The Scrum Guide states: "The Scrum Team and its stakeholders inspect the results and adjust for the next Sprint."
What does "adjust" really mean?
Cambridge Dictionary defines adjust as: “To change something slightly, especially to make it more correct, effective, or suitable.” and “To become more familiar with a new situation.”.
A crucial word here is slightly—Scrum is about incremental improvements, not drastic overhauls. If a team makes radical changes Sprint after Sprint, they risk losing sight of what actually works. Instead, adjusting means small, evidence-based tweaks that optimize effectiveness.
Where do adjustments happen in Scrum? Everywhere.
Scrum enables adaptation at multiple levels; some examples:
Product Backlog – Adjusted after Sprint Reviews based on new insights and stakeholder feedback.
Sprint Backlog – Adjusted daily as progress unfolds, ensuring alignment with the Sprint Goal.
Definition of Done – Adjusted during Retrospectives to reflect evolving quality expectations.
Sprint Planning – Adjusted based on better collaboration insights and team learning.
User Interaction – Adjusted mid-Sprint when real-world user behavior provides new insights.
Refinement Practices – Adjusted to reflect a deeper business understanding.
Red flags: when adjustments aren’t happening...
If your team isn’t making any adjustments, they’re likely not leveraging empiricism.
No Product Backlog updates after a Sprint Review? → Did we really get no useful feedback?
No Sprint Backlog changes during Daily Scrums? → Is everything really going 100% according to plan?
No adjustments after a Sprint Retrospective? → Are we truly improving, or just going through the motions?
No adjustments = No learning = Stagnation
Adjusting vs. Chaos
There’s a fine line between thoughtful adjustments and chaotic, directionless change.
Effective adjustments are:
Incremental – Small course corrections, not complete resets.
Goal-Oriented – Aligned with the Sprint Goal and Product Goal.
Data-Driven – Based on evidence from the Increment and feedback loops.
Time for a reality check:
When was the last time your team made a meaningful adjustment based on inspection?
If you’re struggling to answer, are you truly using Scrum’s inspect-and-adapt cycle effectively?
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
I hope you find value in these short articles and if you are looking for more clarifications, feel free to take contact.
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Wishing you an inspiring read and a wonderful journey.
Scrum on!
