Scrum Ceremonies

Hello World!

In this article we will unpack scrum ceremonies, explain purpose, attendees and tips and tricks to make them the most effective. This article would be of interest to someone who is already aware of the agile methodology but is looking for a better practical way forward.

We will delve into sprint retrospective, sprint review, sprint planning, backlog grooming and daily scrum.

Let’s begin with the most fun ceremony; the Sprint Retrospective. The retrospective is the final scrum ceremony. This is planned for closer to the closing of the sprint.

The scrum master, development team and the product owner all need to have the opportunity to reflect and discuss ways in which to improve. This is a platform to discuss things that are going well, things that could go better, and some suggestions for changes.

There are some cool fun ways to host these sessions. You could visit this link to view fun innovative formats.

Tip: Create a space where the conversation more easily flows. Consider bringing in food, coloured markers, sticky notes and other things to encourage participation.

At the conclusion of each sprint, the Sprint Review provides a platform for the Development Team to showcase all of the work that has been completed.

Most importantly, all of the work showcased during this time should be fully demonstrable and meet the teams definition of done.

The Product Owner and Scrum Master should be discussing who ought to be involved prior to the Sprint Review and work to ensure they’re in attendance along with the scrum team — product owner, development team & scrum master — and typically a mixture of management, outside stakeholders, customers, and even developers from other projects.

Tip: Preparing for this meeting is a good idea! Since stakeholders from outside the scrum team are often in attendance, be sure to build in any rehearsal time or other preparation necessary to set the team up for success.

Sprint Planning is the scrum ceremony designed to make sure the team is prepared to get the right things done every sprint.

This scrum meeting happens at the beginning of a new sprint between the Product Owner and Development Team. The meeting is used to prioritized Product Backlog that contains all items they are committing to complete at the end of the sprint. This is called the sprint goal. The sprint goal should be a shippable increment of work.

The Product Owner is responsible for having the Product Backlog ready for review before Sprint Planning begins. This means adding acceptance criteria, requirements, and necessary details. Only then can the development team accurately forecast the amount of work they can accomplish during the sprint.

Tip: Try to have a measure of the team's velocity before Sprint Planning begins.

Backlog grooming is when the product owner and some, or all, of the rest of the team review items on the backlog to ensure the backlog contains the appropriate items, that they are prioritized, and that the items at the top of the backlog are ready for delivery.

The Daily Scrum is the team’s chance to get together, define a plan for the day’s work, and identify any blockers.

This scrum ceremony provides a frequent opportunity for the team to get together and communicate individual progress toward the sprint goal. It’s not a status update. Instead, it should illuminate any impediments the team is having. The Scrum Master is responsible for clearing these roadblocks for the Development Team so they can focus on delivering the work identified in Sprint Planning.

Tip: If (or truthfully when) something comes up in this meeting that warrants a longer conversation, encourage the team members to sync up as soon as the Daily Scrum wraps up to determine when they want to collaborate. It could be immediately after the meeting or later in the day. Again, let them self-organize.

Originally published at https://alittlebitofinformation.wordpress.com on February 4, 2019.