In the 2020 Scrum Guide Ken and Jeff introduces the idea of the Product Goal . The Product Goal is a commitment to ensure transparency and focus against progress.
The Product Goal describes a future state of the product which can serve as a target for the Scrum Team to plan against. The Product Goal is in the Product Backlog. The rest of the Product Backlog emerges to define “what” will fulfil the Product Goal.
A product is a vehicle to deliver value. It has a clear boundary, known stakeholders, well-defined users or customers. A product could be a service, a physical product, or something more abstract.
The Product Goal is the long-term objective for the Scrum Team. They must fulfil (or abandon) one objective before taking on the next.
The Product Goal is an objective to try and meet rather than a guarantee. We may start on the journey towards the Product Goal and discover that there is a better place to go. While the Product Goal is there to give the Scrum Team focus towards an overall objective, it is also important to realise that it is not immutable. If the Scrum Team realise that the Goal is no longer valuable, or that some other goal becomes more valuable then they should change it.
Some Good Examples of a Product Goal:
- “Reach 10,000 new users in 6 months”
- “Improve the customer experience by improving the NPS over the next year”
The Product Goal should be a singular Goal that each Sprint Goal can be crafted towards. It should be short, measurable, and easy to understand. Everyone on the Scrum Team and the wider organisation should understand it and how the work that they are doing contributes to it. It is similar to the Visionary Goal that a Business Doctor I engaged helped me create for my business. Every product, every project, and every business should have a Visionary Goal. In Scrum, we call it the Product Goal .
Do you have a Product Goal?
Smart Classifications
Each classification [Concepts, Categories, & Tags] was assigned using AI-powered semantic analysis and scored across relevance, depth, and alignment. Final decisions? Still human. Always traceable. Hover to see how it applies.
What to read next
The Sprint Goal is a commitment for the Sprint Backlog
Explains how the Sprint Goal guides Scrum teams by providing a clear, shared objective for each Sprint, ensuring focus, transparency, and …
Sprint Goal is an Immediate Tactical Goal
Explains how the Sprint Goal serves as an immediate tactical objective in Scrum, guiding teams toward strategic Product Goals and maximising …
What is the most common mistake in sprint planning?
Explains the sprint goal in Scrum as a clear, tactical objective for each sprint, guiding team focus, enabling actionable feedback, and …
What is a product goal?
Explains the sprint goal in Scrum as a clear, tactical objective for each sprint, guiding team focus, enabling actionable feedback, and …
How does a Scrum team decide on a Sprint goal?
Explains how Scrum teams collaboratively define a clear, achievable Sprint goal through early stakeholder input, planning, consensus, and …
What is a sprint goal?
Explains the sprint goal in Scrum as a clear, tactical objective for each sprint, guiding team focus, enabling actionable feedback, and …
Detecting agile theatre with real delivery signals
Why Most Companies Operating Models Fail in Dynamic Markets
A concise comparison of Predictive and Adaptive Operating Models, explaining why traditional structures fail in dynamic markets and how …
Don’t Manage Dependencies, Remove Them
Explains why dependencies are a sign of poor system design and outlines steps to eliminate them by aligning teams, clarifying ownership, and …
The Estimation Trap: How Tracking Accuracy Undermines Trust, Flow, and Value in Software Delivery
Tracking estimation accuracy in software delivery leads to mistrust, fear, and distorted behaviours. Focus on customer value, flow, and …
Flow of Value vs Flow of Work – Misnomer or Useful Shorthand?
Compares “flow of value” and “flow of work” in Kanban, explaining why only validated outcomes count as value and stressing the need for …
Why Outsourcing DevOps Fails, and How Real Engineering Excellence Starts With Your Team
Avoid DevOps vendor lock-in, discover how true engineering excellence starts with partnership, not outsourcing. Ready to transform your …
The Definition of Done is a Commitment to Quality
Defines the Definition of Done in Scrum as a clear, shared standard for quality, ensuring increments are releasable, transparent, and …
Why Your Definition of “Done” Is Holding Back Quality, Agility, and Trust, And How to Raise the Bar
Is your team’s “done” really done? Discover how a clear, objective definition of done boosts quality, agility, and trust in product …
Acceptance Criteria vs Definition of Done: Why Getting This Right Builds Trust and Delivers Quality Faster
Stop confusing acceptance criteria with definition of done, learn the crucial difference to boost quality, speed, and trust in your agile …
How to Evolve Your Definition of Done: Start Small, Grow Smarter, and Build Lasting Momentum
Unlock a smarter Definition of Done, start small, evolve standards, and build team momentum without overwhelm. Discover how progress drives …
Why Most Transformations Fail Without Honest Conversations
Most transformations fail without open, honest conversations that address real issues, making transparency and tough dialogue essential for …
Why Your Definition of Done Is the Secret Weapon for Real Business Impact and Agile Growth
Transform your definition of done into a strategic advantage, deliver real value, reduce risk, and drive business impact with every sprint.
Why Most Companies Operating Models Fail in Dynamic Markets
A concise comparison of Predictive and Adaptive Operating Models, explaining why traditional structures fail in dynamic markets and how …
Don’t Manage Dependencies, Remove Them
Explains why dependencies are a sign of poor system design and outlines steps to eliminate them by aligning teams, clarifying ownership, and …
The Estimation Trap: How Tracking Accuracy Undermines Trust, Flow, and Value in Software Delivery
Tracking estimation accuracy in software delivery leads to mistrust, fear, and distorted behaviours. Focus on customer value, flow, and …
Kendall Guide - A System of Work for AI Adoption
Flow of Value vs Flow of Work – Misnomer or Useful Shorthand?
Compares “flow of value” and “flow of work” in Kanban, explaining why only validated outcomes count as value and stressing the need for …
Estimating Better in an Overloaded System Is a Poor Man’s Strategy
High work in progress (WIP) causes delays and unpredictability; improving estimates won’t help. Limiting WIP and focusing on flow is key to …
Why Most Companies Operating Models Fail in Dynamic Markets
A concise comparison of Predictive and Adaptive Operating Models, explaining why traditional structures fail in dynamic markets and how …
The Estimation Trap: How Tracking Accuracy Undermines Trust, Flow, and Value in Software Delivery
Tracking estimation accuracy in software delivery leads to mistrust, fear, and distorted behaviours. Focus on customer value, flow, and …
Getting Started with Objectives & Key Results
Learn how to successfully implement OKRs by aligning clear strategy, fostering transparency, empowering teams, focusing on outcomes, and …
OKR Guide - A Social Discipline for Shared Focus, Measurable Contribution, and Strategic Learning
A certification proves you’ve passed a test
Certifications show test-passing ability but don’t prove real-world product skills. Experience, judgement, and stakeholder influence matter …
Most companies still get Product Ownership wrong
Many organisations misunderstand Product Ownership, treating it as simple backlog management instead of a strategic, accountable role …