Iteration
An Iteration is a fixed-length timebox during which an agile team develops and delivers a working increment of the product, with each iteration building on the previous one.
Explanation
Iteration is the generic agile term for a development cycle, with Sprint being the Scrum-specific equivalent. Each iteration typically lasts one to four weeks and includes planning, development, testing, and delivery activities. At the end of each iteration, the team delivers a working increment that can be demonstrated and potentially released.
Iterative development allows teams to get feedback early and often, reducing the risk of building the wrong thing. Each iteration provides a learning opportunity: the team can adjust direction based on stakeholder feedback, changing requirements, or new technical insights. This is fundamentally different from a waterfall approach where feedback comes only at the end.
In frameworks like SAFe, iterations are organized into Program Increments (PIs), which are larger timeboxes that coordinate multiple teams. The iteration remains the basic unit of planning and delivery, even at scale.
Key Points
- •Fixed-length timebox, typically one to four weeks
- •Each iteration produces a working, demonstrable increment
- •Enables early and frequent feedback from stakeholders
- •Sprint is the Scrum-specific name for an iteration
Exam Tip
Iteration is the generic term; Sprint is the Scrum-specific term. They refer to the same concept: a fixed-length development cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Topics
Sprint
A Sprint is a fixed-length timebox of one month or less in Scrum during which the team creates a usable, potentially releasable product Increment.
Timeboxing
Timeboxing is the practice of allocating a fixed, maximum amount of time for an activity, after which the activity stops regardless of whether it is complete.
Increment
An Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal, where each Increment is additive to all prior Increments and must meet the Definition of Done to be considered complete.
Release Planning
Release Planning is an agile practice where the team and Product Owner determine the scope, timing, and goals for the next product release by mapping backlog items across future iterations based on team velocity.
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