Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters If your team’s sprint reviews were graded, would they earn an A or D? We’ve created a Sprint Review Assessment tool to answer this question. More importantly, it will help you see how to make your sprint reviews more valuable. The Sprint Review Assessment is a Google Sheet. To use it, you will need to make your own copy by clicking File > Make a copy, or you can download it by clicking File > Download. Once you have your own copy, just answer the ten questions to see what grade your sprint review gets. Please E-mail us with any questions or feedback. Or ..read more

Photo by National Cancer Institute We’ve described how to use product hypotheses to measure the value of what a scrum team has built. We’ve also explored how to test product hypotheses more quickly by only building a minimum viable product (MVP). Now let’s look at ways to test those product hypotheses before the scrum team builds anything, using product discovery techniques. The example product we’ve used in the first and second articles in this series is a tropical destination resort. The product owner of the resort believes that they should add a business center to the resort. They have cr ..read more

A previous article described how a scrum team could measure the value delivered by completed product backlog items. The approach is based on creating a product hypothesis for each item, describing how the value will be measured. By implementing an item (user story) and then measuring the results, the team is conducting an experiment to validate their beliefs about the value of the item. A minimal viable product (MVP) allows us to implement less than the full feature, and still gather data about how valuable users find it. While an MVP is often used to test an entire product idea, the approach ..read more

Photo by Hans Reniers A scrum team’s product owner and stakeholders believe that each item in the team’s product backlog is valuable and should be built. There is evidence that suggests that these beliefs are often incorrect. According to a 2019 study, 80 percent of features in the average software product are rarely or never used. Sadly, most teams never measure the value of what they create, and thus they continue to invest in building those aspects that aren’t delivering value. Measuring value allows the product owner to direct the team’s focus toward the 20 percent of features that hold ..read more

Photo by National Cancer Institute When a scrum team builds a product, they are running a series of experiments. The experiments test assumptions about what will make the product valuable. The default way of testing these assumptions is to build and release the product. The result, according to a 2019 study, is that 80 percent of features in the average software product are rarely or never used. A smart product owner can find better ways to run these experiments, so the team can focus on building the 20% of features that contain most of the value. The default assumption a scrum team makes i ..read more

Photo by Tyler Nix A user persona is a fictional character that represents a real group of product stakeholders, most often a market segment of end users or customers. A persona is generally based on user research and incorporates the needs, goals, and observed behavior patterns of the stakeholders represented by that persona. User personas can help a product owner communicate more effectively with their scrum team and the team’s stakeholders. Here’s how to create a persona to represent a group of users, customers, or other stakeholders of your team’s product. If you are not currently workin ..read more

What Is Stacking Stacking is a facilitation technique which ensures that everyone’s voice is heard. The facilitator acknowledges each person who wants to contribute and establishes an order in which they will share. The result is that each person knows when their turn is and that they won’t be forgotten. When To Use Stacking Stacking is a way of creating order out of chaos. Use stacking when multiple people are vying for attention or trying to speak. Stacking is also useful when multiple people raise their hands to speak. Example In this scenario, Season is facilitating a brainstorming session ..read more

In this third part of our facilitation techniques series, we’re using questions for elaboration to encourage further conversation. What is Questions for Elaboration? Questions for elaboration is a facilitation technique to help participants open up and share more information. Try to avoid asking, “Why?” as this may put people on the defense. Examples of questions for elaboration include: Can you tell me more? What is an example of that? How so? Can you give me more detail to help me understand? When To Use Questions for Elaboration When working with quieter participants or when trying to get ..read more

In part two of our facilitation techniques series, we’ll practice mirroring: what it is and when to use it for effective facilitation. What is Mirroring? Mirroring is a facilitation technique in which the facilitator repeats word for word exactly what the person says. When To Use Mirroring Mirroring is useful when it’s crucial for the facilitator to establish neutrality and remain objective while helping a team navigate conflict or make a decision. Example In this scenario, a team has been given the budget for a new coffeemaker in the break room. They’ve asked Sam, a scrum master from another ..read more

Looking for techniques for effective facilitation? In this first part of our facilitation techniques series, we’ll dive into paraphrasing: what it is and how to use it. What is Paraphrasing? Paraphrasing is restating a person’s idea in your own words. This shows that you not only heard them but understood them as well. Asking for confirmation after paraphrasing can be especially powerful: “Did I get that right?” This invites that person to correct your understanding if needed. When To Use Paraphrasing Paraphrasing can be used one-on-one or in group settings to confirm the meaning of what has b ..read more