Sprint planning sets the tone for the entire week (or sprint). This is where project managers share their team’s focus, discuss dependencies, and align commitments.

As a PM, you’re not here to read every single Jira task or daily to-do list. You’re speaking to other PMs and stakeholders who need to understand the big picture and priorities, not a breakdown of every developer’s work.

why it matters

1. Poor updates in sprint planning can lead to:
   1. ❌ Over-commitment and missed deadlines
   2. ❌ Confusion about priorities
   3. ❌ Misalignment across teams
2. Strong updates help the team:
   1. ✅ Set achievable goals
   2. ✅ Plan around blockers
   3. ✅ Align on what matters most

how to structure your update (Do This)

1. Start with the Sprint Goal. Example: “Our goal for this sprint is to make significant progress on Onboarding and Profile Management. Specifically, design will finalize all screens for both features, frontend will convert the Onboarding screens, and backend will complete the APIs for Profile Management.”
2. Share 3–5 Key Deliverables (Not Every Task). Example: “This week, the top priorities are:
   1. Design: Complete all Onboarding and Profile Management screens
   2. Frontend: Convert Onboarding screens to responsive pages
   3. Backend: Develop and test APIs for Profile Management (create profile, update profile, fetch profile)”
3. Highlight Dependencies and Risks. Example: “We need the Profile Management wireframes finalized by Tuesday; otherwise, backend may face delays in API development.”
4. Confirm Team Capacity & Timeline. Example: “Design team will finish both feature screens by Wednesday, frontend will convert Onboarding screens by Friday, and backend expects Profile Management APIs ready for test by Friday.”
5. End with Clear Commitments. Example:
   “To conclude, by Friday, all screens for both features will be done, Onboarding screens will be converted, and Profile Management APIs will be complete and ready for testing.”

what not to do (avoid these)

1. ❌ Dump a To-Do List Without Context. “We’ll work on onboarding, profile, and some APIs…”
   This doesn’t communicate priority or impact.
2. ❌ Ignore Blockers or Dependencies: “The API will be done” (but design isn’t ready yet).
   Always share what can affect progress.
3. ❌ Overpromise Without Checking Capacity: “We’ll finish everything” when you know your team’s limits.

pro tips for great updates

1. ✔ Prepare before the meeting—review Jira, FRDs, and last sprint’s results.
2. ✔ Group your update into 3–5 main deliverables, not every tiny task.
3. ✔ Speak in terms of outcomes, not raw tasks (e.g., “Onboarding APIs completed,” not “worked on login code”).
4. ✔ Keep it concise—your update should take 2–3 minutes max.
5. ✔ Summarize agreements at the end to confirm alignment.