#23 Mid Week Sprints

Symptom: Sprints start and finish mid week and the team are becoming disenchanted with the project.

Probable Cause: The team are probably feeling that the project is one continuous flow of work with no break in between sprints.

Suggested Resolution: Try to arrange the sprints to start on a Monday and finish on a Friday with the weekend available to the team as down time between sprints. It sounds obvious, but sprints that start and finish mid week tend to leave the team in a continuous work schedule with no immediate relief, especially for long term projects.

Finishing up a sprint on a Friday can be a real positive experience and starts the weekend completely free of any thoughts, conscious or sub conscious, about work, the sprint or any impediments. This can be quite liberating leaving the team to have a great weekend and be fresh on Monday to start the next sprint.

What you are looking for is a team that is rested and hyped up ready for the next sprint to start. The periodic rest between sprints should help the team to stay sharp and focussed.

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