Sprint Review is to inspect the outcome of the Sprint and determine future adaptations. It is a platform for feedback and a cornerstone in the foundation of iterative excellence. Sprint Review is held at the end of the Sprint before the Sprint Retrospective. It is critical that both the Scrum Team and the stakeholders attending understand and commit to this event being a collaborative working session – not a one-directional presentation of what the team did this Sprint. In this blog, we will delve into the significance of the Sprint Review, exploring its purpose, structure, and the invaluable role it plays in the Agile journey.

Duration: This is at most a four-hour meeting for one-month Sprints. For shorter Sprints, the event is usually shorter.

Attendees: The Scrum Team (Scrum Master, Product Owner & Developers) and key stakeholders invited by the Product Owner.

Purpose: Inspect the Increment to elicit feedback, foster collaboration and adapt the Product Backlog if needed. Also, this meeting will help shape future sprints to optimize value. This meeting will provide clarity on the question: Did the team meet the goal assigned at the beginning of the sprint?

Sprint Review Execution Steps

Step 1: Prepare for the sprint review meeting

• Set the stage: Finalize the date and time, the attendee and the agenda of the meeting.
• Communicate the Agenda: In the meeting invite specify the background and list the topics to be discussed in the meeting as agenda topics.
• Explain what will be reviewed and what will NOT:
  • Describe the status of user stories selected for the sprint. This allows people a chance to see what will be demonstrated and what will not.
  • A refined Product Backlog
  • The Sprint Goal (including progress made and known work remaining)
  • The latest Product Increment, including verified facilities required to inspect and review it.
  • The definitions of “Done”
  • Product Backlog items that have been “Done” and what has not been “Done”;
• Prepare the PO and stakeholders for the demo:
• A log of went well during the Sprint, what challenges the team ran into, and how those challenges were addresses/solved.
• Leanings / inspections from the marketplace.
• Desired projections
• Assessment of progress toward completing projected work by the Product Owner.
• Past performance of the Scrum Team
• The projected capacity of the Scrum Team for the next Sprint

Step 2: Demonstrate new functionality and document the result of acceptance

• The Product Owner explains what Product Backlog items have been “Done” and what has not been “Done”;
• The Scrum Team discusses what went well during the Sprint, what problems it ran into, and how those problems were solved;
• The Scrum Team demonstrates the work that it has “Done” and answers questions about the Increment;

Step 3: Present upcoming product backlog items

• The Product Owner discusses the Product Backlog as it stands. He or she projects likely target and delivery dates based on progress to date (if needed);
• The entire group collaborates on what to do next, so that the Sprint Review provides valuable input to subsequent Sprint Planning;
• Review of how the marketplace or potential use of the product might have changed what is the most valuable thing to do next; and,
• Review of the timeline, budget, potential capabilities, and marketplace for the next anticipated releases of functionality or capability of the product.

Step 4: Wrap up the meeting

• Gather feedback: during and after the demo, the entire Scrum team should feel free to offer feedback about the completed work. The product owner should ensure this information is well documented.

Step 5: Update the status of project deliverables

• Update the project and plan for future work: based on the demo and the feedback received, the product owner should lead the group in updating the backlog to reflect changes in scope, newly discovered work, shifts in priorities, and unfinished pieces of work in order to prepare for future sprints.
• When the Sprint Review is complete, the following should be true:
  • The results of the Sprint (the Increment) have been inspected together by the Scrum Team and their stakeholders.
  • The Scrum Team is equipped with feedback and updated information about market conditions and business priorities.
  • The Scrum Team and their stakeholders are aligned with a shared understanding of their next priorities.

Tips and Tricks of Effective Sprint Review

• Set an agenda: Like review the results of the sprint, demonstrate the work, gather feedback & update the project and plan for future work
• Time Boxing: Keep it short and stay the course. It also helps as a motivation since the team knows when it ends.
• Talk in the user language: The end users –both the PO and the stakeholders– are a vital part of this meeting. Therefore, all the team should focus on speaking their language, making sure that they understand and avoiding technical slangs or terms that can be hard to understand.
• Consider an alternate format: Changing the format can bring new energy into your Sprint Reviews.
• Avoid judgment: Constructive feedback is welcome but avoid critical judgment. One way is to make product owner participate instead of attending the meeting.
• Team members should present their own User Stories: it will give them experience interacting with the end user, allow them to take ownership of the task at hand and makes the team feel that their work counts.

Anti-patterns for Sprint Review

• Making Sprint Review just as the Demo & make it boring.
• No collaboration between Scrum Team & Stakeholders
• The Scrum team doesn’t talk about its challenges   
• There’s no discussion of the Product Backlog as it stands
• The demonstrated software isn’t working.
• Anti-patterns of the Product Owner: Selfish PO, Delayed sprint acceptance, Unapproachable PO, suddenly acts as a client.
• Anti-patterns of the Scrum Team: Unwanted documentation for review (No PowerPoint slides! Refer to the sprint backlog if you need to display a list of completed user stories), working on issues outside the sprint scope.
• Anti-patterns of the Stakeholders: No stakeholders or Passive stakeholders.

Conclusion

The Sprint Review, with its emphasis on collaboration, transparency, and adaptability, stands as a pivotal event in the Agile framework. Beyond being a mere project update, it is a forum where success is celebrated, feedback is embraced, and the iterative journey towards product excellence continues. As teams embrace the dynamics of the Sprint Review, they embark on a path of continuous refinement, delivering value with each sprint and enriching the Agile experience.

Sprint Retrospective – Tools and Techniques : Click Here

Scrum Guide: Click Here