An increment refers to the sum of all the product backlog items completed during a sprint and the value of the increments of all previous sprints. It is the tangible result of the development team’s work during a sprint and represents a potentially releasable version of the product.
Key Characteristics
An increment must include all the work items the development team committed to completing during the sprint. It should meet the definition of “Done” agreed upon by the team and adhere to the quality standards set for the product.
The increment integrates the work of all team members, ensuring that individual contributions come together to create a coherent and functional whole. It represents a cohesive and unified version of the product.
The increment has undergone thorough testing to ensure it meets the acceptance criteria and fulfills the requirements specified by the Product Owner. Testing encompasses functional, integration, and user acceptance testing, among other types.
The increment is definitely releasable. If the product owner decides to release it, it can be delivered to stakeholders or users. Although it may not include all desired features or enhancements, it still represents a valuable and usable product version.
Each increment builds upon the work of previous sprints, incrementally adding value to the product and moving it closer to the desired state. Over time, the increments collectively contribute to the evolution and improvement of the product.
Example
An example of a software development project increment could be a new version of a web-based project management tool. Let’s consider a scenario where the development team has completed a two-week sprint and delivered an increment at the end of the sprint:
Increment Example: Version 1.0.0
- User Authentication:
- Users can register for an account with a unique username and password.
- Registered users can log in securely to access the application.
- Dashboard UI:
- Users are greeted with a dashboard upon logging in, displaying key project metrics and recent activity.
- The dashboard includes interactive widgets for task lists, project timelines, and team performance.
- Task Management Feature:
- Users can create, edit, and delete tasks for their projects.
- Tasks are organized by project, assigned to team members, and tagged with due dates and priorities.
- Basic Reporting:
- Users can generate and view basic reports on project progress, task completion rates, and team workload.
- Reports include charts, graphs, and tables to visualize data and trends.
- User Acceptance Testing (UAT):
- A UAT environment is set up for stakeholders to test the application and provide feedback.
- Stakeholders can report bugs, suggest improvements, and validate the functionality of the increment.
An increment represents the culmination of the development team’s work during the sprint and includes features and enhancements that provide value to users. It is potentially releasable and could be deployed to production if the Product Owner decides to release it. The increment builds upon previous work, incrementally adding functionality to the product and moving it closer to the desired state.
