The Daily Scrum, a cornerstone of the Scrum framework, is a brief 15-minute meeting held every working day at a consistent time and place. While the format of the meeting may vary, its focus should always center onprogress toward the Sprint Goal, culminating in an actionable plan.
The classic “three questions” from the Scrum Guide 2017 have been a staple of Daily Scrums, but the 2020 version has evolved, emphasizing a shift from individual progress to team collaboration toward the Sprint Goal. However, many teams still rely on the “three questions” practice, which primarily focuses on individual developer progress rather than the broader team objective.
So, what alternative techniques can we explore to enhance Daily Scrums?
Walk the Board Scrum Daily Technique:
This technique emphasizes tracking the total work remaining in the Sprint Backlog to gauge progress toward achieving the Sprint Goal. Instead of focusing solely on individual updates, teams collectively review work in progress on the Kanban board from right to left, starting with items closest to completion. This shift promotes team collaboration and accountability toward achieving the Sprint Goal.
Key Steps to Implementing Walk the Board Technique:
- Review Every Work in Progress: Start the Daily Scrum by reviewing each item on the Kanban board, ensuring visibility and understanding of all ongoing tasks.
- Focus on Completion: Ask the team, “What can we finish today?” This question redirects attention towards completing tasks rather than starting new ones, promoting early value delivery.
- Address Blocked Issues: If any issues are blocked, prioritize unblocking them to maintain workflow efficiency. Avoid segregating blocked items into a separate column; instead, address them within the context of ongoing work.
- Rotate Facilitation Roles: Rotate the role of facilitator regularly, promoting equal participation and ownership among team members.
Incorporating Swim Lanes for Enhanced Visibility:
Introducing swim lanes, as suggested by the Kanban Guide for Scrum Teams, enhances visibility and prioritization within the Kanban board. Swim lanes divide work items into categories based on priority and resolution time, facilitating efficient task management.
Key Swim Lane Categories:
- Expedite Lane: Reserved for urgent issues requiring immediate attention, such as production blockers with a resolution time of less than 24 hours.
- Sprint Goal Lane: Houses all work items contributing directly to the Sprint Goal, ensuring alignment with the team’s overarching objective.
- General Sprint Backlog Lane: Includes all other tasks and objectives for the sprint, with the team striving to deliver them within the sprint timeframe.
Conclusion:
By embracing techniques such as Walk the Board and incorporating swim lanes, Agile coaches and Scrum Masters can elevate Daily Scrums from routine status updates to collaborative sessions focused on achieving the Sprint Goal. These practices promote team alignment, early value delivery, and efficient workflow management, driving continuous improvement within the Scrum framework. Embrace these strategies to unlock the full potential of your Daily Scrums and propel your team towards success in each sprint cycle.