Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)People & TeamsMedium
A Scrum Master notices that during Sprint Reviews, the Product Owner dominates the discussion, presenting all the work and answering all stakeholder questions, while the Developers remain silent. What is the most effective way for the Scrum Master to facilitate more active participation from the Developers in future Sprint Reviews?
- ADuring the Sprint Review, interrupt the Product Owner and explicitly ask Developers to present their work.
- BSuggest that the Developers prepare and rehearse their presentations before the Sprint Review.
- CCoach the Product Owner privately on the importance of Developers presenting their work and answering questions.
- DMandate a strict time limit for the Product Owner's speaking time during the Sprint Review.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Coach the Product Owner privately on the importance of Developers presenting their work and answering questions.
The Sprint Review is an opportunity for the Scrum Team to demonstrate their work and gather feedback. Developers should actively participate. Coaching the Product Owner privately is an effective way for the Scrum Master to address the behavior without embarrassing the PO or disrupting the event, fostering a better collaborative environment for the team.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Interrupting can be disruptive and potentially embarrass the Product Owner, which is not ideal for fostering collaboration.
- B. This is a good step for Developers, but it doesn't address the Product Owner's dominating behavior directly.
- D. While time limits can be useful, mandating them without addressing the underlying behavior might not solve the problem of Developer silence.
Facilitating Sprint Review Participation
The Scrum Master facilitates the Sprint Review to ensure active participation from the entire Scrum Team and stakeholders, fostering transparency and collaborative feedback on the Increment.
- Developers should present the results of their work.
- Encourages direct engagement between Developers and stakeholders.
- Promotes shared ownership of the Increment and feedback.
Memory trick: A Sprint Review is a team show, not a solo flow.