of earlier increments and meets the Definition of Done.

A shared, written list of quality checks that an Increment must satisfy before it can be called finished.

A long-term, measurable target for the product that gives the team direction and shapes what goes into the Product Backlog.

The single objective for a Sprint that gives the team focus and flexibility about the exact work; it is the commitment of the Sprint Backlog.

The ongoing work of breaking backlog items into smaller pieces and adding detail, order and estimates so they are ready when needed.

Each Scrum artifact carries a commitment that makes its purpose clear: Product Goal for the Product Backlog, Sprint Goal for the Sprint Backlog, Definition of Done for the Increment.