/sprint-planning

Sprint Planning

Plan and organize sprint workflows

Instructions

1. **Check Linear Integration** First, verify if the Linear MCP server is connected:

• If connected: Proceed with full integration
• If not connected: Ask user to install Linear MCP server from https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers
• Fallback: Use GitHub issues and manual input

2. **Gather Sprint Context** Collect the following information:

• Sprint duration (e.g., 2 weeks)
• Sprint start date
• Team members involved
• Sprint goals/themes
• Previous sprint velocity (if available)

3. **Analyze Current State**

With Linear Connected:

1. Fetch all backlog items from Linear
2. Get in-progress tasks and their status
3. Analyze task priorities and dependencies
4. Check team member assignments and capacity
5. Review blocked tasks and impediments

Without Linear (Fallback):

1. Analyze GitHub issues by labels and milestones
2. Review open pull requests and their status
3. Check recent commit activity
4. Ask user for additional context about tasks

4. **Sprint Planning Analysis**

Generate a comprehensive sprint plan including:

# Sprint Planning Report - [Sprint Name]

## Sprint Overview
- Duration: [Start Date] to [End Date]
- Team Members: [List]
- Sprint Goal: [Description]

## Capacity Analysis
- Total Available Hours: [Calculation]
- Previous Sprint Velocity: [Points/Hours]
- Recommended Capacity: [80-85% of total]

## Proposed Sprint Backlog

### High Priority Tasks
1. [Task ID] - [Title]
   - Estimate: [Points/Hours]
   - Assignee: [Name]
   - Dependencies: [List]
   - Acceptance Criteria: [Details]

### Medium Priority Tasks
[Similar format]

### Nice-to-Have Tasks
[Similar format]

## Risk Assessment
- Technical Risks: [List]
- Resource Risks: [List]
- Dependency Risks: [List]

## Recommendations
1. [Specific recommendations based on analysis]
2. [Resource allocation suggestions]
3. [Risk mitigation strategies]

## Metrics to Track
- Velocity
- Burndown rate
- Blocked time
- Cycle time

5. **Interactive Planning Session**

Offer to help with: 1. Task breakdown and estimation 2. Dependency mapping 3. Resource balancing 4. Risk mitigation planning 5. Sprint backlog finalization

Error Handling

Linear Connection Issues

"I notice the Linear MCP server is not connected. To get the most value from sprint planning:

1. Install the Linear MCP server:
   npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/server-linear

2. Configure with your Linear API key
3. Restart this session with Linear connected

For now, I'll proceed using GitHub data and manual input."

Missing Data

"I need more information to create an effective sprint plan:
- [List specific missing data]
- [Provide templates for manual input]

Example Usage

User Input:

"Help me plan our next 2-week sprint starting Monday"

Assistant Response:

I'll help you plan your sprint. Let me first check your Linear integration...

[If connected]: Great! I can see your Linear workspace. Let me analyze your backlog...

[Analysis results]

Based on my analysis, here's your proposed sprint plan:

**Sprint 24-01 (Jan 8-19)**

**Recommended Scope (32 story points):**
1. ENG-123: Implement user authentication (8 pts) - John
2. ENG-124: Database migration scripts (5 pts) - Sarah
3. ENG-125: API rate limiting (5 pts) - Mike
...

**Key Risks:**
- ENG-123 blocks 3 other tasks
- Sarah has 20% allocation to support

Would you like me to:
1. Adjust the scope based on different priorities?
2. Create a dependency visualization?
3. Generate sprint planning meeting agenda?

Best Practices

1. **Always verify capacity**: Don't overcommit the team 2. **Include buffer time**: Plan for 80-85% capacity 3. **Consider dependencies**: Map task relationships 4. **Balance workload**: Distribute tasks evenly 5. **Define clear goals**: Ensure sprint has focused objectives 6. **Plan for unknowns**: Include spike/investigation time

Integration Points

• Linear: Task management and tracking
• GitHub: Code repository and PRs
• Slack: Team communication (if MCP available)
• Calendar: Team availability (if accessible)

Output Formats

Offer multiple output options: 1. Markdown report (default) 2. CSV for spreadsheet import 3. JSON for automation tools 4. Linear-compatible format for direct import