Is Sprint 0 a valid concept in Scrum?

• A. Yes — there is a Sprint 0 to do upfront refinements
• B. No — There is no Sprint 0 and refinement happens during Sprints
• C. Only in large-scale Scrum (LeSS) projects
• D. Only when the team lacks cross-functionality

Answer: (B)

In Scrum, the work is organized in Sprints, and the Product Backlog is continuously refined so items are ready for upcoming Sprints. There is no official Sprint 0. The idea is to start delivering value from Sprint 1, with backlog refinement happening during the cadence of Sprints rather than in a separate pre-sprint phase. While some organizations or large-scale frameworks might describe an upfront exploration or architecture activity, that is not part of standard Scrum guidance. The team remains cross-functional and capable of delivering an increment from the first Sprint, with refinement occurring throughout the project. Therefore, the best answer is that there is no Sprint 0 and refinement happens during Sprints.