The Sprint Review is a core event within the Scrum framework, dedicated to inspecting the product increment created during the most recent development cycle. This collaborative meeting ensures transparency regarding the product’s progress and facilitates continuous delivery. By showcasing the finished work and gathering feedback, the Sprint Review helps teams adapt their future plans and maintain alignment with the overall Product Goal.
The Standard Cadence: Tied to Sprint Length
The frequency of the Sprint Review is directly determined by the length of the Sprint itself, occurring precisely once at the conclusion of every Sprint timebox. Sprints are fixed-length iterations, typically lasting between one and four weeks, meaning the review frequency will fall within this range. The review is a singular event that marks the end of that specific development cycle.
Most Agile development teams operate on a bi-weekly, or two-week, cadence for their Sprints. Consequently, the Sprint Review is held every two weeks by default, providing a consistent opportunity for inspection and adaptation. This regular schedule ensures that feedback loops remain short.
Understanding the Sprint Review’s Core Purpose
The goal of the Sprint Review is to ensure transparency and facilitate collaboration between the Scrum Team and its stakeholders regarding the product’s evolution. This event is a working session focused on inspecting the outcome of the Sprint and determining future adaptations to the Product Backlog. It is the forum where the team collectively assesses progress toward the Product Goal.
During the review, two main activities take place: the demonstration of the finished, usable Increment, and the inspection of the Product Backlog. Developers showcase what they have completed, and the Product Owner discusses the current state of the backlog and probable target dates. Stakeholders provide input on the demonstrated work, which allows the group to collaborate on the next steps. This discussion results in a revised Product Backlog, focusing the review on maximizing future value.
Relationship to the Overall Sprint Cycle
The Sprint Review is placed as the second-to-last event within the Sprint timebox, occurring at its end. This timing is deliberate, as it allows the team to present the most recent, integrated, and “Done” Increment of the product. The event precedes only the Sprint Retrospective, which marks the formal conclusion of the cycle before the next Sprint begins.
The placement ensures that the feedback and adaptations determined during the review can be immediately translated into actionable items for the next development period. The revised Product Backlog, the direct output of the Sprint Review, serves as a primary input for the subsequent Sprint Planning event. This sequential flow maintains a continuous cycle of inspection and adaptation.
Timeboxing Guidelines for the Review
To ensure focus and respect for participants’ schedules, the Sprint Review is a timeboxed event with a maximum duration established by the framework. The rule for determining this maximum is proportional to the Sprint length: the review should be limited to a maximum of four hours for a one-month (four-week) Sprint.
For Sprints shorter than a month, the timebox scales down proportionally. For example, a two-week Sprint should have a Sprint Review timebox of two hours or less. Adherence to this timebox prevents the event from becoming an overly long, unfocused presentation and forces the team and stakeholders to prioritize the most important feedback and adaptation decisions.
Key Attendees and Stakeholder Involvement
The Sprint Review requires the attendance of the entire Scrum Team, which includes the Product Owner, the Scrum Master, and the Developers. The Product Owner is responsible for inviting key stakeholders—individuals external to the Scrum Team who have a vested interest and knowledge of the product being developed. These stakeholders might include users, customers, organizational leaders, or technical experts.
The Developers are responsible for demonstrating the “Done” Increment and discussing what went well and what problems were solved during the Sprint. The Product Owner confirms which Product Backlog items meet the Definition of Done and facilitates the discussion about the Product Backlog’s future state. Stakeholders provide feedback on the demonstrated increment and offer input on changes that may influence the product’s direction.
Adapting the Review Frequency and Format
While the frequency of the Sprint Review is tied to the length of the Sprint—always occurring once per cycle—teams often adapt the format and structure to suit their specific environment. For instance, distributed teams frequently leverage virtual formats with specialized tools to facilitate the demonstration and collaborative discussion, maintaining transparency across different locations. Teams operating in highly regulated environments may incorporate specific procedural steps into the review to ensure necessary sign-offs or compliance checks are addressed during the event.
The central message remains that the frequency is a direct reflection of the chosen Sprint length. A one-week Sprint would necessitate a weekly review, making the feedback loop shorter. Teams should focus on maximizing the effectiveness of the meeting within the standard cadence rather than attempting to alter the fundamental once-per-Sprint rule.