Stakeholders
Stakeholders in Scrum are entities with a vested interest in the product's success, yet are not direct members of the Scrum Team. Despite not having a dedicated section in the Scrum Guide, stakeholders' significance is highlighted through their numerous mentions, signifying their crucial role in organizations practicing Scrum.
Stakeholders are encouraged to be available when their input is required by the Scrum Team. This engagement provides clarity and feedback on the ongoing work, mitigating risks often linked to unnecessary delays and increased costs.
A subset of stakeholders, referred to as key stakeholders, have an expanded role during Sprint Reviews which are discussed under the Key Stakeholders sub-heading.
1.1 Responsibilities of Stakeholders:
- Negotiate new work on the Product directly with the Product Owner.
- Collaborate with the Product Owner to establish the value of a task.
- Provide timely responses and insights to the Scrum Team when requested.
- Maintain open and transparent communication with the Scrum Team about the work and its challenges.
Key Stakeholders
Key Stakeholders are a subset of stakeholders with significant roles, especially concerning Sprint Reviews. They possess specific knowledge, expertise, or insights that enable them to inspect the work accomplished during the Sprint and propose further adjustments.
Key Stakeholders are identified once the Scrum Team has defined the Sprint Goal. They are the stakeholders for whom the Sprint's work is most valuable.
2.1 Responsibilities of Key Stakeholders:
- Inspect progress towards the product goal with the Scrum Team.
- Provide honest feedback and suggest further improvements.
3. Scrum Values and Stakeholder Engagement
The Scrum framework is built around five core values - Commitment, Courage, Focus, Openness, and Respect. These values are integral to stakeholder engagement in Scrum.
3.1 Commitment:
Stakeholders exhibit commitment by being readily available when the Scrum Team requests their input. They take their roles seriously, understanding their impact on the product's success. This dedication is particularly evident in Key Stakeholders, who commit to inspecting the work done during the Sprint and proposing further adjustments.
3.2 Courage:
Stakeholders display courage by voicing their opinions, ideas, and concerns openly, even when they might be challenging or contrary to the existing plan. This includes providing honest feedback and suggesting improvements, which is particularly important for Key Stakeholders during the Sprint Review.
3.3 Focus:
Stakeholders maintain focus on their specific roles and responsibilities. They concentrate on providing valuable input to the Scrum Team and negotiating new work with the Product Owner. Key Stakeholders, in particular, stay focused on inspecting the work completed during the Sprint and identifying areas for improvement.
3.4 Openness:
Openness is a crucial value embodied by stakeholders. They communicate transparently with the Scrum Team about the work and its challenges, fostering an environment of trust. Key Stakeholders are open in their inspection of the work done, honestly providing feedback and suggestions for improvement.
3.5 Respect:
Stakeholders demonstrate respect by acknowledging the skills, expertise, and perspectives of the Scrum Team. They respect the Scrum framework by engaging with the team in ways prescribed by Scrum, such as negotiating new work directly with the Product Owner. Respect is particularly evident in the interactions between Key Stakeholders and the Scrum Team during Sprint Reviews, where feedback is provided constructively and received gracefully.
In essence, stakeholders and key stakeholders play a vital role in Scrum, embodying the Scrum values in their interactions and responsibilities, promoting a healthy and productive environment that benefits the product and the organization.