Sprints Overview

Sprints give your work a rhythm. Instead of an open-ended backlog that grows forever, you commit to a focused set of work cards for a defined period — typically one or two weeks — and track what gets done. At the end, you close the sprint, review progress, and plan the next one.

What is a sprint?

A sprint is a time-boxed execution cycle with a name, start date, end date, and a set of committed work cards. Sprints provide structure for teams that want to plan in regular intervals rather than working from a continuous backlog.

Each sprint moves through three phases:

• Planning — Select and commit cards from your backlog
• Active — The sprint is underway and the team is executing
• Closed — The sprint is complete

Why use sprints?

Sprints aren't required in Joyous — some teams prefer continuous flow. But they shine when you need:

• Focus — Limit work in progress to what can actually be done in the timeframe
• Predictability — Build a cadence that stakeholders can rely on for updates
• Accountability — Review what was committed vs. what was completed at sprint close
• Planning rhythm — Regular planning sessions keep the backlog groomed and priorities current

Sprint features

Sprint detail page

Each sprint has a detail page showing:

• Sprint status badge (Planning, Active, or Closed) — clickable to change
• Date range (e.g., "Apr 1 – 14")
• All committed cards grouped by status with colored status dots
• Card count and completion stats
• Links to each card's detail page

Next Steps

• Sprint Lifecycle — Learn how to create, activate, and close sprints
• Planning & Commitment — Commit cards and manage sprint scope