Which practice does Scrum encourage for continuous improvement?

Scrum emphasizes the importance of the Sprint Retrospective as a key practice for continuous improvement. This event occurs at the end of each Sprint and provides the Scrum Team with an opportunity to reflect on their past iteration, discussing what went well, what could be improved, and how best to implement those improvements in the upcoming Sprints.

During the Sprint Retrospective, team members engage in open dialogue, fostering a culture of feedback and learning that is essential for enhancing team dynamics and workflows. The goal is to identify actionable steps that the team can take to improve their processes and productivity, thereby promoting a culture of continuous improvement.

Although Sprint Planning, Sprint Review, and Daily Scrum serve important functions within the Scrum framework, their primary focuses differ from that of the Sprint Retrospective. Sprint Planning is centered on setting the goals and tasks for the upcoming Sprint, the Sprint Review focuses on showcasing completed work to stakeholders and gathering feedback, and the Daily Scrum is a brief meeting for team members to synchronize their efforts and plan for the day ahead. None of these practices specifically targets the reflective and improvement-oriented nature that is central to the Sprint Retrospective.