An epic is a large, high-level work item that represents a significant piece of functionality or a major goal to be achieved within a project. Epics are typically too large to be completed within a single iteration or sprint and are broken down into smaller, more manageable tasks or user stories that can be worked on by the development team.

Epics provide a way to group related user stories and tasks, helping the team to understand and plan the work required to achieve a specific objective. They are often used in product backlogs as a way to organize work and provide a roadmap for the project’s progress.

For example, in a software development project, an epic might represent the implementation of a new feature, such as a user registration system. This epic could then be broken down into smaller user stories, such as creating a registration form, validating user input, sending a confirmation email, and integrating with the existing user database.

Epics help Agile teams to:

1. Prioritize work: Epics help the team and product owner to prioritize work by identifying the most critical features and functionalities that need to be implemented.
2. Estimate effort: By breaking down epics into smaller user stories, the team can more accurately estimate the effort required to complete the work, allowing for better planning and resource allocation.
3. Track progress: As epics are completed, the team can track progress towards project goals and adjust their priorities and plans accordingly.
4. Communicate with stakeholders: Epics provide a high-level view of the project for stakeholders, making it easier for them to understand the overall goals and progress of the project.