A Sprint Review meeting stands as a pivotal checkpoint when cross-functional teams come together to showcase the fruits of their labor, unveiling the latest iteration of a product or feature. However, you must know what Scrum is to understand the importance of these meetings. Professionals in the software industry will tell you that Scrum refers to a set of principles for a team that works together to achieve goals more effectively while delivering a high-quality product.
Scrum projects are often split into specific periods called sprints that can range between 1 to 4 weeks. Each sprint encompasses events, such as a daily Scrum meeting, a Sprint Review Meeting, sprint planning, etc. 81% of Scrum teams hold a retrospective after every Sprint.
Learn more about the sprint in scrum here.
A Sprint Review is one such feedback loop, where the stakeholders and the Scrum team collaboratively examine the work done during any particular sprint. Now that you have got an idea of the Sprint, let’s delve deeper to know about the Sprint Review Meeting in detail.
What is a Sprint Review?
The Sprint Review refers to a working meeting where the Scrum Team presents their work to stakeholders while asking for feedback. The Scrum Team and stakeholders also discuss the progress made toward the specific Product Goal, including all the emerging changes in the business or technical climate. This discussion involves planning what to do next in the particular project after the current goals are accomplished.
Sprint reviews include the Scrum team, Stakeholders, Product Owner, and a Scrum Master. These reviews are held at each sprint's end and take 1 to 2 hours. The product owner is mostly held accountable for the team’s work. So, this professional explains the concept and nature of the work and its importance toward achieving the final goal.
Also, check:
Scrum methodology promotes shared responsibility and collaboration. That is why every Scrum team member can participate in the Sprint Review. However, sometimes the product owner only invites only the key stakeholders interested in the output of the sprint because the team is larger than expected.
Here is a Sprint Review example that will help you understand the concept better:
Imagine a team working on a mobile app with the aim to help users track their daily water intake. This particular team sets a two-week sprint goal to improve the app's user interface. They also plan to add a feature for setting personalized water intake goals for every user.
The team holds a sprint review meeting at the end of the sprint. During the review, they showcase the updated app interface and demonstrate how the new feature works. They might also walk through the changes made, and explain how it benefits the users.
The team usually needs answers for the following:
- What did the users like or dislike?
- What are the things they did not understand?
- What things do the users want to be changed or eliminated?
- Are there any features they would like to be added to the app?
- Do they have any tips about how the team could do their job better?
Stakeholders, including Managers, Product Owners, and even potential users, attend the review. They provide feedback, ask questions, and share their thoughts on the app improvements. This particular interaction allows the team to gather valuable insights and make any necessary adjustments to the app to release it into the market with positive results.
What is a Sprint Review Meeting?
A Sprint Review Meeting refers to the second last event of the Scrum sprint cycle. This is where the Product Owner, Scrum Master, Development Team, and Stakeholders review the outcome of a particular Sprint, and determine what can be closed and what still needs work. Currently, around 86% of Scrum Teams organize the Sprint Review Meeting.
The Sprint Review Meeting is kept very informal, with rules forbidding the use of PowerPoint slides. This meeting allows no more than two hours of preparation time for a particular meeting. The participants also make sure that the team is not distracted or detoured in the Sprint Review Meetings online where the natural result of the Sprint holds utmost importance.
The Scrum Master is responsible for scheduling the Sprint Review Meeting. This professional also informs everyone attending about the purpose of the particular review. The Scrum Master is also responsible for ensuring that the meeting stays within the stipulated time period.
What is the Purpose of a Sprint Review Meeting?
A Sprint Review Meeting agenda involves the Scrum team presenting the finished product to stakeholders. The team does so that these stakeholders can make suggestions on what changes need immediate attention.
Stakeholders are not a part of the Scrum team but have a vested interest in the project.
They can be either investors, sponsors, customers, and so on. The meeting also allows the Scrum team to make better decisions on moving forward with any changes associated with the next sprint.
However, the main objective of a Sprint Review Meeting is not to give a status update to stakeholders. It actually aims to showcase the working product, also called the product increment, and get actionable feedback on it.
The product increment refers to the sum of all work completed in a single Sprint. All goals of a Sprint are aligned to serve as an important step toward achieving the final product or fulfilling the product backlog.
The overall project work becomes more efficient and effective when the Scrum team and stakeholders understand each other and work together. This particular methodology enables rapid improvement to identify shortcomings and inefficiencies in projects quickly. This also means that each product increment arising from a single Sprint gets closer to the ultimate goal.
These constant exchanges of information and feedback between the stakeholders and the Scrum Team ensure zero impediments to production. Thus, a Sprint Review Meeting in Agile also ensures that stakeholders can make their expectations clear to the respective Scrum team while voicing their concerns amid the discussions.
In short, the Sprint Review Meeting agenda includes the following:
- Reviewing the goal for the particular sprint
- Demonstrating new features implemented during that specific sprint
- Requesting constructive feedback from the stakeholders
- Discussing work that is not yet accomplished
- Identifying impediments and risks
- Reviewing all project increment objectives
- Planning the next sprint with the top lines from the product backlog
What Occurs During a Sprint Review?
A Sprint Review is usually held at the end of the Sprint. Its purpose is to inspect the Increment and adapt the specific Product Backlog, if needed. The Scrum Team and stakeholders collaborate about what was done in the particular Sprint during this review process.
When the associated team knows the purpose of Scrum, the respective Scrum Master is set to help the team as well as the stakeholders to understand why the particular Sprint Review exists. It is when the Scrum Team demos the associated product Increment to the stakeholders and then receives feedback.
How Long Does the Sprint Review Last?
Most Sprint Reviews are limited to a maximum of around four hours. The general rule of thumb associated with Sprint is to allow one hour of sprint length review every week. It means teams should timebox the particular Sprint Review to two hours for a two-week Sprint, and then four hours for a one-month Sprint.
Who Participates in the Sprint Review?
Participants in the sprint review include:
- The Scrum team
- The Scrum Master
- Product owner
- Company management
- Developers from other projects,
- and even customers.
The project is assessed against the sprint goal during the review and determined further during the Sprint Planning meeting.
What is the Outcome of the Sprint Review?
The outcome of the Sprint Review is a revised Product Backlog that usually defines the probable Product Backlog items for the upcoming Sprint. The ultimate result is a hypothetically usable product. The specific product owner can decide if this new or updated product is ready or if any additional features are needed.
This means the team has produced a tested, coded, and usable piece of software at the end of each Sprint. So, a Sprint Review Meeting is held at the end of each Sprint. The Scrum team shows what they accomplished during the Sprint during this particular meeting.
Sprint Review Vs. Sprint Retrospective
The Sprint Review and Sprint Retrospective are two important elements of the Scrum framework. Both ensure transparency within an organization externally and internally by promoting a healthy exchange of information and improvement throughout the production process. Yet, there are significant differences between the duo as mentioned below:
Category | Sprint Review | Sprint Retrospective |
Purpose | Demonstrate the work completed during the sprint to stakeholders and gather feedback. | Reflect on the sprint, and focus on the team's processes to identify areas for improvement. |
Timing | Held at the end of the sprint, before the next sprint planning meeting. | Also held at the end of the sprint, usually after the Sprint Review. |
Participants | Stakeholders, Product Owners, Managers, and team members attend. | Primarily for the Scrum Team, including the Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Development Team. |
Focus | Showcasing completed user stories, features, or increments of the product. | Analyzing what went well, what could be improved, and how to make adjustments for the next sprint. |
Feedback | External stakeholders provide feedback on the product. | Internal team members share feedback on processes and collaboration. |
Output | Action items and insights for improving the product backlog. | Actionable items and improvements to be implemented in the next Sprint. |
Facilitator | Scrum Master or another team member facilitates the review. | Scrum Master facilitates the retrospective to ensure honest discussions. |
Also Check: Purpose of Sprint Retrospective meeting
Conclusion
If you want to learn more about a Sprint Review Meeting, a Scrum Master is the best career option for you. It is because a Scrum Master is the one who ensures Sprint Reviews take place and organize the meetings accordingly. They also ensure that all goals align during the discussion of that particular Sprint. Interested to take your career to the next level? Enroll in the Certified Scrum Master® (CSM®) training under Simpliaxis and become a proficient professional now!
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