Blog Question
Hi to everyone. I’m new to Scrum so I would love to get some inputs for you on “How to deal with stakeholders when the team fails to deliver or do not meet on their commitment “. Thanks
My Answer:
Just a couple of points from my perspective. A Scrum team has 3 roles and only 3 roles, The Scrum Master, The Product Owner, and the Team.
First of all, if the team is not delivering what they committed to, typically it is because they have chosen too much at sprint planning. Make sure the team only chooses what is within their velocity. However, understand this. If you have a new team, they will not know their velocity prior to starting the first sprint. At this point, with strong facilitation from the Scrum Master, they talk through the Stories that have been asked for by the PO based on the Sprint Goal(s) that the PO chose for the first sprint. The team then based on conversation and “feel” commit to what they think they can do. It is not till the third or 4th sprint that the team settles on a valid velocity.
Secondly, focus on what the Product Owner is saying, not the Stakeholders. It is the Product Owner who represents the Stakeholders and communicates to them. The Stakeholders (chickens/involved) are not part of the team (pigs/committed). They don’t give direction to the team. The P.O. and the team negotiate what can be done, but it is the self-organizing, autonomous, cross-functional small team, that determines what they can do and that is all they commit to. The Scrum Master must protect the team and never allow them to be pressured by the stakeholders.
Just a final point to make here. What I see that is the major problem in situations like this, is that the key roles have not received the correct training. Teams, including all members, which means the PO must receive training prior to beginning the project. If they do not, then there will be issues. That “tiny” cost of training upfront, reduces the tremendous cost of dysfunctional teams throughout the project.
I will be writing a blog post shortly on how to train correctly.
We are agile.
Author: Ed Rubuliak
Web Site: https://theagilemasteryacademy.com
email: ed.the.scrum,professor@gmail.com
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/Agile-Software-Development-482874298764658/
