What Should the Scrum Team Do During the First Sprint?

Starting a new Scrum project can be both exciting and also challenging. The first sprint sets the foundation for the entire project, making it crucial to establish the right practices, expectations, and momentum from the start. The first sprint is not just about delivering a product increment but also about forming a strong, collaborative team that works effectively within the boundaries of the Scrum framework.

This blog will provide guidance on What Should the Scrum Team Do During the First Sprint to ensure a successful project kickoff.

Guide on What Should the Scrum Team Do During the First Sprint — What Should the Scrum Team Do During the First Sprint

Agile Scrum Dashboard Template

Buy Now

Understanding the First Sprint

The first sprint in Scrum follows the same structure as subsequent sprints but has a unique importance: it helps the team establish velocity, refine their workflow, and build cohesion. While there is pressure to deliver value, it is also a time for learning and adapting.

Let’s break down the key activities that a Scrum team should focus on during the first sprint.

1. Conduct a Sprint Planning Session

Sprint Planning is the first event that kicks off every sprint, including the first one. During this session:

The Product Owner presents the top-priority backlog items.
The Development Team selects the items they can commit to completing.
The Scrum Master facilitates the session and ensures alignment with Scrum principles.

The goal is to define a sprint backlog—a subset of the product backlog that the team will focus on during the sprint. It’s essential to ensure that the work selected is realistic and achievable.

2. Establish the Definition of Done (DoD)

A clear Definition of Done ensures that all team members have a shared understanding of what it means for a backlog item to be completed. This may include:

Writing and passing unit tests
Code reviews and approvals
Documentation updates
Deployment readiness

Establishing the DoD early prevents confusion later and maintains high-quality standards from the start.

3. Clarify Roles and Responsibilities

The first sprint is the ideal time to clarify each team member’s responsibilities. While Scrum prescribes three key roles—Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Development Team—within the development team, individual responsibilities may vary. Defining these early helps prevent misunderstandings later.

4. Set Up Collaboration and Communication Channels

Effective communication is the backbone of a successful Scrum team. The first sprint is a good time to:

Set up and agree on communication tools (Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, etc.)
Schedule regular stand-up meetings at a convenient time for all team members
Define expectations for documentation and code reviews

5. Begin Development and Adapt to Agile Practices

Once planning is complete, it’s time to start working on the sprint backlog. The team should:

Use pair programming or code reviews for quality assurance
Follow Agile engineering best practices like Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)
Ensure work is tested and meets the Definition of Done

It’s also a time for adaptation. If certain workflows or tools aren’t working well, the team should be flexible in making adjustments.

6. Conduct Daily Stand-Ups

Daily stand-ups (or daily scrums) are essential for keeping the team aligned. In these short meetings, team members answer three key questions:

What did I do yesterday?
What will I do today?
Are there any blockers?

This routine fosters transparency, collaboration, and continuous progress.

7. Address Impediments Quickly

The Scrum Master should be proactive in identifying and removing any impediments that slow the team down. These could be technical issues, unclear requirements, or dependencies on external teams. Resolving these quickly ensures smooth progress.

8. Foster a Culture of Continuous Feedback

Since the first sprint is a learning experience, feedback loops are crucial. This includes:

Encouraging developers to give feedback on backlog items
Having frequent discussions about what’s working and what’s not
Creating a safe space where team members feel comfortable raising concerns

9. Hold a Sprint Review

At the end of the first sprint, the team holds a Sprint Review, where they:

Demonstrate completed work to stakeholders
Gather feedback
Discuss what was successfully delivered and what was not

The goal of this meeting is to inspect and adapt. It provides stakeholders with an opportunity to provide input, ensuring that the product remains aligned with business objectives.

10. Conduct a Sprint Retrospective

The Sprint Retrospective is one of the most valuable aspects of the first sprint. Here, the team reflects on:

What went well
What didn’t go well
What improvements can be made for the next sprint

Encouraging open discussion in the first retrospective sets the tone for future continuous improvement efforts.

11. Adjust the Product Backlog

After reviewing the feedback from the Sprint Review and Retrospective, the Product Owner should refine the product backlog. This may involve:

Adding new items based on stakeholder feedback
Re-prioritizing existing items
Clarifying ambiguous requirements

A well-maintained backlog ensures the team always has a clear direction moving forward.

12. Measure Team Velocity (But Don’t Worry Too Much!)

Velocity refers to the amount of work a team completes in a sprint. While it's tempting to assess velocity after the first sprint, teams should avoid making premature judgments. The first sprint often has a learning curve, so velocity may stabilize only after a few sprints.

13. Encourage Team Bonding and Motivation

Team dynamics are critical to success. The first sprint is an excellent time to:

Organize informal bonding activities (e.g., virtual coffee breaks, team lunches)
Recognize and celebrate small wins
Foster a culture of trust and collaboration

14. Refine Estimations for Future Sprints

Estimation techniques such as story points or t-shirt sizing become more accurate over time. The first sprint helps the team understand how much work they can realistically complete within a sprint cycle. Teams should refine their estimation process based on their learnings.

15. Maintain Flexibility and Adaptability

No plan is ever perfect. The first sprint is about learning, adjusting, and improving. Whether it's refining processes, tweaking tools, or changing approaches, flexibility is key to long-term success.

Conclusion - What Should the Scrum Team Do During the First Sprint

The first sprint is foundational for a Scrum team’s success. By focusing on planning, collaboration, continuous improvement, and communication, teams can set themselves up for productive and successful sprints ahead. The key is to strike a balance between delivering value and establishing the right team dynamics and Agile practices.

By following these best practices, your Scrum team will be well-positioned to deliver high-quality work while maintaining an adaptive and sustainable workflow.

Professional Project Manager Templates are available here

projectmanagertemplate.com