The Key Principle

AI should propose:

• Possible Sprint Goals

• Possible scope groupings

• Possible dependency flags

The team still decides:

• What to commit to

• What fits capacity

• What aligns to product strategy

AI drafts.
The team commits.

If the team cannot use it to prioritize backlog items, it is not actionable.

If you cannot name:

• Who you serve

• What they are trying to decide

• What “job” they need completed

Your backlog will drift.

If a backlog item cannot be completed inside a Sprint with clear acceptance criteria, it is not sliced—it is deferred complexity.

The goal is not smaller tasks.
The goal is small increments of validated outcome.

If work does not fit comfortably inside a Sprint with clear acceptance criteria, it is not ready.

The objective is not smaller tasks.
It is small, usable increments that deliver observable value.