What are innovation and planning IP Sprints?

• A. They replace the development sprints
• B. They facilitate reliability, program increment readiness, planning and innovation
• C. They are optional maintenance windows
• D. They focus on UI design only

Answer: (B)

Innovation and Planning IP Sprints are a dedicated time-box at the end of a Program Increment that brings the ARTs together to do more than feature development. They provide space for exploring new ideas (innovation), finalizing improvements to ways of working (improvement and learning), and preparing for the next increment (planning and readiness). They also support system integration and demonstration at the program level, which helps stakeholders see progress and reduce risk as teams align on priorities for the next PI. This combination—fueling new ideas, refining how we work, and ensuring the increment is ready to go—explains why these IP Sprints contribute to reliability (predictable delivery), PI readiness (alignment and backlog/roadmap preparation), planning, and innovation.

They’re not meant to replace development sprints, nor are they merely maintenance windows or UI-focused work.