Strategy
Refinement
Plain English
Getting work ready before building it.
Definition
Refinement is the ongoing work of clarifying, breaking down, and sizing glossaryBacklogThe backlog is a prioritised list of work that needs to be delivered, including features, fixes, and improvements.Open glossary term items before they enter development. It is where ambiguity gets resolved while resolving it is still cheap.
In practice
Tasks are broken down, clarified, and estimated.
In context
It is the least visible activity with the largest effect on glossaryDeliveryDelivery is the process of building, testing, and releasing a product or feature.Open glossary term. Teams that protect the time have calmer glossarySprintA sprint is a fixed time period where a team completes a set of planned work.Open glossary term, and cannot easily prove the connection.
The reality
Often rushed, leading to unclear work entering glossarySprintA sprint is a fixed time period where a team completes a set of planned work.Open glossary term.
Compared with
Refinement vs Sprint Planning
Refinement happens ahead of the glossarySprintA sprint is a fixed time period where a team completes a set of planned work.Open glossary term and makes items understandable and estimable. Planning happens at the boundary and decides what to take on. Refinement is where the thinking happens; planning is where the commitment does.
FAQ
Common questions
A few practical answers to the questions that usually come up around this term.
What is refinement?
Preparing glossaryBacklogThe backlog is a prioritised list of work that needs to be delivered, including features, fixes, and improvements.Open glossary term items for development.
Why is it important?
It ensures work is clear and ready.
What happens during refinement?
Clarification, breakdown, and estimation.
What happens if you skip it?
Work becomes unclear and inefficient.
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