Sprint Cancellation [SG2020]
A Sprint can be cancelled if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete, however, isn't it possible the same thing is applicable if the Product Goal becomes obsolete? Can someone confirm?
The Scrum Guide says that during the Sprint no changes are made that would endanger the Sprint Goal, and that the Sprint could be cancelled if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete. No exception is made to this rule regarding Product Goal volatility.
No exception is made to this rule regarding Product Goal volatility.
@Ian Mitchell, I hope I am interpreting this correctly but if the Product Goal changes, then essentially that endangers the Sprint Goal right?
Unless, irrespective of the fact that the Product Goal has changed, then for as long as the Sprint Goal is still relevant to the new Product Goal, the Sprint won't get canceled.
Therefore, is this more of an it depends case?
If the Product Goal becomes obsolete, can it implies obsolescence of the Sprint Goal? Is it always the case? Can you imagine a scenario where the Product Goal becomes obsolete, however current Sprint Goal is still valid, thus you shouldn't cancel the Sprint?
In any given Sprint, no change should be made regarding the current Product Goal if doing so would put the Sprint Goal at risk. The Sprint is an empirical event and hence the imperative is to preserve it.
The obsolesence of a Product Goal is strictly immaterial to Sprint cancellation, although it is possible that the same underlying contributory factors may also lead to Sprint Goal obsolence and to Sprint cancellation on those grounds.
Here is a good article on the Product Goal, in the context of the Product Goal being invalidated: https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/scrum-guide-2020-update-introducing-product-goal
Can a Product Goal change during a Sprint?
For the majority of situations, the Product Goal is described in a way that it will require multiple Sprints to realize. That means, like the Sprint Goal it is likely that the Product Goal does not change during a Sprint. It is possible that the Scrum Team, by doing work discovers something that invalidates the Product Goal, in the same way that a Scrum Team can discover something that invalidates the Sprint Goal. When that happens the context of the situation or the environment the team is working in will influence what happens next. Some teams will stop the Sprint (which is the decision of the Product Owner) and go back to the stakeholders and present their findings. Other Scrum Teams will refine the Product Goal and the Sprint Goal validating them at the next Sprint Review. And other Scrum Teams will do something else. The Scrum Guide does not describe exactly what happens in these situations believing that the Scrum Team will make the right decision depending on the situation.