How many user stories per sprint?

The number of user stories in a sprint can vary depending on several factors such as the team’s capacity, the complexity of the stories, and the sprint duration. There isn’t a fixed number of user stories for a sprint, but teams typically estimate their capacity in terms of story points or hours and select stories based on what they can complete within the sprint.

Key Factors That Influence the Number of User Stories per Sprint:

1. Team Capacity:

   • The capacity of the team is the total amount of work the team can accomplish during a sprint. This is usually calculated based on the number of team members and the available working days.

2. Story Size (Story Points):

   • User stories vary in size and complexity. Teams usually estimate the size of each story using story points or other estimation methods (such as T-shirt sizing).
   • Smaller stories (1-3 story points) are easier to complete, while larger stories may require more time and effort.

3. Sprint Duration:

   • The length of the sprint (commonly 1-4 weeks) impacts the number of stories. Shorter sprints may accommodate fewer user stories, while longer sprints allow for more work.

4. Team Velocity:

   • Velocity is the average amount of work a team completes in a sprint, often measured in story points. Teams use this historical data to predict how many stories they can tackle in future sprints.

Example:

If a team’s velocity is around 30 story points per sprint, and they estimate user stories at various sizes (e.g., some stories are 5 points, others are 3 points), the team might take on 6-10 stories depending on their size.

• For instance:
  • 2 stories of 5 points each = 10 points
  • 3 stories of 4 points each = 12 points
  • 2 stories of 3 points each = 6 points
  • Total = 28 points (close to the team’s velocity of 30)

Why Teams Don’t Focus on a Fixed Number of Stories:

• Quality over Quantity: It’s more important to focus on completing stories and delivering working software rather than pushing for a specific number of stories.
• Story Size Variability: Stories can vary greatly in size and complexity, so counting the number of stories doesn’t provide an accurate measure of progress.
• Continuous Adaptation: Teams adjust based on the velocity, priorities, and capacity, so the number of stories can change sprint to sprint.

Conclusion:

There is no fixed number of user stories per sprint. Teams typically decide based on their velocity, the complexity of the user stories, and the capacity of the team. On average, teams may complete anywhere from 5 to 15 user stories in a sprint, depending on the story sizes and the team’s efficiency. The focus should always be on delivering quality work and completing user stories, not just the quantity.