Managing Products with Agility · Topic 4 of 5
Stakeholders and Customers
Stakeholders and customers for PSPO I: who they are, how they influence the Product Backlog, the Sprint Review and handling conflicting requests.
- 4 min
- The Product Owner may represent many stakeholders but is one person.
- Stakeholders influence the Product Backlog through the Product Owner.
- Key stakeholders attend the Sprint Review; they are not part of the Daily Scrum.
What it is
Customers are the people who use or pay for the product. Stakeholders are anyone with an interest in it: users, sponsors, managers, support, sales, other teams. The Product Owner may represent the needs of many stakeholders in the Product Backlog, but remains one person who decides the order.
Value is judged by these people, so working closely with them is how a Product Owner learns what to build next.
How it works
How stakeholders take part in Scrum
| Where | How stakeholders are involved |
|---|---|
| Product Backlog | They try to convince the Product Owner to add or reorder items |
| Sprint Planning | The Scrum Team may invite them to provide advice |
| Sprint Review | Key stakeholders see the results, discuss progress toward the Product Goal and collaborate on what to do next |
| Released Increments | Customers use the product, giving real evidence of value |
| Daily Scrum | Not involved; it is an event for the Developers |
| Sprint Retrospective | Not involved; it is for the Scrum Team |
The Sprint Review as the main meeting point
At the Sprint Review the Scrum Team presents the results of its work to key stakeholders. They review what was accomplished and what has changed in the environment, then collaborate on what to do next. The Product Backlog may be adjusted to meet new opportunities. It is a working session, not a one way demo.
The Scrum Team does not have to wait for the Sprint Review to talk to stakeholders. Collaboration can happen at any time.
Conflicting stakeholder requests
Stakeholders often want different things. The Product Owner:
- listens to all of them and makes their needs transparent in the Product Backlog,
- weighs requests against the Product Goal and the evidence of value,
- decides the order, and explains the decision,
- does not create separate backlogs or let each stakeholder set priorities for the team.
For Product Owners to succeed, the entire organization must respect their decisions.
Requests during the Sprint
If a stakeholder asks Developers to add work during the Sprint, the request goes to the Product Owner. The Product Owner can add it to the Product Backlog and order it. The Sprint Backlog only changes in ways that do not endanger the Sprint Goal, and the Developers own it.
How the Scrum Master helps
The Scrum Master serves the Product Owner by facilitating stakeholder collaboration as requested or needed, and serves the organization by removing barriers between stakeholders and Scrum Teams.
When a senior manager demands a feature "now", the right answer usually routes the request through the Product Owner and the Product Backlog, not straight into the Sprint.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Best response |
|---|---|
| Two directors want opposite features first | The Product Owner decides the order based on value and explains why |
| A stakeholder wants to attend the Daily Scrum to check progress | The Daily Scrum is for the Developers; progress is discussed at the Sprint Review |
| Stakeholders stop coming to the Sprint Review | The Product Owner and Scrum Team make it a useful working session; the Scrum Master can facilitate |
| A customer reports a problem mid Sprint | It goes to the Product Owner, who decides where it goes in the Product Backlog |
How the exam asks about this
- "How can a stakeholder change the order of the Product Backlog?" By trying to convince the Product Owner.
- "At which event does the Scrum Team collaborate with stakeholders on what to do next?" The Sprint Review.
- "Who facilitates stakeholder collaboration as requested or needed?" The Scrum Master.
What to remember for the exam
- The Product Owner may represent many stakeholders but is one person.
- Stakeholders influence the Product Backlog through the Product Owner.
- Key stakeholders attend the Sprint Review; they are not part of the Daily Scrum.
- The organization must respect the Product Owner's decisions.
- The Scrum Master facilitates stakeholder collaboration as requested or needed.
A Product Owner who builds whatever the loudest stakeholder asks for is not maximizing value. The order must follow evidence and the Product Goal.
Common mistakes
Letting stakeholders add work directly to the Sprint Backlog. Requests go through the Product Owner.
A committee of stakeholders acting as Product Owner. The Product Owner is one person.
Saving all stakeholder contact for the Sprint Review. Collaboration can happen at any time.
Check yourself
Who decides between conflicting stakeholder requests?
The Product Owner, by ordering the Product Backlog.
Which event is the main place to collaborate with key stakeholders on what to do next?
The Sprint Review.
How does the Scrum Master serve the organization with regard to stakeholders?
By removing barriers between stakeholders and Scrum Teams.
Topic 4 of 5 in Managing Products with Agility
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