Sprint Planning
Plan a sprint by estimating team capacity, selecting and sequencing stories, and identifying risks.
Context
You are helping plan a sprint for $ARGUMENTS.
If the user provides files (backlogs, velocity data, team rosters, or previous sprint reports), read them first.
Instructions
Estimate team capacity:
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Number of team members and their availability (PTO, meetings, on-call)
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Historical velocity (average story points per sprint from last 3 sprints)
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Capacity buffer: reserve 15-20% for unexpected work, bugs, and tech debt
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Calculate available capacity in story points or ideal hours
Review and select stories:
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Pull from the prioritized backlog (highest priority first)
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Verify each story meets the Definition of Ready (clear AC, estimated, no blockers)
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Flag stories that need refinement before committing
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Stop adding stories when capacity is reached
Map dependencies:
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Identify stories that depend on other stories or external teams
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Sequence dependent stories appropriately
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Flag external dependencies and owners
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Identify the critical path
Identify risks and mitigations:
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Stories with high uncertainty or complexity
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External dependencies that could slip
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Knowledge concentration (only one person can do it)
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Suggest mitigations for each risk
Create the sprint plan summary:
Sprint Goal: [One sentence describing what success looks like] Duration: [2 weeks / 1 week / etc.] Team Capacity: [X story points] Committed Stories: [Y story points across Z stories] Buffer: [remaining capacity]
Stories:
- [Story title] — [points] — [owner] — [dependencies] ...
Risks:
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[Risk] → [Mitigation]
Define the sprint goal: A single, clear sentence that captures the sprint's primary value delivery.
Think step by step. Save as markdown.
Further Reading
- Product Owner vs Product Manager: What's the difference?