首次搭建VSTS团队项目：选Scrum模板是否需强制用Sprints？

Hey there! Let me share what I know about this from working with Azure DevOps (formerly VSTS) Scrum templates— I’ve helped small teams tweak these settings before, so this is pretty familiar territory.

1. Will you be forced to use Sprints if you choose the Scrum template? #

Absolutely not. The Scrum template provides the framework for Sprints (iterations) but doesn’t enforce their use. You’re totally free to skip setting up any iterations at all. Your team can just work directly with the Kanban board, creating and moving work items through columns without ever touching Sprint planning or iteration tracking. The system won’t lock you out or throw errors for ignoring Sprints—this flexibility is perfect for small teams that don’t need formal iteration cycles.

2. Can you remove Sprints entirely? #

You don’t really need to "remove" them, but you can effectively hide and disable all Sprint-related functionality so your team never interacts with it:

• Hide iteration fields: Head to your project settings, navigate to Work Item Types, and edit the types you use (like User Story, Task). You can remove or hide the "Iteration Path" field from the work item forms so no one even sees it.
• Disable iteration tracking: In Project Settings > Boards > Iterations, you don’t have to create any iteration paths. If there are default ones, you can delete them or just ignore them—they won’t affect your Kanban board or work item management at all.
• Customize Kanban estimation: For your Kanban board, you can adjust the estimation method to whatever loose system works for your team. Just go to the board settings, find the Estimation section, and pick the option that fits your workflow instead of sticking to Scrum’s strict story points.

The Scrum template’s biggest win is its simplicity, and it’s totally okay to adapt it to your team’s needs instead of following rigid Scrum practices. A lot of small teams do exactly this—using the clean structure of the Scrum template but ditching Sprints to keep things lightweight.

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者bitshift