The Disengaged Stakeholder
A Scrum team is developing a new customer portal. The key stakeholder, the Head of Customer Service, has not attended any Sprint Reviews for the past three sprints. The team has sent invitations and reminders, but she has not responded. The team is concerned because her feedback is critical for the portal's usability. The Product Owner has tried to reach out but has been unsuccessful. The team is about to start a sprint that includes features that directly affect customer service workflows. The Scrum Master is asked to address the lack of engagement.
1. What strategies can the Scrum Master use to engage the disengaged stakeholder?
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The Scrum Master should first understand the stakeholder's perspective. Perhaps she is busy, doesn't see the value, or has other priorities. The Scrum Master should reach out personally, not just via email, to understand her concerns and explain the importance of her input. The Scrum Master could offer to meet at her convenience, perhaps for a brief demo or a one-on-one review. The Scrum Master might also involve the Product Owner in a joint outreach, emphasizing how her feedback can shape the product to better serve her team. Another strategy is to make the Sprint Review more accessible: perhaps record a video demo, provide a written summary, or schedule a separate session. The Scrum Master should also consider whether the stakeholder's lack of engagement is a symptom of a larger issue, such as misalignment on goals or lack of trust. The Scrum Master can facilitate a conversation to align on the value of the portal and the stakeholder's role in it. Ultimately, the Scrum Master should not force participation but create an environment that makes engagement easy and valuable.
2. How should the team proceed with the sprint if the stakeholder remains unengaged?
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The team should proceed with the sprint but make assumptions explicit. The Product Owner should document the assumptions about customer service workflows and communicate them to the stakeholder, asking for confirmation or correction. The team can use the Sprint Review to present the increment and highlight the assumptions, inviting feedback. If the stakeholder still doesn't engage, the team should escalate to higher management if the risk is significant. The Scrum Master should facilitate a risk assessment: what is the impact of building without her input? The team might decide to build a prototype or a small increment to validate assumptions before investing further. The Product Owner should prioritize transparency by making the product backlog and sprint backlog visible to the stakeholder. The team should also continue to invite her to reviews and provide alternative ways to give feedback. The key is to balance progress with the risk of building the wrong thing, and to ensure the stakeholder is aware of the consequences of non-engagement.