In this article, we explore the sprint process in software development. You'll learn to manage tasks using a sprint board, track progress, and enhance team efficiency for successful project deliveries!
What Is a Sprint?
A sprint is a short, focused period of work during which a development team tackles specific tasks or goals (for my team, it’s two-week periods). In modern software projects, sprints help teams stay organized, track progress, and deliver updates efficiently.
What is Agile Development
Agile development is a way of building software that focuses on flexibility, teamwork, and continuous improvement. Instead of planning everything up front, teams work in short sprints to deliver small, usable project pieces. After each sprint, the team reviews what went well and what can be improved, making it easier to adapt to changes and deliver better results. Agile helps teams stay organized, respond quickly to feedback, and progress projects.
What is a Sprint Board & Ticket?
I like explaining a ticket by analogy—think of a ticket as an index card pinned to a corkboard (Sprint Board). In the following example, the corkboard has five column headers labeled as follows:
To Do
In Progress
In Review
Testing
Done
The index card lists tasks and moves through each column of the corkboard as the tasks are completed.
| To Do | In Progress | In Review | Testing | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TICKET) |
To Do
Let’s write two tasks on the imagined index card:
Update the README file to include the new login feature
Add a URL link to the deployed project.
The provided index card (sprint ticket) will have an auto-generated number; let’s say it’s 12.
Now, I will assign YOU to complete ticket number 12. After reviewing the assigned tasks, you will let the team know how long it will take you to complete. This is done using a point system.
A point represents a time variable that can differ among teams. Our team’s point system is as follows:
point-0: within 2 hours
point-1: within 1/2 day
point-3: within 1 day
point-5: within 3 days
point-8: within 1 week
Since this is your first ticket, a full day will be acceptable for the task as you will need time to write documentation for the new login procedure and add a URL to the project. Therefore, you should mark your ticket with 3 points (which represents a day).
In Progress
Once you start working on your assigned ticket, you move it to the “In Progress“ column. When you complete it, you move it to the “In Review“ column and notify your team.
In Review
The review phase of your ticket involves an assigned team member reviewing it to ensure that all of the assigned tasks were completed. In this demonstration, you needed to write documentation in the README file detailing the new login procedure and adding a URL to the project.
⚠ Important: You are NOT to go beyond the tasks on your ticket! For example, you would not add additional information to the README file regarding other aspects of the project. Although your intentions are good, since it goes beyond the scope of the ticket, it will be refused because it will cause confusion and disorganization. Further README file updates should be added to new future tickets.
Testing
Once the ticket passes the review stage, it is moved to testing to ensure the code functions properly; in this simple example, the project link must be clickable and direct to the correct URL. If your ticket passes the testing phase, it is closed and moved to the “Done“ column.
Done
The done column is filled with completed tickets, showcasing all of the project's updates. Great work on completing your ticket and properly maintaining a professional team workflow using a sprint ticket and a sprint board!
Additional Sprint Tasks
Now that we have covered a simple version of a sprint ticket and a sprint board, I can offer you more details of my team’s process.
Additional Sprint Board Columns:
No Status: Tasks or tickets that haven’t been assigned a workflow stage yet.
Back Log: A list of tasks or ideas waiting to be worked on in future sprints.
Epics: Large, high-level tasks or projects broken down into smaller tickets.
Blocked: Tasks that cannot move forward due to an issue or dependency.
Leftover Tickets
What do we do with leftover tickets that weren’t completed during the sprint? They are usually moved back to the backlog or carried over to the next sprint for further work. Reviewing leftover tickets helps the team understand what caused delays and improves future planning, ensuring that important tasks aren’t forgotten.
Team Meetings
Stand-ups: Short daily meetings where team members share progress, plans, and blockers.
Weekly Meetings: Longer meetings held once a week to review progress, plan upcoming work, and discuss any issues.
One-on-one: Private meetings between two team members (often a manager and developer) to discuss individual goals, feedback, or concerns.
Future Sprint Planning
Sprint planning is the meeting where the team decides which tasks or tickets will be tackled in the upcoming sprint. During this session, team members review the backlog, estimate the effort required for each item, and agree on the sprint goals. The result is a clear plan that outlines what will be accomplished and who is responsible for each task, helping everyone stay focused and aligned throughout the sprint.
About Us
What is Gridiron Survivor?
Gridiron Survivor is an apprenticeship program created by Shashi Lo, a Senior UX Engineer at Microsoft. It aims to provide developers entering the tech industry with vital work experience. The program focuses on practical training in project management, coding practices, and team collaboration, offering mentorship and skills essential for success in their initial tech roles.
What is the Elfgorithm App?
Elfgorithm is an AI-driven Secret Santa app set to launch in winter 2025. It streamlines gift exchanges by removing the guesswork from Secret Santa activities. The app manages gift-giving details and provides personalized gift suggestions, ensuring you find the perfect presents for everyone.
Gridiron Survivor Sponsors
A very special thanks to our sponsors!
GitKraken: A popular Git client that provides a graphical interface to manage Git repositories. It is known for its user-friendly design and features that simplify version control, making it easier for developers to collaborate and manage their code.
Frontend Mentor: An online platform that offers front-end coding challenges. It helps developers improve their skills by providing real-world projects to work on, along with a supportive community for feedback and learning.
Vercel: A cloud platform for static sites and serverless functions. It is designed to optimize the workflow of developers by providing tools for building, deploying, and scaling modern web applications with ease. Vercel is known for its seamless integration with frameworks like Next.js.
My other related articles
Bridging the Skills Gap: Empowering Junior Developers Through Apprenticeship Programs
Gridiron Survivor's Elfgorithm: Introduction and Team Installation
Software Versioning: A Developer's Guide to Semantic and GitHub Releases
Creating Cohesive Design Systems with Atomic Design Principles
Be sure to listen to the HTML All The Things Podcast!
📝 I also write articles for the HTML All The Things Podcast, which you can read on their website: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/.
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Conclusion
A sprint is a short, focused period of work during which a development team completes specific tasks or goals. Sprints are an essential part of Agile development, a method of software creation that stresses flexibility, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
Sprint tasks are tracked using tickets that include detailed instructions. As work progresses, these tickets are moved across titled columns on a Sprint Board—To Do, In Progress, In Review, Testing, and Done, among others. Each ticket is assigned an estimated completion time by the assignee using a point system. Points represent time intervals that can differ between teams, such as point-1 for half a day, point-3 for one day, and point-5 for three days. Leftover tickets that weren’t completed during a sprint are typically moved back to the backlog or carried over to the next sprint for further work.
Regular team meetings keep everyone aligned and productive. Daily stand-ups help share progress and blockers, weekly meetings review progress and plan ahead, and one-on-ones focus on individual goals and feedback. Future sprint planning prepares the team for the next cycle by reviewing the backlog, estimating tasks, and setting clear goals. This ongoing process helps teams stay organized, adaptable, and successful.
Ready to implement Agile? Begin planning your next sprint and discover how this workflow can enhance your team’s productivity and project success!
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