The Sprint Review For Product Owners – Part 2

Product Owner not the Decision Maker

Sometimes the rest of the team, or the Scrum Master, may try to influence or convince the Product Owner that an item is complete or fit for purpose when in fact the Product Owner thinks otherwise. It is essential that other people do not try to take control of the decision, in particularly the Scrum Master, as they may choose to prioritize the perceived productivity and effectiveness of the team over the acceptability of the functionality that has been produced. While everyone should be allowed to give feedback and explain their views, the ultimate decision to accept or reject a story should always be taken by the Product Owner.

Customers Expect Work that was not Planned

It is important that the Product Owner acts as an intermediary between the team and the external stakeholders, and reports back regularly on what work is planned for the sprint as well as how things are going during the sprint. This ensures that there are no nasty surprises or disappointments at the sprint review and that it serves to provide more specific information and confirmation of details that were already known, rather than having people finding out what is going on at the meeting itself.

Product Owner does not Care about the Product

It is not unheard of that the person assigned does not understand the importance of the role or of the sprint review. This is why the person chosen for this position should ideally be familiar with Scrum and must appreciate the responsibility that they hold, otherwise, there is a risk that the whole sprint could be derailed until a more appropriate Product Owner is found.

Key People not Attending the Sprint Review

It goes without saying that the Product Owner and the team must attend the meeting. Occasionally, with teams that are new to agile, there may be a tendency to see the review as a waste of time. In these situations, the Scrum Master needs to step in and help to create the sense of giving a rhythm to the sprint. The sprint review enhances this rhythm by providing a kind of endpoint where everybody gets together to establish what has been accomplished and celebrate what has been achieved.

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Our Book Recommendations

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