Tracking Progress Toward the Sprint Goal

1. Daily Progress Monitoring
   According to the Scrum Guide, the Developers must:
   • Assess remaining work daily during the Daily Scrum. By doing so they ensure transparency and are able to make adjustments as necessary to meet the Sprint goal.
   • Update effort estimates for all Sprint Backlog items.
   • Evaluate the likelihood of achieving the Sprint Goal, related to creating a potentially releasable Increment.
2. The Sprint Burndown Chart
   This essential tracking tool:
   • Visualizes total remaining work across the Sprint.
   • Ideally shows a consistent downward trend.
   • Reaches "zero effort remaining" by the Sprint's end.
   • Focuses on future work needed (not time spent).
3. Practical Realities
   • Progress is rarely perfectly linear.
   • Charts often fluctuate (this is normal in product development).
   • The true value lies in enabling data-driven adjustments.
4. When Progress Stalls
   If the burndown line isn't trending downward:
   • The team should collaboratively problem-solve.
   • Options may include:
     • Scope refinement (in consultation with the PO).
     • Process improvements.
     • Workflow adjustments.
   • All changes must maintain a sustainable pace.

Key Insight: The burndown chart's power comes from its forward-looking focus - showing what separates the team from their goal rather than dwelling on past effort.

Sprint Planning comes first because the team decides which work will be completed in the upcoming sprint.
The Sprint itself begins immediately after planning.
The Daily Scrum occurs each day during the sprint.
The Sprint Review happens at the end of the sprint but before the retrospective.
The Sprint Retrospective takes place last, as it reflects on the entire sprint process.

Following the retrospective, the cycle begins anew with sprint planning for the next sprint. This creates a continuous improvement loop that is central to Scrum's effectiveness.