How do you get stakeholders, customers and the scrum team on the same page?

1 Define the vision and goals

The first step to get everyone on the same page is to define a clear and compelling vision and goals for the product or project. The vision should describe the purpose, value proposition and target audience of the product, while the goals should specify the desired outcomes, metrics and success criteria. The vision and goals should be communicated and agreed upon by all the stakeholders, customers and the scrum team, and they should be reviewed and refined regularly to ensure alignment and relevance.

2 Involve the stakeholders and customers

The second step is to involve the stakeholders and customers in the product development process as much as possible. This means soliciting their input, feedback and validation throughout the product lifecycle, from ideation to delivery. The scrum team can use various techniques to engage the stakeholders and customers, such as interviews, surveys, focus groups, user stories, personas, prototypes, demos and reviews. By involving the stakeholders and customers, the scrum team can ensure that they understand their needs, preferences and pain points, and that they deliver a product that meets or exceeds their expectations.

3 Establish a common language and understanding

The third step is to establish a common language and understanding among the stakeholders, customers and the scrum team. This means using consistent and clear terminology, definitions and formats to communicate the product requirements, features, status and progress. The scrum team can use tools such as the product backlog, the definition of done, the acceptance criteria, the sprint backlog, the sprint goal, the sprint plan and the burndown chart to document and share the product information. By establishing a common language and understanding, the scrum team can avoid confusion, ambiguity and miscommunication, and they can ensure that everyone is on the same page about what is being built and why.

4 Foster a culture of collaboration and trust

The fourth step is to foster a culture of collaboration and trust among the stakeholders, customers and the scrum team. This means creating an environment where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to contribute, share and learn. The scrum team can use practices such as daily stand-ups, retrospectives, pair programming, code reviews and peer feedback to promote collaboration and trust. By fostering a culture of collaboration and trust, the scrum team can leverage the collective wisdom, creativity and expertise of the different groups, and they can overcome challenges, resolve conflicts and deliver value faster and better.

5 Adapt and inspect

The fifth step is to adapt and inspect the product development process based on the feedback and learning from the stakeholders, customers and the scrum team. This means applying the agile principles of empiricism, experimentation and continuous improvement to optimize the product quality, performance and usability. The scrum team can use methods such as user testing, analytics, A/B testing and usability testing to measure and validate the product results, and they can use the feedback loop of plan, do, check and act to adjust and refine the product features, functionality and design. By adapting and inspecting, the scrum team can ensure that they deliver a product that meets the changing needs, expectations and satisfaction of the stakeholders and customers.

6 Celebrate and appreciate

The sixth and final step is to celebrate and appreciate the achievements and contributions of the stakeholders, customers and the scrum team. This means recognizing and rewarding the efforts, successes and learnings of the different groups, and expressing gratitude and appreciation for their support, cooperation and feedback. The scrum team can use ways such as thank-you notes, shout-outs, recognition awards, social events and celebrations to celebrate and appreciate. By celebrating and appreciating, the scrum team can strengthen the relationships, morale and motivation of the stakeholders, customers and the scrum team, and they can foster a sense of ownership, pride and satisfaction for the product or project.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?