Sequence of Events in Scrum

In this sequence you have effectively listed the following as necessary precursors or prerequisites for entry into Sprint Planning:

1. Product Backlog Creation
2. Multiple Sprint Backlogs are created

Can you explain your reasoning for this?

+1 to Ian's inquiry, but I am also curious about the need to create multiple sprint backlogs before the beginning of Sprint 1.

Saurabh, what in your opinion would such multiple sprint backlogs consist of?

@Ian: As per my understanding the Product backlog is the first thing that is created when the project begins. This has user stories. The user stories are then prioritised and multiple sprints backlogs are created on the basis of prioritised user stories. Since all the stories cannot fit into a single sprint, therefore we need multiple sprints. Isnt that right?

@Tim: Now before the first sprint starts, the team goes into Sprint planning and then once the Sprint planning is completed they start the development. Same for the rest of the sprints.

is my understanding correct? Or am I missing something?

Multiple sprints concept is shown here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU0llRltyFM

My bad, I just now read it that the Sprint Backlog is created in the Sprint Planning meeting. So it should be

1. Product Backlog Creation

2. Sprint 1 Planning (Sprint Backlog for this Sprint is created)
3. Development starts for Sprint 1 (Daily Scrums Happen)
4. Development completes for the Sprint
5. Sprint Review for Sprint 1
6. Sprint retrospective for Sprint 1

7. Sprint 2 Planning (Sprint Backlog for this Sprint is created)
8. Development starts for Sprint 2 (Daily Scrums Happen)
9. Development completes for the Sprint
10. Sprint Review for Sprint 2
11. Sprint retrospective for Sprint 2

12. Sprint 3 Planning (Sprint Backlog for this Sprint is created)
13. Development starts for Sprint 3 (Daily Scrums Happen)
14. Development completes for the Sprint
15. Sprint Review for Sprint 3
16. Sprint retrospective for Sprint 3

So on and so forth.

Correct?

I'm almost sure, that the "Multiple Sprint Backlogs are created" means to create the Release Plan. But maybe I'm wrong...

@Ian is the order of events correct?

Product Backlog creation is not a one time activity, it is a living artifacts that keeps evolving as long as any work on the product is going on.

Also you may would like to go Backlog refinement (not mandate though) meetings during the Sprints for preparing the backlog for future Sprints.

> is the order of events correct?

Why do you think that having a Product Backlog is an essential pre-requisite for entry into Sprint Planning? Why can't a team, with an idea for a product, start to plan a Sprint and let a Product Backlog evolve?

The user stories are then prioritised and multiple sprints backlogs are created on the basis of prioritised user stories.

No. You would not create more than one Sprint Backlog at a time. The remaining stories would simply remain on the main product backlog, in priority order.

@Ian - A product backlog is certainly an essential pre-requisite for entry into Sprint Planning because only then you can use the product backlog to create a Sprint Backlog in the Sprint planning meeting. Correct?

Isnt the Product backlog created by the Product Owner before the they get into the Sprint Planning meeting where they talk about which user stories from the product backlog should make it to the Sprint backlog?

I agree with you that it evolves.

@Tim are you saying that all Sprint Backlogs are not created at once and that a new Sprint Backlog is created in the next Sprint Planning meeting, which is filled with user stories from the Product Backlog?

> A product backlog is certainly an essential pre-requisite for entry
> into Sprint Planning because only then you can use the product
> backlog to create a Sprint Backlog in the Sprint planning meeting. Correct?

Why would you *have* to delay sprinting, and the delivery of value, until you had a Product Backlog? Why make it a pre-requisite? If there is an idea for a product and enough people to form a Scrum Team, why not plan a Sprint Backlog immediately, including enough of a Product Backlog to get things going?

That makes sense.

@Tim are you saying that all Sprint Backlogs are not created at once and that a new Sprint Backlog is created in the next Sprint Planning meeting, which is filled with user stories from the Product Backlog?

Yes.

Scrum supports Agility. How can you employ the ability to process feedback (empiricism) and adjust your plan as needed, if you are "mapping" out all of your sprint backlogs at the start? This is old-school thinking, and is a wasteful activity if there is ever a need to adjust the "plan" based on new information or changing business priorities.