PSPO I key terms

A philosophy holding that knowledge comes from experience and from decisions based on what is observed. Scrum relies on it to manage complex work where prediction is unreliable and plans must evolve.

A state in which the process, its work, and the resulting Increment are visible to those who manage them. It requires a shared standard so that observers draw the same conclusions.

The frequent and diligent examination of Scrum artifacts and progress toward goals. It detects undesirable variance and problems, but only works when the work is sufficiently transparent.

Adjusting the process or the product as soon as inspection reveals a deviation or an opportunity. Scrum teams adapt through their events and by updating artifacts to stay on course.

Commitment, Focus, Openness, Respect, and Courage. These five qualities guide behavior and make transparency, inspection, and adaptation possible within the Scrum Team.

The idea that practices, requirements, and solutions become clearer as work proceeds. Scrum uses short Sprints and frequent feedback so plans can evolve instead of being fixed upfront.

A small, self-managing group made up of one Product Owner, one Scrum Master, and Developers. It is cross-functional and collectively owns all work needed to deliver a valuable Increment each Sprint.

A property of the Scrum Team meaning it decides internally who does what, when, and how. The team, rather than an outside manager, organizes its own work to meet its goals.

A property of the Scrum Team meaning it has all the skills needed to create value across an entire Sprint. The team does not depend on outside groups for its core work.

An accountability on the Scrum Team responsible for maximizing product value. This person manages the Product Backlog, communicates the Product Goal, and decides what to build and in what order.

An accountability on the Scrum Team responsible for establishing Scrum as described in the Scrum Guide. This person coaches the team and organization, removes impediments, and helps everyone understand Scrum theory and practice.

The accountability on the Scrum Team that creates a usable Increment each Sprint. These people do the work, manage the Sprint Backlog, and are accountable for quality and the Definition of Done.

An obstacle that slows or blocks the Scrum Team's progress. The Scrum Master helps remove impediments, although the team itself is expected to resolve whatever it can.

A fixed-length iteration of one month or less in which a usable, valuable Increment is created. Every other Scrum event happens inside the Sprint, which is the heartbeat of Scrum.

A maximum duration set for a Scrum event. Timeboxes create focus and prevent discussions from expanding indefinitely; an event may finish early but never runs longer.

The event that starts a Sprint. The Scrum Team collaborates to define why the Sprint is valuable, what can be done, and how the chosen work will be achieved.

A single objective for the Sprint that gives the team focus and coherence. It is created during Sprint Planning and may be adjusted as more is learned during the Sprint.

A fifteen-minute event for Developers held every working day of the Sprint. It inspects progress toward the Sprint Goal and adjusts the Sprint Backlog and the plan for the next day.

An event near the end of the Sprint where the team and stakeholders inspect the Increment and discuss progress toward the Product Goal. It results in an adapted Product Backlog.

The final event of the Sprint, where the Scrum Team inspects how it worked and identifies improvements. It closes the Sprint and feeds concrete changes into the next one.

A plan by and for the Developers, composed of the Sprint Goal, the selected Product Backlog items, and the plan for delivering them. It is updated throughout the Sprint.

The tangible, usable result produced during a Sprint. Each Increment adds to previous ones and must meet the Definition of Done to be considered complete.

A shared, explicit checklist of quality standards that an Increment must satisfy. It creates transparency and is used whenever work is judged to be complete.

A long-term objective describing a future state of the product that the Scrum Team works toward. It gives direction to the Product Backlog and is replaced when achieved or abandoned.

The worth or benefit a product delivers to customers and the organization. The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing it, and the team inspects it at every Sprint Review.

An emergent, ordered list of everything that might improve the product. It is the single source of work for the Scrum Team and is managed by the Product Owner.

A single entry in the Product Backlog describing a feature, fix, improvement, or other change. Items are ordered and refined over time so they are ready when needed.

The ongoing activity of breaking down and clarifying Product Backlog items so they are small and clear enough for future Sprints. It is not a formal Scrum event.

Arranging Product Backlog items by value, risk, dependencies, or other factors so that the most important work comes first. Only the Product Owner sets the order.

A prediction of how much work the Developers believe they can complete in a Sprint, based on evidence. It is a projection rather than a commitment and is revisited as work proceeds.

A measure of how much Product Backlog work a team completes per Sprint, often expressed in story points. It can inform forecasting but is not a Scrum artifact or a target.

A person or group with an interest in the product, such as users, customers, sponsors, or internal teams. Stakeholders inform the Product Backlog and give feedback during Sprint Reviews.

The person or organization that buys or uses the product and experiences its value. Understanding customer needs is central to Product Ownership and to ordering the Product Backlog.

A concise description of the long-term future the product aims to create. It aligns the Scrum Team and stakeholders and gives context for the Product Goal and Product Backlog.

The plan for how the product will achieve its vision and deliver value over time. It covers target customers, positioning, priorities, and how success will be measured.