The Surprising Truth About Sprint Priorities: How Many Is Too Many in SaaS Teams?

gandhinath0
May 9
4 min read

Sprints: are they moving you forward, or are you stuck in a cycle of unfinished tasks?

Every sprint is a chance to make real progress on your SaaS product. But are you actually getting things done, or are you constantly facing delays and unfinished tasks?

Here's an interesting finding: Plandek's 2025 benchmarks show teams maintaining >85% Sprint Target Completion achieve 30% faster cycle times and 20% higher predictability in roadmap delivery

So, how do efficient teams do it? In this post, we'll explore the key strategies for achieving predictable sprints, fostering happier teams, and finally bringing your product roadmap to life.

A vibrant, collaborative team in a sprint planning session. — Photo by Ketut Subiyanto: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-blue-dress-shirt-pointing-at-blue-note-4623478/

What Is "Average Number of Priorities Per Team Per Sprint"?

Definition:

The average number of priorities per team per sprint measures how many distinct work items (user stories, bug fixes, technical tasks) your SaaS team commits to and completes in each sprint. This metric reflects both planning accuracy and delivery capability

**'Priorities' can be substituted by user stories or tasks as it applies to your context. User stories and tasks should be sized to 1–3 days of work for accurate tracking, as recommended by Agile practitioners.

Formula:

Average Priorities / Sprint = 
               Total Completed Items
               ÷ 
               Number of Sprints

Example Calculation

If a B2B2C SaaS team completes 27 user stories over 3 sprints, the average is:

Average Priorities / Sprint = 27 ÷ 3 = 9 user stories per sprint

With stories sized at 3 story points each, the team's velocity is 27 story points per sprint. This aligns with benchmarks for a mid-stage startup team of 3-5 developers, as typical Scrum teams average 30-50 points per two-week sprint.

From Sprint Turbulence to Team Transformation

As a team manager at a leading retailer, I experienced firsthand the frustration of unpredictable sprints. Even after implementing design sprints (inspired by Google), we struggled to achieve consistent results.

The real turning point came when we adopted dual-track Agile. This approach manages discovery (experiments) and delivery (customer-impact work) in parallel streams, reflecting the reality that these activities happen concurrently. By enabling both tracks to proceed simultaneously with close team collaboration, we finally stabilized our sprints and gained confidence in our ability to commit to the right priorities.

This shift transformed our average number of priorities per sprint from a meaningless metric to a valuable indicator of team focus and effectiveness. It became clear that focus and segmentation are the keys to predictable delivery.

Why It Matters: The Real Cost of Overloading or Undercommitting

Velocity Drives Growth: Teams that consistently hit their sprint goals ship features faster, leading to increased MRR and improved customer retention.
Stakeholder Trust: Achieving predictable sprint outcomes builds confidence with investors and enterprise clients, demonstrating your team's reliability and competence.
Reduced Churn Risk: Overloaded sprints can delay critical integrations and feature releases, potentially increasing client churn and damaging your reputation.
Operational Health Indicator: Consistently overcommitting or under committing in sprints signals underlying problems with planning, estimation, or team alignment.

When Sprint priorities are right, there's transformation from chaos to clarity, unlocking the true potential of SaaS teams

Critical Mistakes Founders Make When Calculating This Metric

Forgetting the Integration Tax: B2B2C work naturally involves client-specific compliance and customization. Remember to account for this overhead during sprint planning to avoid overcommitment and maintain realistic timelines.
Counting Partially Completed Items: It's tempting to count things that are "almost done," but only fully completed work contributes to your velocity and delivers value. Focus on getting tasks across the finish line.
Working from an Outdated Backlog: Avoid planning sprints from an old, bloated backlog. Instead, groom your backlog at the start of each sprint, focusing on the priorities for the next 2-3 sprints. This helps maintain focus and allows for flexibility.
Mixing Different Types of Work: Combining B2C and B2B2C priorities on a single board can create confusion and inaccurate metrics. Track them separately to gain a clearer understanding of each stream.
Neglecting Stakeholder Alignment: B2B2C teams often need to align their work with enterprise client timelines. Aim to dedicate at least 30% of your sprint priorities to these external dependencies.

Benchmarks by Growth Stage

Sources: Benchmarks and ranges are based on supporting data from LeadingAgile, Plandek, and Velaris.io

These benchmarks represent general guidelines based on industry observations. Your optimal number may vary based on team size, experience, and complexity of work. Most Agile coaches recommend focusing on consistency rather than absolute numbers.

Growth Stage	B2C Priorities per Sprint	B2B2C Priorities per Sprint	Key Drivers
Validation Seekers ($1M-$2M ARR)	6 - 12	4 - 6	MVP Unstable process
Traction Builders ($2M-$4M ARR)	12 - 15	6 - 8	Scaling PMF Reducing tech debt
Scale Preparers ($4M-$7M ARR)	15 - 18	8 - 10	Process Hiring Portfolio balancing
Growth Accelerators ($7M-$10M ARR)	18 - 20	10 - 12	Expansion Integrations Analytics

5 Steps to Transform Sprints into Strong Driver of Progress

Backlog Segmentation: Divide your backlog into client-driven, platform, and innovation work. This simple step provides focus and clarity.
Prioritize Small Stories: Keep the majority of your stories small enough to complete within 1-3 days. LeadingAgile recommends that "For a 2 week sprint, it's better if every story can be completed in 1 to 3 days" for optimal flow.
The Integration Tax: B2B SaaS teams must allocate sufficient capacity for client-driven tasks like tax compliance and custom APIs. This proactive approach ensures predictable delivery.
Carryover Review: If priorities consistently roll into the next sprint, reassess your planning. Aim for a sprint completion rate above 70%. Teams below 52% need to re-evaluate their process.
Honest Velocity Tracking: Use historical data, not wishful thinking, to track velocity. Adjust for holidays, launches, and team changes.

Key Takeaways

Get Priorities Right: Predictability, speed, and trust depend on it.
SaaS Numbers to Hit: B2C: 6–12 stories/sprint. B2B2C: 4–8 (integration tax matters).
Over/Under = Red Flag: It means your planning is off.
Segment for Success: Align priorities with business goals for sustainable growth.
Track Everything: Keep your backlog organized and consistently monitor your team's velocity.