What Is an Increment in Scrum?
An Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal. Each Increment builds on all prior Increments, is thoroughly verified, and must be usable to provide value.
Metaphor
An Increment in Scrum is like publishing a new chapter in a serialized novel — readers can use it right away, and it builds meaningfully on what came before.
Each Increment must be finished, usable, and advance the story toward the Product Goal.
The Increment is the Product Owner’s evidence that choices about value are paying off.
Works Consulted
In addition to any sources cited above, the following works informed my thinking: (1)
1.
What is an Increment? [Internet]. scrum.org; [cited 2025 Sep 1]. Available from: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-an-increment