Agile Terminology: A Plain-English Guide to the Words Teams Use

Agile sounds simple when you describe it as “work in small steps and learn as you go.” Then the words start flying: sprint, backlog, story points, stand-up, refinement, velocity. If you’re new to agile, the terms can make the whole thing feel harder than it is.

This guide breaks down agile terminology in clear, everyday language. You’ll learn what the most common terms mean, how they fit together, and how to use them without sounding like you’re reciting a script. Whether you work in software, marketing, operations, or product, these basics will help you follow conversations and spot when a team uses agile words but not agile habits.

What “agile” means (before the vocabulary)

Agile is a way to manage work when you can’t predict everything up front. Instead of planning the whole project in detail, teams plan a little, build a little, test what they built, and adjust.

Agile got popular in software, but it applies anywhere work changes based on feedback. The original ideas come from the Agile Manifesto, which stresses people, working results, customer teamwork, and responding to change.

Agile isn’t one method. It’s a family of methods. Scrum and Kanban are the most common. Many teams also mix practices, which is fine when it stays clear and useful.

Core agile terminology (the foundation)

Agile vs Scrum vs Kanban

• Agile: the broad approach. It’s the “why” and “how” behind flexible work.
• Scrum: a structured agile framework with time-boxed cycles called sprints and defined roles.
• Kanban: a flow-based method that focuses on visualizing work and limiting work in progress.

If you want an official Scrum definition, the Scrum Guide gives a short, clear standard.

Framework, method, practice

• Framework: a set of rules and parts you can adapt (Scrum is a framework).
• Method: a more fixed way of working (some teams treat Kanban like a method).
• Practice: one thing you do, like daily stand-ups or retrospectives.

Increment and iteration

• Increment: the usable result you add to the product. It should work, not sit half-done.
• Iteration: one loop of planning, building, checking, and learning.

In Scrum, each sprint should end with an increment. That’s the point: finish something real, then learn from it.

Scrum terminology: roles, events, and artifacts

Scrum terms show up a lot, even on teams that don’t run pure Scrum. Here’s what they mean when people use them correctly.

Roles (who does what)

• Product Owner: sets priorities, defines value, and owns the product backlog. This person makes trade-offs.
• Developers (or the delivery team): the people who build and deliver the work. Not always software developers.
• Scrum Master: helps the team use Scrum well, removes barriers, and coaches the group.

A common trap: treating the Scrum Master like a project manager. A Scrum Master doesn’t assign tasks. They help the team improve how it works.

Events (meetings with a purpose)

Sprint

A sprint is a fixed time period (often 1-2 weeks) where the team aims to finish a slice of work. The sprint creates a steady rhythm so planning and feedback happen often.

Sprint planning

The team picks a goal and chooses work they believe they can finish. Planning should answer two questions:

• What outcome do we want by the end of the sprint?
• What work will get us there?

Daily scrum (stand-up)

A short daily check-in, usually 15 minutes. The goal is to spot risks early and coordinate. It’s not a status report for a manager. If the meeting turns into a long problem-solving session, park the topic and handle it right after with the right people.

Sprint review

The team shows what they finished and collects feedback. Reviews work best when real stakeholders attend and talk about what to do next.

Retrospective

The team reflects on how the sprint went and picks changes to try next. A useful retro ends with 1-3 clear actions, not a long wish list.

Artifacts (the things you manage)

• Product backlog: the ordered list of work ideas for the product.
• Sprint backlog: the selected work for the sprint plus a plan to deliver it.
• Increment: the finished, usable result.

Backlog terminology: the work and how you describe it

User story

A user story is a short description of value from a user’s view. Many teams use a template like “As a… I want… so I can…”. The template helps, but the real value comes from the talk you have around the story.

Acceptance criteria

Acceptance criteria define what “done” means for a specific story. Keep them testable and specific. For example:

• Given an invalid email, the form shows an error message.
• Password reset email arrives within 2 minutes.

Epic

An epic is a big chunk of work that you split into smaller stories. If a “story” will take a month, it’s not a story. It’s an epic wearing the wrong label.

Theme

A theme is a group of related work tied to a goal, like “onboarding improvements” or “reduce support tickets.” Themes help when you plan across quarters, not sprints.

Backlog refinement (grooming)

Refinement means keeping the backlog ready for future planning. Teams clarify stories, split big items, add acceptance criteria, and estimate. Do it often in small doses so sprint planning stays smooth.

If you use Jira, Atlassian’s agile guides explain how many teams handle backlogs and boards in practice.

Estimation terminology: story points, t-shirt sizes, and why they exist

Estimates help teams plan and spot risk. They don’t predict the future with precision. The point is shared understanding.

Story points

Story points are a relative measure of effort and uncertainty. A 5-point story should feel bigger than a 2-point story, but it doesn’t translate cleanly into hours. Points work best when the team uses them to compare work, not to justify deadlines.

T-shirt sizing

Some teams estimate with sizes like XS, S, M, L, XL. This works well early on when details are fuzzy. It’s fast and reduces false precision.

Planning poker

Planning poker is a group estimation method. Each person picks a number, then the team discusses the high and low picks to surface hidden work. The talk matters more than the number.

For a practical, lightweight tool, you can use an online planning poker app to estimate with remote teams.

Flow and Kanban terminology: how work moves

Scrum focuses on time boxes. Kanban focuses on flow. Many teams blend them, so these terms often show up alongside sprint language.

Kanban board

A Kanban board shows work as it moves through steps like “To do,” “In progress,” and “Done.” The board helps the team see bottlenecks at a glance.

Work in progress (WIP) limit

A WIP limit caps how many items can sit in a column at once. It forces the team to finish work before starting more. This simple rule often improves speed and quality more than any new tool.

Cycle time and lead time

• Lead time: the time from request to delivery.
• Cycle time: the time from start of work to delivery.

If people complain that “everything takes forever,” track lead time and cycle time before you argue about capacity.

Throughput

Throughput is how many items you finish in a time period. It’s useful for forecasting when work items are similar in size.

If you want a deeper but readable guide to flow metrics, the Kanban University resources cover core terms and measures.

Quality and “done” terminology: avoid the half-finished trap

Definition of Done (DoD)

The Definition of Done is the team’s shared checklist for what “done” means across work items. It might include code review, tests, documentation, and deployment steps. A solid DoD prevents “done except for…” work that piles up and bites you later.

Definition of Ready (DoR)

Some teams use a Definition of Ready to decide if an item is ready to start. Use it with care. It can help teams avoid starting vague work, but it can also turn into a gate that slows learning. Keep it short and focused.

Technical debt

Technical debt is the extra cost you pay later because you chose a quick fix now. The term works outside software too. Any messy process you keep because “we don’t have time” creates debt. Track it, name it, and schedule time to pay it down.

Planning and outcome terminology: goals that guide the work

Sprint goal

A sprint goal is a clear outcome, not a task list. “Improve checkout speed” guides better than “Finish tickets 123, 124, 125.” When work changes mid-sprint, the goal helps the team decide what to keep and what to drop.

Roadmap

A roadmap outlines where the product may go over time. A good roadmap leaves room for learning. Treat it as a plan you can change, not a promise carved in stone.

OKRs (Objectives and Key Results)

Many agile teams use OKRs to connect daily work to outcomes. If you hear OKR terms in agile talks, it usually means the team wants clearer goals and measures.

For a plain guide with examples, see OKR resources from What Matters.

Common agile terminology mistakes (and how to avoid them)

Using “agile” as a synonym for “no plan”

Agile teams plan often. They just plan at the right level of detail for the time ahead. Next week should be clearer than next quarter.

Turning stand-ups into status theater

If each person reports to a manager, the team loses the point. Fix it by having the team face the board and talk about work, blockers, and handoffs.

Chasing velocity

Velocity is the number of story points finished in a sprint. It can help a team forecast its own work. It becomes harmful when leaders compare teams or tie it to performance. Points are not productivity.

Shipping work that’s “done” but not usable

If the increment doesn’t run, can’t ship, or fails basic quality checks, you didn’t finish it. Tighten your Definition of Done and reduce WIP so the team can finish what it starts.

A simple cheat sheet: agile terms you’ll hear most

• Sprint: a short cycle to deliver a usable increment.
• Backlog: the ordered list of work to consider next.
• User story: a small, user-focused piece of value.
• Acceptance criteria: the conditions for a story to count as done.
• Refinement: prepping future work so it’s clear and sized.
• Stand-up: a daily coordination check-in.
• Review: show finished work and gather feedback.
• Retro: decide how to work better next time.
• WIP limit: a cap that prevents too much work at once.
• Cycle time: how long work takes once started.

How to learn agile terminology without getting stuck in words

Want a fast way to make these terms feel real? Try this the next time you join an agile meeting:

1. Ask what outcome the team wants, not what tasks they plan to do.
2. Look at the board or backlog and identify what’s blocked.
3. Ask what “done” means for one item and whether the team can ship it.
4. Listen for handoffs. Every handoff adds delay. See if the team can reduce them.
5. After the meeting, write down 3 terms you heard and check their meaning in context.

If you learn the language but miss the intent, agile turns into ceremony. If you learn the intent, the terms become helpful labels.

Conclusion

Agile terminology can feel like a wall at first, but most terms point to a few simple ideas: deliver in small pieces, get feedback early, limit half-done work, and improve how you work each cycle. Start with the basics: sprint, backlog, story, done, and flow. Then use the terms as tools, not badges. When the words help the team ship better work and learn faster, you’re doing agile the right way.