Increment
An Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal, where each Increment is additive to all prior Increments and must meet the Definition of Done to be considered complete.
Explanation
An Increment is the sum of all Product Backlog items completed during a Sprint, plus the value of all previous Increments. The Increment must be usable and meet the Definition of Done. If a Product Backlog item does not meet the Definition of Done, it cannot be released or presented at the Sprint Review.
Multiple Increments may be created within a Sprint. The sum of the Increments is presented at the Sprint Review. However, an Increment may be delivered to stakeholders prior to the end of the Sprint. The Sprint Review should never be considered a gate to releasing value.
The Increment is the tangible output that demonstrates progress. In Scrum, delivering a usable Increment at the end of every Sprint is non-negotiable, as it provides the transparency needed for meaningful inspection and adaptation.
Key Points
- •Each Increment is additive to all prior Increments
- •Must meet the Definition of Done to be considered complete
- •Multiple Increments can be created within a single Sprint
- •The Increment can be released at any point, not just at the Sprint Review
Exam Tip
An Increment must be usable and meet the Definition of Done. If a question asks about incomplete work, it is NOT part of the Increment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Topics
Definition of Done
The Definition of Done (DoD) is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product, providing a shared understanding of what it means for work to be complete.
Sprint Review
The Sprint Review is a Scrum event held at the end of the Sprint where the Scrum Team presents the Increment to stakeholders, gathers feedback, and collaborates on what to do next.
Sprint
A Sprint is a fixed-length timebox of one month or less in Scrum during which the team creates a usable, potentially releasable product Increment.
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Burndown Chart
A Burndown Chart is a graphical representation of work remaining versus time in a Sprint or release, showing whether the team is on track to complete the planned work.
Relative Estimation
Relative Estimation is an agile technique where work items are sized in comparison to each other rather than in absolute units like hours or days, providing faster and more accurate estimates.
Sprint Review
The Sprint Review is a Scrum event held at the end of the Sprint where the Scrum Team presents the Increment to stakeholders, gathers feedback, and collaborates on what to do next.
Sprint Backlog
The Sprint Backlog is the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint, plus the Sprint Goal and the plan for delivering the Increment.
Timeboxing
Timeboxing is the practice of allocating a fixed, maximum amount of time for an activity, after which the activity stops regardless of whether it is complete.
Resource Leveling
Resource leveling is a resource optimization technique in which adjustments are made to the project schedule to keep resource usage at or below a defined limit, often resulting in a longer project duration.
Risk Register
The risk register is a project document that records the details of individual project risks, including their identification, analysis results, response plans, and current status.
Stakeholder Mapping
Stakeholder mapping is the visual representation of stakeholder relationships, influence, interest, or other attributes using grids, matrices, or diagrams to support analysis and engagement planning.
Cost Performance Index (CPI)
Cost Performance Index (CPI) is an EVM efficiency metric that measures cost performance as the ratio of earned value to actual cost: CPI = EV / AC.
Part of
Agile & Hybrid
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