How to handing the changes and encourage team member to embrace the changes.
Recently, our team encountered big changes during the Sprint. Lot of PBI that had been finished now becomes to useless. Developers are unhappy with that, but these changes are very important and related to the Safety topic. we need to change it anyway.
Any suggestion to encourage the team and going forward.
Thanks in advance.
How do the Developers track their progress towards having a Done increment during the Sprint?
The Definition of Done ought to give transparency over safety and other matters of product quality assurance.
The Sprint Goal should guide conversations between the Product Owner and Developers about whether or not changes can be accommodated in the Sprint and Sprint Backlog. Ultimately the Developers have the last word since they are accountable for the Sprint Backlog and meeting the Sprint Goal.
Suppose the Developers feel they cannot take on any Safety changes without sacrificing their commitment toward the Sprint Goal, and the Product Owner feels the Safety topic is more important than the Sprint Goal. In that case, the Product Owner may cancel the Sprint, and a new one would be planned. This option would be rare.
First, I'd want to understand why these changes happen. Agile methods, like Scrum, are built around the idea that uncertainty and these kinds of changes are inevitable. Rather than spending months upon months trying to gather requirements and formulating designs before moving into building a product, you spend a little time getting a sliver of the requirements right and then a couple of weeks to evolve a technical solution to fulfill those requirements.
Specifically, I'd want to better understand if anyone could have foreseen these changes. What had happened at the last Sprint Review? Has the Product Owner been communicating with stakeholders? What can be done to minimize the chances of work becoming invalidated during a Sprint.
As someone who used to be a Developer on a Scrum Team, I'm not sure I fully understand why the Developers are unhappy. They wasted a Sprint instead of many months of effort. Getting back on the right track faster with stakeholder feedback seems like a good thing.
Yes, encountering significant changes during a Sprint can be tough for the team, especially when previously completed work becomes irrelevant. However, it's important to communicate the importance of these changes, particularly when they relate to safety. Here are three key suggestions to encourage the team and keep them motivated. First, explain the significance. Clearly communicate why these changes are necessary and how they enhance safety. After that, provide some kind of support. In other words, assure the team that you're there to support them throughout the process. Encourage open communication and offer guidance. And finally recognize their achievements. It means celebrating your team's past accomplishments and acknowledging their efforts. Of course, change is usually challenging, but with effective communication, support, and recognition, the team can overcome the obstacles and move forward successfully.