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How Does the Product Owner Manage Various Stakeholders?

As you know, Scrum has the 3 most important roles, which are Product Owner, Scrum Master, and the Team. Apart from these core roles, we have involved stakeholders. It is very important to manage various stakeholders to let the project go in the right direction. Now, when it comes to the Product Owner, one of the most important roles and responsibilities is to manage stakeholders. Managing their requirements, their areas of interests, areas of conflicts, and a lot more.  This article is going to talk about the Product Owner roles and responsibilities. Furthermore, It gives you insights about who all are the stakeholders, what does it mean to manage the stakeholders, what should be the process, and the further best tips to manage stakeholders. Let’s get started with understanding the basics first. Stakeholder ManagementA stakeholder is anyone interested in the product or we can say who is influenced by the product or involved in the product.This can be anyone who has a certain type of interest in the project, be it financial interest, someone who has invested, or it can be someone who is going to use the product, which could be customers. We will understand the various types of stakeholders in the coming section of this article.Now, coming to stakeholder management. Stakeholder Management plays a vital role in project success. It is basically about maintaining good relationships with the stakeholders, or we can say manage them to make them respond positively towards the project. We will understand various ways to implement this in the coming sections of the article.Let us first understand the roles and responsibilities of a Product Owner before we dive deep into managing stakeholders.Stakeholders and Product Owner Product Owner Role and ResponsibilitiesThe product owner is the most important person, who “owns” the product. This person is responsible for the Product Vision.A key decision-maker and responsible for the ROI of the businessResponsible for understanding the end customers and creating the product backlog requirements accordinglyResponsible for product backlog management (Prioritizing and Managing it)Responsible for reviewing and checking the potentially shippable product increment deliverable at the end of the sprintProviding feedback to the team at the regular intervals to make sure the product development is moving in the right directionRefining the product backlog, based on the feedback and changing market needsAnd not to forget, managing stakeholders!Now that we understand the Product Owner deeply and it’s responsibilities, let us understand the Stakeholders.Understanding the Various StakeholdersStakeholder A famous “Chicken” and “Pig” story in Scrum is one of the very good examples that explain how “Chicken” represents the stakeholders who are merely “involved” and “Pig” represents roles like Product Owner, Scrum Master, and the team, which are not only involved but “committed”. Someone who is not part of the team but still has an interest and involvement in product or project development and it’s progress. However, someone who would be affected by the project or product development.  This can include:Directors, Decision Makers at the organization End Users/End Customers Product Sponsors Marketing team Legal entities Etc. It is very important to take care of these Stakeholders and fulfill all their requirements during and after product development. Now, when we see Stakeholders, this will contain different sets of people and with different roles. This can include some really good stakeholders who would always encourage the team and provide constructive feedback. However, on the other hand, this can include some challenging stakeholders, who don’t support or provide any feedback. This is where comes the need for management of stakeholders. However, if we go with the management, it’s like managing people, because stakeholders would include people with different roles.  However, we will look at the larger picture here and see how to manage stakeholders. Let’s have a look at it by putting our feet into the Product Owner’s shoes.  Reviewing Stakeholder Management Process  As we got an idea that Stakeholder could be someone who would either support or someone who would either oppose. The process of managing these stakeholders is Stakeholder Management Process. It involves managing their expectations, communication, requirements, etc. It involves 4 different steps which will talk about:1. Identifying the StakeholdersIdentifying StakeholdersThe very first step that comes in the Stakeholder management process is “Identifying the Stakeholders”. This can be anyone who is involved in the project or is affected by the project. Let us have a look at different aspects for identifying the stakeholders:Someone who has an impact on the project Someone who has an opinion or a point of view on the project Someone who has a decision making power Someone who would like to see your project successful Someone who would like to see your project fail Someone who has an impact over your team Someone who can help resolve conflicts or remove challenges Someone who simply have an interest in the project Once, we list down and identify the stakeholders, it is easy for us to categorize them based on different aspects. This whole process is identifying the stakeholders. Once we know them, it is easy for us to manage them.2. Analyzing the StakeholdersAnalyzing the StakeholdersThere are several ways to analyze stakeholders. We will have a look at the two most important ones. The first one is Power-Interest Graph. Power-Interest Graph Power-Interest GraphHigh Power, High InterestThese stakeholders are mostly the decision-makers or the key-players. They can impact in a way that can make the project successful or fail. They are very easy to identify. Now, when it comes to communication, they should be actively engaged! These stakeholders are highly powerful, so we must try to meet their each and every requirement, otherwise they can even cancel our project if not satisfied.High Power, Low InterestThese stakeholders again have decision-making abilities but they are not so much interested. A lot of communication can make them disinterested in the project or product. They lack interest and therefore, they should be kept satisfied!   Do whatever it takes to keep them satisfied.Low Power, High InterestThese stakeholders are the ones who have less power over the project but they are keenly interested in what’s going on. They might impact the project, so it is important to keep them informed!Low Power, Low InterestThese stakeholders are the ones who are merely present and don’t expect to be involved much. They might not be interested and might not be expecting any sort of communication. It is important, you just monitor them!Now that we saw the Power-Interest Graph, another interesting way is the Stakeholder SWOT Analysis. Let us have a look at that one as well.Stakeholder SWOT Analysis. Another way is to analyze the stakeholders based on their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. What will be their Strengths and Weaknesses? What will be the opportunities and threats they would bring to the project? This will help analyze them better. SWOT Analysis 3. Prioritizing the StakeholdersFor a product owner, prioritization is like an ongoing activity. Just like they need to prioritize the backlog, a similar way, they need to prioritize the stakeholders. After the successful identification and analysis, once they are prioritized, they can be taken care of accordingly. This way, product owners can develop the communication plan and can further deliver the right message to the right stakeholder at the right time.4. Engaging the Stakeholders This is the last step where execution takes place. Now that we have identified, analyzed, and prioritized the stakeholders, this is where we will implement the communication plan. Determine different action plans, whether are going to have one on one conversations, meetings, or going to communicate through emails. We define and execute our plan accordingly and keep the stakeholders engaged as required. Thus, managing all their expectations.5 tips for the Product Owners to manage stakeholders effectively   By now, we know how to identify the stakeholders, analyse them, and different steps of the management process. Let's have a look at some of the best practices which Product owners can follow to manage stakeholders effectively: Don’t treat Stakeholders same. As we have seen the matrix above on identifying, analyzing and prioritizing the stakeholders. It is very important for the Product Owners to treat them accordingly. Based on our analysis, we categorize them and then based on our categorization, Product Owners need to treat them. Act like an Owner. Being a Product Owner is a great responsibility. It is the person responsible for the ROI of the business. With responsibility comes the authority. It is very important you act like an “Owner”. This not only gives you the power over stakeholders but also helps manage them more effectively. Communicate Upfront. Never hesitate to say “No” to the stakeholders. Being a product owner, you know what is good for the project and what is bad for the project in order to make it successful. As and when needed, for certain decisions and for the benefit of the project, feel free to say “No” to the stakeholders and be upfront in doing so. Set Expectations. It is very important that being a Product Owner, you set all the expectations with the stakeholders. Understanding what they need to know and what they are expecting out of the project. Further, You should be communicating with them in terms of their expectations only. Involve Scrum Masters. We know that Product Owner is responsible for managing the stakeholders, but this is not mandatory that Product Owner should do it all alone. Have your Scrum Master besides you to support you with all sorts of process questions, which can eventually help you manage the stakeholders more effectively.  These were some of the best tips to manage stakeholders effectively and efficiently.   To conclude, we discussed several types of stakeholders and we looked at the process of managing them. The major takeaway from this article is understanding the stakeholders. For understanding and managing them, Remember the 4 key points, which are Identifying, Analyzing, Prioritizing and Engaging the stakeholders. For engaging with the stakeholders, which involves the execution, we have provided you with 5 tips for the product owners to manage stakeholders effectively. Stay tuned for more such articles!

How Does the Product Owner Manage Various Stakeholders?

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How Does the Product Owner Manage Various Stakeholders?

As you know, Scrum has the 3 most important roles, which are Product Owner, Scrum Master, and the Team. Apart from these core roles, we have involved stakeholders. It is very important to manage various stakeholders to let the project go in the right direction. 

Now, when it comes to the Product Owner, one of the most important roles and responsibilities is to manage stakeholders. Managing their requirements, their areas of interests, areas of conflicts, and a lot more.  

This article is going to talk about the Product Owner roles and responsibilities. Furthermore, It gives you insights about who all are the stakeholders, what does it mean to manage the stakeholders, what should be the process, and the further best tips to manage stakeholders. Let’s get started with understanding the basics first. 

Stakeholder Management

A stakeholder is anyone interested in the product or we can say who is influenced by the product or involved in the product.

This can be anyone who has a certain type of interest in the project, be it financial interest, someone who has invested, or it can be someone who is going to use the product, which could be customers. We will understand the various types of stakeholders in the coming section of this article.

Now, coming to stakeholder management. Stakeholder Management plays a vital role in project success. It is basically about maintaining good relationships with the stakeholders, or we can say manage them to make them respond positively towards the project. We will understand various ways to implement this in the coming sections of the article.

Let us first understand the roles and responsibilities of a Product Owner before we dive deep into managing stakeholders.

Stakeholders and Product Owner

Stakeholders and Product Owner

 Product Owner Role and Responsibilities

The product owner is the most important person, who “owns” the product. This person is responsible for the Product Vision.

  1. A key decision-maker and responsible for the ROI of the business
  2. Responsible for understanding the end customers and creating the product backlog requirements accordingly
  3. Responsible for product backlog management (Prioritizing and Managing it)
  4. Responsible for reviewing and checking the potentially shippable product increment deliverable at the end of the sprint
  5. Providing feedback to the team at the regular intervals to make sure the product development is moving in the right direction
  6. Refining the product backlog, based on the feedback and changing market needs
  7. And not to forget, managing stakeholders!

Now that we understand the Product Owner deeply and it’s responsibilities, let us understand the Stakeholders.

Understanding the Various Stakeholders

Stakeholder

Stakeholder

 A famous “Chicken” and “Pig” story in Scrum is one of the very good examples that explain how “Chicken” represents the stakeholders who are merely “involved” and “Pig” represents roles like Product Owner, Scrum Master, and the team, which are not only involved but “committed”. Someone who is not part of the team but still has an interest and involvement in product or project development and it’s progress. However, someone who would be affected by the project or product development.  

This can include:

  • Directors, Decision Makers at the organization 
  • End Users/End Customers 
  • Product Sponsors 
  • Marketing team 
  • Legal entities 
  • Etc. 

It is very important to take care of these Stakeholders and fulfill all their requirements during and after product development. Now, when we see Stakeholders, this will contain different sets of people and with different roles. 

This can include some really good stakeholders who would always encourage the team and provide constructive feedback. However, on the other hand, this can include some challenging stakeholders, who don’t support or provide any feedback. 

This is where comes the need for management of stakeholders. However, if we go with the management, it’s like managing people, because stakeholders would include people with different roles.  

However, we will look at the larger picture here and see how to manage stakeholders. Let’s have a look at it by putting our feet into the Product Owner’s shoes.  

Reviewing Stakeholder Management Process  

As we got an idea that Stakeholder could be someone who would either support or someone who would either oppose. The process of managing these stakeholders is Stakeholder Management Process. It involves managing their expectations, communication, requirements, etc. 

It involves 4 different steps which will talk about:

1. Identifying the Stakeholders

Identifying Stakeholders

Identifying Stakeholders

The very first step that comes in the Stakeholder management process is “Identifying the Stakeholders”. This can be anyone who is involved in the project or is affected by the project. Let us have a look at different aspects for identifying the stakeholders:

  • Someone who has an impact on the project 
  • Someone who has an opinion or a point of view on the project 
  • Someone who has a decision making power 
  • Someone who would like to see your project successful 
  • Someone who would like to see your project fail 
  • Someone who has an impact over your team 
  • Someone who can help resolve conflicts or remove challenges 
  • Someone who simply have an interest in the project 

Once, we list down and identify the stakeholders, it is easy for us to categorize them based on different aspects. This whole process is identifying the stakeholders. Once we know them, it is easy for us to manage them.

2. Analyzing the StakeholdersAnalyzing the Stakeholders

Analyzing the Stakeholders


There are several ways to analyze stakeholders. We will have a look at the two most important ones. The first one is Power-Interest Graph. 

Power-Interest Graph Power-Interest Graph

Power-Interest Graph

  • High Power, High Interest

These stakeholders are mostly the decision-makers or the key-players. They can impact in a way that can make the project successful or fail. They are very easy to identify. Now, when it comes to communication, they should be actively engaged! These stakeholders are highly powerful, so we must try to meet their each and every requirement, otherwise they can even cancel our project if not satisfied.

  • High Power, Low Interest

These stakeholders again have decision-making abilities but they are not so much interested. A lot of communication can make them disinterested in the project or product. They lack interest and therefore, they should be kept satisfied!  

Do whatever it takes to keep them satisfied.

  • Low Power, High Interest

These stakeholders are the ones who have less power over the project but they are keenly interested in what’s going on. They might impact the project, so it is important to keep them informed!

  • Low Power, Low Interest

These stakeholders are the ones who are merely present and don’t expect to be involved much. They might not be interested and might not be expecting any sort of communication. It is important, you just monitor them!

Now that we saw the Power-Interest Graph, another interesting way is the Stakeholder SWOT Analysis. Let us have a look at that one as well.

Stakeholder SWOT Analysis. 

Another way is to analyze the stakeholders based on their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. What will be their Strengths and Weaknesses? What will be the opportunities and threats they would bring to the project? This will help analyze them better. 

SWOT Analysis

SWOT Analysis

 
3. Prioritizing the Stakeholders

For a product owner, prioritization is like an ongoing activity. Just like they need to prioritize the backlog, a similar way, they need to prioritize the stakeholders. After the successful identification and analysis, once they are prioritized, they can be taken care of accordingly. This way, product owners can develop the communication plan and can further deliver the right message to the right stakeholder at the right time.

4. Engaging the Stakeholders 

This is the last step where execution takes place. Now that we have identified, analyzed, and prioritized the stakeholders, this is where we will implement the communication plan. Determine different action plans, whether are going to have one on one conversations, meetings, or going to communicate through emails. We define and execute our plan accordingly and keep the stakeholders engaged as required. Thus, managing all their expectations.

5 tips for the Product Owners to manage stakeholders effectively   

By now, we know how to identify the stakeholders, analyse them, and different steps of the management process. Let's have a look at some of the best practices which Product owners can follow to manage stakeholders effectively: 

  1. Don’t treat Stakeholders same. As we have seen the matrix above on identifying, analyzing and prioritizing the stakeholders. It is very important for the Product Owners to treat them accordingly. Based on our analysis, we categorize them and then based on our categorization, Product Owners need to treat them. 
  2. Act like an Owner. Being a Product Owner is a great responsibility. It is the person responsible for the ROI of the business. With responsibility comes the authority. It is very important you act like an “Owner”. This not only gives you the power over stakeholders but also helps manage them more effectively. 
  3. Communicate Upfront. Never hesitate to say “No” to the stakeholders. Being a product owner, you know what is good for the project and what is bad for the project in order to make it successful. As and when needed, for certain decisions and for the benefit of the project, feel free to say “No” to the stakeholders and be upfront in doing so. 
  4. Set Expectations. It is very important that being a Product Owner, you set all the expectations with the stakeholders. Understanding what they need to know and what they are expecting out of the project. Further, You should be communicating with them in terms of their expectations only. 
  5. Involve Scrum Masters. We know that Product Owner is responsible for managing the stakeholders, but this is not mandatory that Product Owner should do it all alone. Have your Scrum Master besides you to support you with all sorts of process questions, which can eventually help you manage the stakeholders more effectively.  

These were some of the best tips to manage stakeholders effectively and efficiently.  

To conclude, we discussed several types of stakeholders and we looked at the process of managing them. The major takeaway from this article is understanding the stakeholders. For understanding and managing them, Remember the 4 key points, which are Identifying, Analyzing, Prioritizing and Engaging the stakeholders. For engaging with the stakeholders, which involves the execution, we have provided you with 5 tips for the product owners to manage stakeholders effectively. Stay tuned for more such articles!

Ridhi

Ridhi Chhabra

Blog author

Ridhi Chhabra is working in the field of Project Management from last 8 years. She is also a Certified Scrum Master (CSM). She has been implementing Scrum Framework in 80% of her projects which are resulting in Successful Project Completion and Great Customer Experience. She has great Communication skills and got a proven experience in interacting with customers around the globe, across US, UK, Australia and South Africa.
She is currently working as an Executive Assistant Project Manager at KOHLEX Design India Pvt. Ltd., It is US Based Organization which is having main headquarters in California, United States and is handling operations in Hyderabad, India.


She enjoys meeting new people, traveling and writing blogs and articles. Refer to her LinkedIn for more articles.

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What is the Cost of Top Scrum Certifications in 2021?

Over the past few years, the job market has witnessed an exponential growth in the demand for Scrum Master professionals.  LinkedIN listed Scrum Master as among the top 10 most promising careers in 2019. Two years on, the popularity for Scrum and Agile related roles is at an all-time high.  Getting a certification to demonstrate your capabilities will help you reach milestones in your Scrum Master career. As a certified professional, you can increase your employability, rise up the career ladder and earn high remunerations.There are a number of Scrum Master certifications available from world renowned accreditation bodies. These certifications are accepted all over the world and give you the unique benefits associated with holding an acclaimed credential.As a certified Scrum Master, you will be able to:Validate your commitment to continued excellence and quality in Scrum,  Demonstrate proficiency in Scrum values, principles, and tools,Advance your career in Scrum with confidence,  Stand out at interviews and leverage on career growth opportunities,  Earn higher than experienced non-certified peers,Become part of the global Scrum and Agile community,Network with industry leaders and Scrum professionals, and  Advance your Scrum journey with each certification.To help you understand the Scrum Master certification cost and other details, we bring you a compilation of the most popular Scrum Master certifications that are available.The following table lists different certifications with their cost and renewal cost.Sr. No.CertificationScrum Master certification CostRenewal Cost1.CSM2-day CSM training cost: INR 24999 in India, USD 1295 in US and CAD 1495 in Canada, includes examination feeRetake at no cost for the first 2 attempts within 90 days after you receive your welcome email.  You will be charged a minimum of $25 each from the third attempt or after completing 90 days post training.$100 and 20 SEUs, every two years2.PSMTraining cost: INR 25999 in India, USD 1299 in US and CAD 1899 in Canada, includes examination fee$150, if opting for the examination without trainingNot required, has lifetime validity.3.SAFe® Scrum MasterTraining cost: INR 55999 in India, USD 1099 in US and CAD 1395 in Canada. 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Not only does the frequency and velocity of product delivery increase, but changing requirements are also accommodated—an imperative in the current volatile market conditions where to be inflexible means to be left behind.In this article, we review the top Scrum best practices that streamline and optimise Agile workflows, creating stellar results.For those who are new to Agile and Scrum, let’s start with a brief introduction.Scrum in a nutshellScrum is a lightweight Agile framework that allows product development to be carried out in short and incremental iterations, through collaborative teamwork.During each iteration, called a Sprint, the delivery of a small increment of value is completed. Sprints are time-boxed, usually lasting two to four weeks, and allow the team to break down complex projects into short, doable tasks.As the team catches up on a daily basis, as well as at the end of every Sprint, work becomes transparent and obstacles, if any, are ironed out before they escalate out of control and hinder progress.  The project becomes more flexible and adapts to changes easily, as requirements are re-evaluated and task priorities are re-grouped at the end of every sprint.Scrum Roles and the Scrum TeamThere are three clearly defined roles in Scrum.  The Product Owner is the person who creates the Product vision, sets the direction for each sprint, and acts as the bridge between the team, customers and stakeholders. The PO maintains and manages the Product Backlog which determines the progress of the product development.The Scrum Master is the one who holds things together, helping the PO to define value, and communicating that value to the team so that they can deliver it. He or she creates and facilitates an environment that is conducive to Scrum success.The Scrum Team is a cross-functional, self-organising group of developers who are jointly responsible for product delivery. A team usually comprises not more than seven people, who are required to communicate and collaborate well together.  There is no hierarchy on a Scrum team, and the Scrum Master is considered their ‘servant leader’ and not their manager.Scrum Best PracticesWhether you’re a product owner, Scrum master or a team member, here is a set of best practices that can help to improve your efficiency and set you on the track to team success!Teamwork and meetings1. Create Product Backlog in conjunction with stakeholders.The stakeholders can contribute effectively to creating the product vision, and must be roped in for the inputs while creating the product backlog. During the negotiations on the backlog and while re-prioritising tasks, the team and stakeholders can come to a better understanding of the vision and what is expected to be delivered.2. Stakeholders must participate in Scrum meetings.When stakeholders and Product Owners participate in Scrum meetings, they will understand the workflow and the ways in which the team works. In turn, they can offer valuable feedback on the progress of work and about the deliverables during each sprint.3. Try not to regroup teams.When a team has worked together successfully on previous projects, they will already be sharing a rapport and understanding of each other’s capabilities. Rather than breaking the work rhythm, the best practice would be to keep productive teams together. This, of course, is not always possible as some projects will need regrouping due to different skill requirements.4. Work on team building.Team building is a practice that should never be neglected or sacrificed for want of time. A group that is cohesive will work better and faster, and the Scrum Master should use team-building techniques and activities to foster cooperation and collaboration.5. Don’t sit down during Stand-ups!.The reason why the daily meeting is called a Stand-up is because people are expected to stand up, and not sit down! Typically, meetings where everyone is standing up are shorter and get the expected results, while sit-down meetings tend to drag on and on.6. Nurture remote communication.When teams are distributed across geographies, or work-from-home mandates are in place, it’s important to set guidelines for remote communication. Important details could be missed out on calls, and critical notifications should be documented over a shared tracker so that they are flagged. Collaboration software makes it easy to set up notification messages to all the people concerned.Planning and estimates7. Keep stakeholder in the loop while estimating.It is always better that the principal stakeholder should be present during estimating meetings. If the team has any doubts, they can get cleared at once. What’s more, the stakeholder will understand the why, what and how behind estimation and this will help to establish trust and accountability.8. Plan a new sprint only when the backlog has enough items.Only when the product backlog has enough items for the next two sprints, is it time to plan the next one. Scope creep happens when there is uncontrolled growth in the scope of the project, because there was poorly defined scope for the next few sprints in the backlog.9. Set goals clearly.Unless the goals for each sprint are clearly laid out, it could become very difficult to prioritise the tasks in the backlog. The team and customers must align their objectives in order to set the goals that the team will achieve during each sprint. Based on the goals, the Product Owner in conjunction with the team will choose the tasks that must be completed during the sprint.10. Estimate using Planning Poker.Planning Poker is a proven, easy to use technique for estimating and planning. Using this simple technique, accurate and doable estimates can be achieved.11. Set time aside daily for risk mitigation.By planning a six hour day and leaving two hours aside each day for risk mitigation, it is possible not to fall short on time estimates. Many unexpected things could happen that turn timings awry, and by doing this it is possible to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances.12. Do not stretch or cut short sprint timings.The time frame for a sprint should not be stretched or curtailed, as otherwise the team will be tempted to neglect set timelines in the expectation that they will be reset. Even if a story is unexpectedly big and cannot be completed in a sprint, at the end of the agreed-upon timeframe the sprint should end, and the items that were not completed should be moved to the top of the backlog for the next sprint. At the same time, if the stories are completed ahead of time in a sprint, then some smaller stories could be added to help keep the schedules on track.Managing backlogs13. Keep sprint backlog separate from product backlog.The product backlog is updated regularly, while the sprint backlog is kept frozen and can be referred back to at any time. Do not mix up the two or combine them.14. Use task prioritisation techniques.Task prioritisation techniques such as MoSCoW, Business value approach, Kano model, Walking skeleton and so on can be used to prioritise tasks in the product backlog. Simple excel documents can list out backlog tasks and show the status and priority (must, could or should are most frequently used terms). Use the technique that makes best sense for your team, and that everyone is able to understand.15. Itemise user stories by assigning IDs.To cut through ambiguity, assign an ID to each user story so that the team knows exactly what is being discussed. Two user stories may sound similar but be different, and team members may think that a different story is being discussed.16. Map functional and technical dependencies.Dependencies could be functional (defined by stakeholders) or technical (defined by the engineering team). By mapping both types of dependencies, the workflow is smoothened and optimised, and bottlenecks can be identified and removed.17. Use a Scrum board.Many people work better when they have visual aids to guide them. A Scrum board is a very useful tool in this regard. The board is a visual representation of User stories, tasks that are yet to start, in progress and done. It can also indicate blocks, testing tasks and reviews from the Product Owner.  Tools like JIRA and Trello are very easy to use and understand, and offer great value to the team.Tracking and predicting18. Use sprint burndown charts.Burndown charts that visually depict the progress of the sprint are a great visualisation tool that detects issues when they appear, and helps to resolve them before they escalate. Completed tasks per day are mapped against the planned tasks, giving an indication if the progress goes off track.19. Use release burndown charts.Release burndown charts depict the sprints that are needed to complete, or release, the product. The team can decide whether they need to adjust the timeframe or not. Using these charts is a good practice to follow, especially if the product backlog was updated over the course of the project with new user requirements.20. Chart velocity.By calculating the velocity, the progress of work can be charted against initial estimates, and used to better predict team commitments and results. If the velocity is changing a great deal, then the sprint planning must be revisited and made more reliable.21. Invest in good quality software.Tools that are built for Agile teams can help with project planning, time tracking and measurement of metrics. JIRA, Toggl, Git, and Slack are popular tools that are very supportive and can help to streamline and optimise workflows.To sum up…Implementing a smooth, streamlined Agile workflow could take a lot of planning and strategizing, but with the right mindset, approach and collaborative tools, it doesn’t have to be difficult!  Each team is different, and you might need to experiment with a few approaches and Scrum best practices till you find the one that’s right for you.After all, the main premise of Agile is that you should be flexible, and adapt when the need arises!
Top 21 Scrum Best Practices for Efficient Agile Workflow
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Product Owner vs Scrum Master: Key Differences

Scrum Master vs Product Owner: The two most important roles in a Scrum team. Though they seem similar, there are significant differences between the two. The pandemic has accelerated your organization’s need to go agile. But in your quest for digital transformation which roles will you hire for? The Scrum Master vs Product Owner has been a long standing debate, despite the fact that both are indispensable roles in the Scrum software development methodology and play their part in Agile transformations. Let’s look at these two roles, their specialities, differences and contributions to the digital landscape. Who is a Scrum Master? “The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide. They do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice, both within the Scrum Team and the organization. The Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team’s effectiveness. They do this by enabling the Scrum Team to improve its practices, within the Scrum framework.”—Scrum.org Who is a Product Owner? “The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. The Product Owner is one person, not a committee. The Product Owner may represent the needs of many stakeholders in the Product Backlog. Those wanting to change the Product Backlog can do so by trying to convince the Product Owner”—Scrum.org Scrum Master vs Product Owner The Scrum Master and Product Owner are different roles with different responsibilities, yet they complement each other. The Scrum master should support the Product Owner in every step possible.   There should be an amicable relationship between the Product Owner and the Scrum master. Disputes may arise between the two, if the roles are not clarified. The Scrum Master’s main aim is to ensure project success, by assisting the product owner and the team in using the right process and adhering to Agile principles. Scrum Master Product Owner Servant leadership: The day to day activity of a Scrum Master involves servant leadership where they are involved in performance planning, coaching, self- organization, removing obstacles, resolving conflicts and serving the team. Stakeholder satisfaction: The first responsibility of the product owner is customer satisfaction and this they carry out by ensuring that customer requirements are given priority and there is transparency between development team and stakeholders.   The product owner guarantees stakeholder satisfaction by ensuring product success, and building a product which meets business requirements.   Coach and teacher:  Agile coaching is a Scrum Master’s primary skill. Teaching Scrum skills, especially to new Scrum teams is a huge part of the Scrum Master’s responsibility.   They need to ensure that the team is working as per Scrum and Agile principles and following processes. Conflict resolver: Product owners may often come across unreasonable or difficult to handle stakeholders.   Having conflict resolution skills will come in handy to diffuse any untoward situations or escalations that may arise with stakeholders or development team members.     Technical familiarity:  There is no doubt that having some technical competence will help a Scrum Master be better at the job.   Technical acumen will help a Scrum Master remove any impediments the team faces and build better products by providing the correct tools and techniques. Collaborator: A product owner is a great storyteller, which means that they are able to explain the vision of the product to the developers.   They need not necessarily have the technical skills to prepare user stories but they can effectively collaborate with those who can.     Organizational skills:   As someone who leads and guides the Scrum team, having good organizational skills is a must-have in a Scrum Master’s repertoire.   SMs must ensure that work is allocated correctly, there is no slippage of tasks and deadlines are met.   Prioritization skills: The Product Owner must have inherent prioritization skills in order to prioritise items on the backlog. Soft Skills: A Scrum Master should have great interpersonal skills, should be a conflict manager with the ability to solve internal and external conflicts, should be an excellent communicator and must have empathy towards team members. Soft Skills:  Good communication skills and being business savvy are paramount to being successful as a Product Owner.   Having to work with stakeholders and other parties means that Product Owners must be able to communicate the status of the product and other technical knowledge that the customer may wish to know.   Similarly, they must be able to communicate to the team about the vision of the product and stakeholder expectations.   Scrum knowledge: What is a Scrum Master without Scrum knowledge? The primary responsibility of the Scrum Master is to guide the development team on all things Scrum and make sure that the development of the product is taking place according to Scrum and Agile principles and values.   This will ensure that all benefits that are associated with Scrum and Agile are realised during the course of the project.   Scrum knowledge: The product owner must have knowledge of the product roadmap, release management, product backlog management, sprint planning, review and retrospectives, in order to maximise product value. Scrum Master vs Product Owner – A Responsibility Comparison Scrum Master Product Owner Aiding the team: As a servant leader, the primary responsibility of the Scrum Master is to help the development team perform. This includes removing obstacles that may impede the team from performing. Defining the vision:   The Product Owner’s main task is to define the vision of the product to the development team. This involves helping them understand the reason for the product being built, its usefulness for the clients and stakeholders, how it can evolve in the future and what it is expected to achieve. Giving the development team a correct vision of the product will help them work better. Helping team members do Scrum:   A Scrum Master is well versed with Scrum processes and tools. It’s the Scrum Master’s primary responsibility to ensure that the team adheres to Scrum processes during the development of the product. Being the bridge between stakeholders and team:   As the go-between the development team and the customers, it is the Product Owner’s responsibility to get each party what they need to be happy. In the development team’s case, the product owner has to ensure that they have understood without any ambiguity, what needs to be built and with respect to the stakeholders, product owner has to ensure that they get the product that they have asked for.   At the same time, the product owner must maintain a correct balance between the two and ensure that there is complete transparency and there is no over commitment on requirements to either side.   Arranges stand up meetings: The daily stand-up meetings are an essential part of Scrum. The Scrum Master facilitates these meetings and ensures that all issues are addressed and the team is able to perform towards reaching its sprint goal. Meet with all those involved with the product: This includes meeting stakeholders, development team and all those who wish to discuss the product roadmap. These discussions could range from current product backlog items to future releases to any technical information the stakeholder may need. Sets up an environment where the team can perform more effectively: The development team develops the product, and a happy team means a well-built product and satisfied customers.   The team must be allowed to work in an environment that is free of distractions and conducive to innovation and research.   The Scrum Master makes sure that such an environment is provided to the team. Maximises Product Value:   The Product Owner maximises product value by identifying what items in the product backlog need to be tackled first. Continuous prioritization and ordering of product backlog is an important responsibility of the product owner to ensure that high priority work gets into production first for release. Helps Product Owner with product backlog:   The Scrum Master aids the development team and the Product Owner with effective product backlog management.   This they do by facilitating Scrum events, product planning and by helping the team to identify backlog items. Manages Product Backlog:   Creating and updating the backlog is a major part of the product owner’s responsibility. They have to sequence, prioritise and ensure that the development time is not wasting time or resources in doing the wrong tasks. Updating the product backlog is an on-going responsibility of the Product Owner.   Promoting Scrum in the enterprise:   The Scrum Master has a greater responsibility than that of leading the team, and that is the promotion of Scrum and transformation of the entire organization.   This they do by coaching and helping teams and departments understand Scrum and develop an Agile mind-set. Explaining Scrum:   You may be working with a team that is new to Scrum or stakeholders who are not aware of Scrum processes.   As a Product Owner you will be expected to help your team understand about the Scrum processes that will be followed during every stage of product development while also helping the stakeholders understand how Scrum is being used to develop the product.   Here are some of the frequently asked questions around Scrum Master vs  Product Owner Which is the one most important service a Scrum Master provides to the Product Owner? The most important help a Scrum Master gives the Product Owner is in the management of the product backlog.   While the primary responsibility of the product backlog management lies with the Product Owner, the Scrum Master pitches in when there are too many things to handle and the Product Owner is unable to perform all activities simultaneously. The Scrum Master is also the perfect bridge between the Product Owner and the development team, helping the team understand the vision of the Product Owner and helping them realise this vision. Are Scrum Master and Product Owner the same person? This is a highly debated question in the Agile world. Some experts are of the view that there are clear differences between the two roles and hence there should be two individuals to manage these two roles.   The Product Owner should have an overall vision of the client’s requirements. Due to this reason, the Scrum Master needs the Product Owner; whereas the project team requires the Scrum Master to help them deliver by creating an atmosphere conducive to development and innovation. Who validates the product delivered in Scrum? The product backlog is ordered on the basis of the value of the items being delivered. Though the value is influenced by several factors including the complexity, risks associated and criticality, these are not the basis for calculating value.   The value of the product is validated by the Product Owner who orders the product backlog. Conclusion The Scrum Master and the Product Owner have mostly overlapping roles and responsibilities as well as overlapping skills.    The Scrum Master ensures project success, by assisting the product owner and the team in using the right Scrum processes for creating the end product and establishing the Agile principles. The Product Owner interacts with the users and customers, Stakeholders, the Development team and the Scrum Master to deliver a successful product.    The Product Owner and the Scrum Master are both invaluable members of a Scrum project team, as they build the perfect relation with the development team and strive to deliver the best results.
Product Owner vs Scrum Master: Key Differences
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Product Owner vs Scrum Master: Key Differences

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