Sprint Review

What is a Sprint Review?

A Sprint Review is a meeting held at the end of a sprint in the Scrum framework. It serves as an opportunity for the Scrum team to showcase the work completed during the sprint to stakeholders and receive feedback. The primary goal of the Sprint Review is to inspect the increment and adapt the product backlog based on the feedback provided, ensuring that the product development stays aligned with the business goals.

When is a Sprint Review Used?

Sprint Reviews are used at the end of each sprint, typically on the last day. This meeting is crucial for maintaining transparency with stakeholders and ensuring that the product evolves in a way that meets user and business needs. The Sprint Review is a regular part of the Scrum cycle and is used in every sprint to ensure continuous improvement and alignment.

Pros of Sprint Review

Stakeholder Engagement: Sprint Reviews facilitate direct interaction between the development team and stakeholders, fostering collaboration and ensuring that the product meets business objectives.
Real-Time Feedback: The meeting allows for immediate feedback on the work completed, enabling quick adjustments to the product backlog and future sprint plans.
Transparency: It provides a transparent view of what the team has accomplished, which can build trust and confidence among stakeholders.
Continuous Improvement: By reviewing the increment regularly, teams can make iterative improvements and ensure the product is always aligned with user needs and business goals.

Cons of Sprint Review

Time-Consuming: If not well-managed, Sprint Reviews can become lengthy, especially if the team has a lot of work to review or if there are many stakeholders involved.
Potential for Scope Creep: With stakeholders providing feedback, there is a risk of adding new requirements that were not initially planned, which can lead to scope creep.
Pressure on Team: The need to present a completed increment to stakeholders can put pressure on the team, potentially leading to rushed work.

How is Sprint Review Useful for Product Managers?

For product managers, the Sprint Review is an essential tool for:

Aligning Development with Strategy: It ensures that the product remains aligned with the strategic goals by regularly checking progress and adjusting plans based on stakeholder feedback.
Managing Expectations: The Sprint Review helps product managers manage stakeholder expectations by providing a clear view of what has been accomplished and what remains to be done.
Prioritizing Future Work: Feedback from the Sprint Review can be used to prioritize tasks in the product backlog, ensuring that the most valuable work is tackled first in upcoming sprints.

When Should Sprint Review Not Be Used?

For Non-Iterative Projects: Sprint Reviews are designed for iterative, incremental work. They may not be necessary or useful for projects that are not managed using an Agile framework.
If Stakeholder Feedback is Not Valuable: If the stakeholders attending the Sprint Review do not provide valuable feedback or if the team is unable to act on the feedback, the usefulness of the Sprint Review diminishes.

Additional Considerations for Product Managers

Effective Facilitation: Product managers should ensure that the Sprint Review is well-facilitated, with a clear agenda and time management to keep the meeting focused and productive.
Actionable Feedback: Encourage stakeholders to provide feedback that is specific, actionable, and aligned with the product goals to make the most of the Sprint Review.
Iterative Planning: Use insights gained from the Sprint Review to inform the planning of future sprints, ensuring that the team continues to deliver value with each iteration.

Related Terms

← All Terms

No	Title	Brief
1	Product Launch	The introduction of a new product to the market.
2	Pulsing	Grouping marketing communications within a specific period to maximize impact.
3	Roll-out	The process of selectively introducing a new product to various markets.
4	Test Marketing	Introducing a new product to a limited audience to test the effectiveness of the marketing strategy.
5	Action Program	Steps outlined in a marketing plan to implement the marketing strategy.
6	Launch Control Plan	A plan identifying activities for new product commercialization and monitoring progress.
7	Kanban	A visual workflow management method that helps teams visualize their work, maximize efficiency, and improve continuously.
8	Daily Standup	A short, daily meeting where team members synchronize activities and discuss progress and obstacles.
9	Retrospective	A meeting held at the end of each Sprint where the team discusses what went well, what didn't, and how to improve.
10	Acceptance Criteria	The conditions that a software product must satisfy to be accepted by a user, customer, or other stakeholder.