Introduction
The Sprint Review is a cornerstone ceremony in the Scrum framework, providing teams with an opportunity to demonstrate the work completed during the sprint to stakeholders and gather feedback. This collaborative event fosters transparency, alignment, and continuous improvement. However, to make the most out of the Sprint Review, teams need to be aware of various patterns and anti-patterns that can either enhance or hinder its effectiveness.
Today's Newsletter explores key Sprint Review patterns, anti-patterns, and best practices for conducting and leveraging this essential ceremony. If you haven't yet subscribed to the Newsletter, you can Subscribe Now.
But before that :
How to Properly Conduct Sprint Review?
The eight steps of a successful sprint review are:
Preparation
Team check-in
Overview of what items were accomplished during sprint and which were postponed or moved to backlog
Evaluate what went well, what didn't, and how you adjusted
Go in-depth on what items were completed, demo, and answer questions
Discuss the product backlog and upcoming items
Review any concerns for capacity, budget, or other possible roadblocks
Optional energy check & wrap up
Preparation
Before the Sprint Review:
Prepare the Demo: Ensure that the team is ready to showcase working software or completed features.
Invite Stakeholders: Send out invitations in advance and ensure that key stakeholders are available to attend.
Set the Agenda: Have a clear agenda outlining the topics to be covered during the Sprint Review.
Conduct a check-in
To kick off a sprint review, it’s important to check in with your team. A check-in can be something as simple as asking, ‘how are you feeling?’ While it may seem counterproductive to use meeting time to check in, in fact, it’s one of the keys to making your meetings more effective, now and in the future. Using a visual platform for your check-ins makes the process easier (and more fun).
Data shows that teams are more likely to be engaged and contribute in meetings that begin with warm-ups or ice breakers, and this has a continuing effect over time (teams become more cohesive — and more connected — as they get to know one another).
Review the completed work
The second step in running a sprint review is pretty straightforward: Go through the items that your team completed during the sprint, and then go over what could not be completed or was moved to the backlog for later reprioritization. Be sure to timebox the reviews to ensure your team has enough time to cover all the product increment from the recent sprint.
Again, the best way to do this is with a shared visual platform, so that everyone can see where each item landed, and get an overall sense of performance across the course of the sprint.
Evaluate what went well, what didn't, and how you adjusted
Once you’ve painted a clear picture of your product increment, it’s time to look at why the sprint played out the way it did. In a sense, this section of the meeting is like a sprint retrospective included within the larger framework of the sprint review.
Go over what went well, what needs improvement for next time, and what (if any) adjustments you made, or ideas that came up to test in future sprints.
For this section of the meeting, it can be important to make space for independent thought and feedback. You can avoid groupthink by:
Creating an environment of psychological safety
Using tools like Private Mode to allow people to give real-time feedback without being influenced by their teammates’ comments
Once you’ve compiled ideas to test and suggestions for adjustments, having your team vote anonymously on which items to prioritize.
Go in-depth on what items were completed, demo, and answer questions
Now that you’ve worked through the details and the logistics of what took place in the sprint, it’s time to get more in-depth on what you accomplished and demo any new products or features that were completed.
Next, the Scrum team will demonstrate the tasks they completed during the sprint and cover which tasks were unable to complete. The team members will talk through the new releases, taking time to respond to any questions they may have on a case-by-case basis.
For the Q&A section, it can be useful to provide a framework for comments and suggestions. For example: If you’re launching a new commenting feature, you may want to ask your stakeholders to limit their feedback and suggestions to the UX/UI of the update, rather than the content, as the latter may be addressed by a different team and doesn’t directly pertain to the scope of the project.
Discuss backlog and upcoming items
Having completed the demo and recorded any feedback from the question-and-answer session, it’s now time to discuss the sprint backlog.
The product owner should explain what projects are still in the backlog and project delivery dates, including any important details that affect the team’s ability to complete any upcoming tasks. Important details may include capabilities, limitations, budgets, and timelines that the stakeholders should be aware of.
Use the previous discussion as a starting place to talk through how to prioritize the backlog, so that everyone is aligned on what should come next, and what adjustments should be made. Since you have all of the key stakeholders involved, this is an excellent opportunity to get a broad consensus and create clear, actionable next steps.
Review any concerns for capacity, budget, or other possible roadblocks
As you build out your next moves, once again take advantage of the opportunity to hear any concerns, be they budget issues or other roadblocks, from all your stakeholders.
The more you can identify up front, before locking in the work for your next sprint, the better. What issues can you anticipate that might prevent your team from completing one or more of your goals? Even things like time of year, personal schedules, or company-wide initiatives that may compete for time are important to consider.
Optional energy check & wrap up
In order for everyone to begin anew with confidence, it can be useful to do a quick energy check once your next steps have been identified and outlined.
Sprint Review Patterns
1. Engagement of Stakeholders
Pattern: Actively involve stakeholders in the Sprint Review.
Description: In successful Sprint Reviews, stakeholders are engaged throughout the session. They provide feedback, ask questions, and gain a clear understanding of the product's progress. This active involvement fosters collaboration between the team and stakeholders, ensuring that everyone is aligned and working towards common goals.
Benefits:
Increases stakeholder buy-in
Enables better decision-making based on real-time feedback
2. Live Demonstrations
Pattern: Showcasing working software over slides or reports.
Description: Instead of presenting slides or static reports, teams demonstrate the working software to showcase actual progress. This hands-on approach allows stakeholders to interact with the product, providing them with a clearer picture of its capabilities and potential.
Benefits:
Provides tangible evidence of progress
Encourages direct stakeholder interaction with the product
3. Feedback Collection
Pattern: Actively seek and document feedback.
Description: Teams actively ask for feedback during the Sprint Review and document it for future reference. This feedback-driven approach ensures that the team's efforts are aligned with stakeholder expectations and provides valuable insights for continuous improvement.
Benefits:
Helps in identifying areas for improvement
Ensures continuous alignment with stakeholder expectations
4. Focus on Value
Pattern: Highlighting value delivered to the customer.
Description: The Sprint Review emphasizes the value delivered to the customer, aligning the team's efforts with business objectives. By focusing on value, teams can prioritize features and enhancements that have the most significant impact on customer satisfaction and business outcomes.
Benefits:
Reinforces the team's focus on delivering value
Enhances stakeholder satisfaction
5. Transparency
Pattern: Openly share information and progress.
Description: Transparency ensures that all stakeholders have access to relevant information about the project's status, risks, and challenges. By being transparent, teams build trust and credibility with stakeholders, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment.
Benefits:
Builds trust among stakeholders
Facilitates informed decision-making
6. Validation
Pattern: Confirming that the delivered work meets acceptance criteria.
Description: Validation ensures that the completed work aligns with the agreed-upon acceptance criteria and meets stakeholders' expectations. By validating the work, teams can ensure quality and reliability, reducing the risk of delivering subpar or incomplete features.
Benefits:
Ensures quality and reliability of the product
Reduces rework and iterations
7. Alignment
Pattern: Aligning sprint goals with overall project objectives.
Description: The Sprint Review aligns the team's accomplishments with the broader project goals and objectives, ensuring that everyone is moving in the same direction. This alignment helps prioritize work and ensures that the team's efforts are contributing to the project's success.
Benefits:
Ensures coherence and consistency in project execution
Helps in prioritizing work based on strategic objectives
8. Continuous Improvement
Pattern: Reflecting on performance and identifying areas for improvement.
Description: Teams use the Sprint Review as an opportunity to reflect on their performance, identify areas for improvement, and implement changes. This continuous improvement mindset fosters a culture of learning and adaptation, driving ongoing improvement in team performance.
Benefits:
Fosters a culture of continuous learning and adaptation
Drives ongoing improvement in team performance
9. Risk Management
Pattern: Identifying and addressing potential risks.
Description: The Sprint Review includes discussions about potential risks, challenges, and impediments, allowing teams to proactively manage them. By addressing risks early on, teams can minimize disruptions and delays, ensuring smooth project execution.
Benefits:
Minimizes project disruptions and delays
Enhances project resilience and adaptability
Sprint Review Anti-patterns
1. Passive Participation
Anti-pattern: Stakeholders are passive observers.
Description: When stakeholders attend the Sprint Review but do not actively participate or provide feedback, the session loses its purpose. Passive participation hinders collaboration and can lead to misunderstandings or misalignments between the team and stakeholders.
Consequences:
Missed opportunities for valuable feedback
Decreased stakeholder engagement and buy-in
2. Overloading with Details
Anti-pattern: Drowning stakeholders in technical details.
Description: Presenters dive too deep into technical details, losing the interest and understanding of non-technical stakeholders. Overloading stakeholders with technical jargon or complex details can lead to confusion and hinder effective communication.
Consequences:
Confusion among stakeholders
Inability to communicate the value effectively
3. Avoiding Negative Feedback
Anti-pattern: Ignoring or deflecting negative feedback.
Description: Teams may dismiss or deflect negative feedback instead of addressing it constructively. Avoiding negative feedback can lead to missed opportunities for improvement and damage trust and credibility with stakeholders.
Consequences:
Missed opportunities for improvement
Decreased trust and credibility with stakeholders
4. Lack of Preparation
Anti-pattern: Unprepared teams presenting incomplete work.
Description: Teams attend the Sprint Review without preparing adequately or showcasing incomplete or non-working features. Lack of preparation can waste stakeholders' time and erode confidence in the team's ability to deliver quality work.
Consequences:
Wasted time for stakeholders
Decreased confidence in the team's ability to deliver
How to Best Leverage That Time to Drive Improvement and Execution?
Continuous Improvement
Reflect on Performance: Use the Sprint Review as an opportunity to reflect on the team's performance, identify areas for improvement, and implement changes.
Iterate: Continuously iterate and refine processes based on feedback and learnings from each Sprint Review.
Drive Execution
Align with Objectives: Ensure that the Sprint Review aligns with the project's overall objectives and goals to drive focused execution.
Prioritize Actions: Based on the feedback received during the Sprint Review, prioritize actions and initiatives that will have the most significant impact on project execution and success.
Stakeholder Engagement
Build Relationships: Use the Sprint Review to build and strengthen relationships with stakeholders by fostering open communication and collaboration.
Create Transparency: Maintain transparency in all communications and actions to build trust and credibility with stakeholders, driving better execution and results.
Conclusion
Understanding Sprint Review patterns and anti-patterns is crucial for Scrum teams aiming to maximize the value of this ceremony. By adopting positive patterns like active stakeholder engagement, live demonstrations, and feedback collection, teams can ensure that the Sprint Review serves its intended purpose effectively.
Additionally, incorporating principles of transparency, validation, alignment, continuous improvement, and risk management can further enhance the value and effectiveness of the Sprint Review. Conversely, avoiding anti-patterns such as passive participation, overloading with details, and avoiding negative feedback can help teams maintain stakeholder engagement and trust. As with any Scrum ceremony, continuous improvement and adaptability are key to success.
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