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Internal Sprint Review - (No Demo, No User Feedback)

Last post 04:47 pm June 1, 2023 by Jacek Markiewicz
4 replies
06:26 am May 30, 2023

I just want to ask for some few opinions of ways to make a Sprint Review to be productive without user feedback or if there is no demo? I just joined a relatively new team that has not started hitting their Sprint Goals for various reasons that we are now addressing in our Retro. 

We do hold our Sprint Review, however, based on the peculiarity of what is being developed, how we currently have our review is that we have a template that shows the Sprint Goal, Confidence level of the team, What was Done, What was not Done, Burndown Chat, Retro Action from Last Sprint, Sprint Champions and What we will be working on in next Sprint. 

In our Sprint Review today, a developer asked what the relevance of a Sprint Review is, when we do not have a demo or end users for their feedback. My answer is rather how do we make our current review to be internally productive irrespective of if there is no demo or user feedback? 

Please I welcome your suggestions. 


07:02 am May 30, 2023

The critical output of a Sprint Review is an updated Product Backlog. There is not necessarily a demo of anything at all. What you do have is the last responsible moment to incorporate the latest business intelligence and findings before the next Sprint begins.

Right now, at what point does your team get empirical feedback on the Product, so the Product Backlog is updated in a timely way?


10:43 am May 30, 2023

Who attends your Sprint Review? You don't necessarily need feedback from users, but you do need feedback from stakeholders. Users are only one class of stakeholder to consider.


02:55 pm May 30, 2023

From the agenda you describe, you have a status meeting instead of a review meeting. The Sprint Review's main purpose is to update the Product Backlog based upon findings during the Sprint, feedback received from stakeholders, and any other relevant information.  At the end of the Sprint Review, the Scrum Team will have an updated Product Backlog that can then be used in the Sprint Planning so that  the Developers can determine what they will be working on in the next Sprint. 

how we currently have our review is that we have a template that shows the Sprint Goal, Confidence level of the team, What was Done, What was not Done, Burndown Chat, Retro Action from Last Sprint, Sprint Champions and What we will be working on in next Sprint. 

According to that statement, you never actually review the results of the work. You show some metrics of various kinds and award "Champions" for their individual work instead of celebrating what the team accomplished as a whole.  "What we will be working in next Sprint" indicates to me that you have already planned a Sprint before the current finished.  If that is the case, when did you incorporate the findings and stakeholder feedback into the Product Backlog? 

You have a status meeting instead of an event for effective management of your Product Backlog.  Honestly, the things you say you cover in your review could very easily be done via an email. 

I suggest that you take some time to discuss this with the Scrum Team. Help them understand the purpose and benefit of the Sprint Review event as opposed to the time spent on a Sprint Review meeting.


08:41 am June 1, 2023

I am sensing that your Sprint Goals might be a problem. Defining the Sprint Goals is not easy. Do you have a well-defined Product and Product Goal?

As the first step, I suggest making sure you have the Product Owner, a well-defined Product, and a well-maintained Product Backlog with a clear Product Goal. Then have your Product Owner work with the Developers to find out the realistic, achievable Sprint Goals, which lead toward the Product Goal. 

Sprint by Sprint the Scrum Team is marching towards the Product Gaol. The way toward the Product Goal leads through Sprint Goals.

Once the team achieves a particular Sprint Goal they stop for a moment ("Sprint Review" and "Sprint Retrospective")

They check (inspect) the map (Product Backlog) and the current situation (the current Product Increment, market situation, budget, the team's well-being, etc..) 

Based on that they adapt their plans to achieve the Product Goal in the most optimal way.


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