Scrum is the framework which comes under the Agile umbrella and is very helpful in the software development process, if implemented correctly. Scrum gives the flexibility for change request and constant feedbacks for the product on which the scrum team is working.
Agile manifesto helps the team to set their goals for better way of work and keep them on same page. This manifesto talks about four points which are equally important in the implementation of Agility in software development or even in any generic cases. These points not specially revolve around s/w development but also in other industries as well. According to Agile Manifesto –
- Individual and interactions over processes and tools.
- Working Software over comprehensive documentation.
- Collaboration with customers over contract negotiation.
- Respond to change over following a plan.
The focus here is on the product and how to make the whole process more effective and easier for both the parties (Product Manager/Owner and Team who are working on it). Feedbacks plays the most important role here in this activity, because the focus is on delivering potential shippable product at the end of ‘almost’ each sprint. It means that at end of ‘almost’ each sprint team has to deliver coded, reviewed, tested product to the stakeholders so they can
- Informally, monitor the progress of the product
- Provide feedbacks or if and changes are required early rather than providing them at the end of development.
Sprint Review is one of few but most important event in Scrum framework. According to Scrum Guide – A Sprint Review/Demo meeting is held at the end of the Sprint to inspect the Increment. The Team demonstrates the Increment with focus on the Sprint Goal according to the Definition of Done. The Product Owner reviews and accepts the delivered Increment.
The purpose the Sprint Review is to inspect the incremented product which has been created in the sprint and update and adapt the Product backlog if required.
This meeting is not a formal meeting so no power-points are welcome intentionally, and allowing no more than two hours for the preparation for the meeting, it is not a status meeting and the presentation of the incremented product is intended to elicit feedback and foster collaboration.
Team should be focused of getting answers to the following questions –
- What did the stakeholder like or dislike and what don’t they seems to understand?
- If there is anything Stakeholder wants to change/delete and what new things/requirements do they think should be good/must to have in the product?
- Have their priorities change?
The following are some short ways of understanding it –
Who – Scrum Master, Scrum team, Product Owner and other Stakeholders
When – At the end of each Sprint (before Sprint Retrospective)
Time-Box – Max 4 hours for 1-month Sprint (for shorter sprint usually shorter sprints).
Input – Product Increment, changes t the product backlog during the sprint if any.
Outcome – Updated product backlog, better understanding of the product, new ideas if any, Release product (if required)
During Sprint review, team and stakeholders also collaborate on what to do next, so this meeting also provides valuable inputs to subsequent sprint planning.
To summarize the above Scrum review is an important even that takes part in Scrum framework and helps the Stakeholder to understand what has been done and also helps the team in understanding the user expectation and changes if any.
Happy Learning!!
