If you’re getting started with Agile, you’ve probably heard a lot of terms and may not know what they all mean.  This post will define the key Agile terms and have you speaking like an Agilista in no time.

As most people know, to sprint means to move as fast as possible, typically for a short distance.  Elite runners may sprint 400 meters.  Marathon runners will sprint, but certainly not over the whole 26.2 mile race.  Even NASCAR’s Sprint Cup cars do not red-line their engines for an entire race even though the cars are completely rebuilt between each race.

My point deals with the Agile Methodology’s (http://agilemethodology.org/) misuse of the term “sprint”.  In the Agile world, a sprint is an incremental piece of work.  Who really believes that eighth consecutive sprint enables an Agile project to move as fast as possible?  Despite the obvious answer to that question, I do not expect to redefine decades old Agile terms.  I would simply like to share some practical advice on dealing with those everlasting project milestones.