In the fast-paced technology space, effective sprint planning is crucial for the success of collections and recoveries projects. Whether you're upgrading, implementing, or migrating from one system to another, a well-structured sprint plan can make all the difference.
In fact, 75% of organisations report improved efficiency with agile delivery models[1]. Not just a stat, but a signal. If your sprints aren’t delivering, it’s time to rethink how you plan.
But what does good (and bad!) sprint planning look like, and how can you organise for success? Let’s take a look.
7 ways to get sprint planning right
These strategies are tried and tested across credit, finance, and tech projects:
1. Set clear objectives and goals
Start every sprint with a shared understanding of what success looks like. Clear goals keep the team aligned and focused. Without these, teams drift, priorities shift mid-sprint, and delivery becomes reactive rather than strategic.
2. Prioritise the backlog
Focus on what matters most; a prioritised backlog ensures critical tasks are tackled first, helping manage time and resources effectively. If you don’t do this, you’ll end up wasting time on low-value work, and key deliverables will be delayed or missed entirely.
3. Define realistic timeframes
Avoid overambitious deadlines, which can lead to burnout, rushed work, and technical debt. Realistic timelines reduce burnout and improve delivery quality.
4. Establish roles and responsibilities
Everyone should know their role and how they contribute to the sprint. This clarity prevents duplication or dropping of tasks, confusion, and lack of accountability.
5. Adopt an agile delivery model
Agile allows for flexibility and quick adjustments, essential in the ever-evolving collections and recoveries space. Without this, teams become rigid, unable to respond to change, and risk delivering outdated solutions.
6. Encourage team collaboration
Regular check-ins and open communication help teams stay aligned and adapt quickly to changes. If you don’t do this, silos form, blockers go unnoticed, and delivery slows down.
7. Commit to continuous improvement
Retrospectives and feedback loops help identify what’s working and what’s not, allowing teams to evolve and improve with each sprint. Without these, mistakes repeat, morale drops, and long-term performance stagnates.
And 1 way it can go wrong - beware of multiple build tickets!
One particular thing that we see go wrong a lot is that functionality gets broken down into multiple build tickets. On paper, this seems like efficient, bite-sized chunks, easy to assign and test, but in practice, it introduces risk:
- Inconsistent builds - Different developers working on isolated pieces can lead to mismatches when integrated.
- Gaps in integration - Fragmented development often leaves holes when the pieces are stitched together.
- Testing challenges - Individual tickets may pass testing, but the full functionality needs to be re-tested doubling the effort and slowing delivery.
A more effective approach is to build functionality as a whole. For example, when developing a complaints process, create a single ticket that covers the entire flow from entry, exit, and process activities. This enables end-to-end testing and avoids blocked tickets or untestable scenarios across sprints.
Final thoughts
Sprint planning is not just about managing tasks, it's about driving your projects to success. By adopting structured sprint planning and leveraging agile methodologies, you can ensure that your collections and recoveries projects are delivered smoothly, on time, and with optimal results.
Take the first step towards successful sprint planning
If you're looking to enhance your sprint planning or are curious about modernising your collections and recoveries operations, we're here to help. Let's collaborate to ensure your systems are future-ready, efficient, and compliant. Take a look at our helpful resources below or contact us directly to discuss your needs.
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About the author
Hasib Ahmed
Principal Consultant - APAC
Hasib is a specialist in collections and recoveries with over 15 years of experience across various sectors, including retail, banking, and telecommunications. He has worked with clients in the UK and internationally, playing a key role in multimillion-pound transformation projects, including the implementation of telephony platforms and collections systems. His expertise spans the full software development lifecycle, data certification, system migration, process improvement, system design, training, and testing.
[1] Office for National Statistics (ONS) - Management practices and the adoption of technology and artificial intelligence in UK firms (2025). Accessed 15 August 2025.