Conducting Effective Sprint Reviews

Best Practices and Guidelines

Overview

The Sprint Review is a crucial Scrum event held at the end of each Sprint. It’s an opportunity for the Scrum Team to showcase their work, gather feedback, and collaborate with stakeholders on what to do next. This factsheet provides practical guidance on running impactful Sprint Review sessions.

Why It Matters

Well-executed Sprint Reviews:

  • Provide transparency on the project’s progress
  • Gather valuable feedback from stakeholders
  • Foster collaboration between the team and stakeholders
  • Help in making informed decisions about future product development
  • Increase stakeholder engagement and buy-in

Key Components

  1. Timeboxing: 4 hours max for a 4-week sprint (proportionally less for shorter sprints)
  2. Attendees: Scrum Team and key stakeholders
  3. Inputs: Completed product Increment, Sprint Goal, Product Backlog
  4. Outputs: Revised Product Backlog, potential release decisions

Best Practices for Running Sprint Reviews

1. Preparation

  • Ensure the Increment is ready for demonstration
  • Prepare a clear agenda and structure for the meeting
  • Invite relevant stakeholders well in advance
  • Set up the demo environment and test all demonstrations

2. Setting the Stage

  • Start with a brief welcome and introduction
  • Review the Sprint Goal and its context within the broader project
  • Set expectations for participation and feedback

3. Demonstrating the Increment

  • Focus on showing working functionality, not presenting slides
  • Demonstrate features in the context of real user scenarios
  • Encourage questions and discussions during the demo
  • Be honest about what was and wasn’t completed

4. Gathering Feedback

  • Actively solicit feedback from stakeholders
  • Record all feedback for later prioritisation
  • Encourage open and honest communication

5. Reviewing and Updating the Product Backlog

  • Discuss how the Sprint’s outcomes affect future plans
  • Collaboratively adjust the Product Backlog based on feedback and new insights
  • Provide a tentative forecast for the next Sprint or release

6. Concluding the Session

  • Summarise key points and decisions
  • Clarify any action items or follow-ups
  • Thank participants for their time and input

Dos and Don’ts

Dos:

✅ Keep the atmosphere informal and collaborative

✅ Focus on the product and its progress

✅ Encourage dialogue between the team and stakeholders

✅ Be prepared to answer detailed questions about the work

✅ Use the opportunity to gather market intelligence

Don’ts:

❌ Don’t turn it into a formal presentation or status report

❌ Avoid blaming or focusing on individual performance

❌ Don’t commit to new features or changes on the spot

❌ Avoid technical jargon that stakeholders might not understand

❌ Don’t shy away from demonstrating partially completed work

Practical Tips

  1. Use a “parking lot” for discussions that are important but off-topic.
  2. Rotate the role of facilitator among team members to build presentation skills.
  3. Create a “sprint highlights” document to guide the demonstration.
  4. Use real-time collaboration tools for remote participants to provide feedback.
  5. Consider a “science fair” format for complex products with multiple features.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

  1. Stakeholder disengagement:
    • Solution: Make the review interactive and relevant to stakeholders’ interests.
  2. Focusing only on completed work:
    • Solution: Also discuss challenges, learnings, and partially completed work.
  3. Lack of preparation:
    • Solution: Conduct a “dry run” before the actual review.
  4. Allowing the meeting to run over time:
    • Solution: Use a timeboxed agenda and a visible timer.
  5. Neglecting to update the Product Backlog:
    • Solution: Reserve time at the end of the review for collaborative backlog refinement.

Measuring Success

Evaluate the effectiveness of your Sprint Reviews by tracking:

  • Stakeholder attendance and engagement
  • Number and quality of feedback items received
  • Frequency of changes to the Product Backlog based on review outcomes
  • Team’s ability to demonstrate working functionality
  • Stakeholder satisfaction with the product’s progress

Conclusion

The Sprint Review is a valuable opportunity to inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog. By following these guidelines and continuously improving your process, you can make your Sprint Reviews more engaging, insightful, and valuable to both the team and stakeholders.

Last Updated: August 29th, 2024