I just read an article by Luiz Quintela, otherwise known to me as ‘Q’. I think I met Q when he attended one of my Certified Agile Leadership classes in Dallas. He has since moved to and is an independent and highly regarded Agile Coach in DC, but that’s another story.
Anyway…
In the article, Q shares some of his experiences, learnings, and advice related to conducting powerful Scrum sprint reviews. I love all of his advice, so I won’t be nit-picking at any of it.
But I was inspired by his perspective. You see, it was from the point of view of the Product Owner and the team level responsibilities for conducting efficient, effective, and informative reviews. Ones where you get lots of feedback.
But the inspiration was that the role of the ATTENDEE was not really highlighted and that’s where I want to augment the article a bit.
The Role of Sprint Review Attendees
While the Product Owner and team members certainly play an important role in successful Sprint Reviews, the attendees are not simply innocent bystanders. They have a job to do as well. Or a responsibility and a role to play. And it’s incredibly important.
Here’s a list of considerations in your role of Sprint Review Attendee:
Be on time – shouldn’t need to say it, but please, be on time. In fact, come early, as that implies you can’t wait to be there.
When in doubt, go to the review – if there’s ever a doubt whether you should be there, well, go! It shows that you’re interested in what’s getting done. And that means other team members as well.
Engage – stay alert and listen intently. Truly seek to understand and observe all of the communication channels. If you do ask questions, do so from a stance of clarifying and understanding.
Assume positive intent – I think of Norm Kerth’s Prime Directive here. No matter what you see or hear, assume folks tried their best.
No devices – don’t go checking your phone, email, etc. It’s rude and sends the wrong message. Particularly if you’re in a key stakeholder or leadership role.
See the trees leading to the forest – products unfold in vertical slices, one sprint at a time. You need to pay attention not only to the slices but where things are going. AND you need to see the value in each slice.
Connect the dots – same as #5. Attendees need to be good at forward/backward memories and connecting the dots.
Feedback, feedback, feedback – ask questions, provide feedback (positive and constructive) in real-time. If you’re feeling emotion, consider sharing it.
Self-facilitate – it’s important to understand the venue, have high EI, and pick your moments for feedback. It’s not all about you.
Appreciate (emote) – this is a wonderful time to appreciate individuals and teams. Don’t be shy about saying thank you, recognizing agile values, and appreciate everyone’s efforts. In fact, let your emotions out at times.
Value check – the singular outcome for a team is delivering customer value. So, ensure that this is happening and, if you can redirect the focus for better / more value, then please do so. See #8.
Important – lastly, behave as if this is the most important thing you have to do right now. Why? Because it is!
Wrapping Up
If there is an overall mindset for attending a sprint review, I’d say it’s being/staying present. Really being aware of what the team(s) commitments were and staying present as they share completed work with you. Another overarching key would be to stay curious.
Now, with this renewed focus on your attendee responsibilities – go out there and engage those sprint reviews. I’m sure your teams will see and positively react to your more engaged presence.
Stay agile my friends,
Bob.