Artifact 3: Increment

Definition

An Increment is a concrete, inspectable step toward the Product Goal—the sum of all Product Backlog items completed during a Sprint, integrated with the work of all previous Sprints.

"Done" and Usable

Multiple increments may be created within a Sprint, but each one must meet the team's Definition of Done to be considered part of the overall product—regardless of whether the Product Owner decides to actually release it.

Why It Matters

Because the Increment must always be usable, work is not considered part of the Increment until it is truly finished, giving stakeholders confidence that what they see in a review actually works.