scrumboard

A Scrumboard is a visual board used in Scrum methodologies to illustrate the current state of work during a sprint. It tracks tasks from inception to completion and can be physical (sticky notes on a wall) or digital (software boards).

Structure: A typical board uses columns such as To Do, In Progress, and Done. Some boards include Backlog, Selected for Development, Testing, and Blocked. Cards represent user stories or tasks, with data like title, owner, estimate, and status. As work progresses, cards move across columns.

Purpose and practice: The board provides transparency, aligns the team, and supports the daily stand-up by focusing discussion on flow and blockers. It can support work-in-progress limits to improve throughput. It is not a replacement for the product backlog; it complements sprint planning and reviews.

Usage and governance: The Scrum Master helps ensure the board reflects reality, but the team owns maintenance. During sprint planning, items from the product backlog are placed on the sprint backlog and represented on the board. The board is updated throughout the sprint and reviewed at the sprint review.

Variants and tools: Digital boards (e.g., Jira, Trello, Azure DevOps) offer real-time updates and automation; physical boards remain common in co-located teams.