Facilitation Techniques for Scrum Events

Scrum events create regularity and transparency and minimize the need for meetings not defined in Scrum. The events are the Daily Scrum, Sprint Planning, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective, and the Sprint. Often, Scrum events don’t go as planned. Good, lightweight facilitation can help the Scrum Teams get back on track. 

Without good facilitation, the Scrum events can turn into ineffective meetings: 

• The purpose of the events may be missed
• People might talk over each other or not talk at all
• We might constantly hear the same few voices and miss out on the opinions of others 
• Events can run over their timeboxes without creating necessary action items
• Opportunities to collaborate and progress toward desired outcomes may be missed
   

This list highlights the purpose of Scrum Events, an indication of where the event’s facilitator should place their focus, and a few examples of facilitation techniques that can help guide a team to successful outcomes.

Daily Scrum 

Event Purpose: Developers inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal. Output of the Daily Scrum is a plan for the next working day 

Facilitator Focus: Enable an atmosphere where the team focuses on  delivering quality, commitment (Sprint Goal) and addressing impediments. Avoid status updates. Observe and question when needed. Ensure team focus on the Sprint Goal.
 

Example Facilitation Techniques: 

• Want to increase focus on the Sprint Goal during the Daily Scrum? 
  • Try using powerful questions:
    • How to Use Powerful Questions Virtually
    • Daniel Stillman: Designing Powerful Questions to help you Coach, Create, Connect and Lead
       
• Want to avoid the Daily Scrum turning into a status update? 
  • Try a Daily Scrum format that emphasizes the focus on the Sprint Goal 
     
• Is the team going into too much detail during the Daily Scrum? 
  • Try introducing ELMO (Enough, Let's Move On). - Participants either say "Elmo" or hold up an Elmo doll to encourage the group to suspend current discussion and move to the next topic.

Sprint Planning

Event Purpose: Initiates the Sprint by laying out the work to be performed for the Sprint. Output is a Sprint Backlog (Sprint Goal + selected PBIs + Plan)

Facilitator Focus: Enable a collaborative and transparent environment with a clear objective. Keep the team focussed on the Sprint Goal. 
 

Example Facilitation Techniques:

• Having trouble crafting good Sprint Goals? 
  • Try using powerful questions to create better Sprint Goals
     
• Looking for a lightweight structure to keep Sprint Planning on track? 
  • Try the three topic step format 
  • Five Dos and Don'ts in Sprint Planning

Sprint Review

Event Purpose: Inspect the Increment, through feedback and adaptation of the Product Backlog if needed

Facilitator Focus: Enable an engaging, energetic and participative environment. Encourage listening vs. reacting. Empathize, listen actively and build synergy between the Scrum Team, sponsors and stakeholders.
 

Example Facilitation Techniques: 

• Having trouble engaging stakeholders and users during Sprint Review? 
  • Encourage people to interact with the product
  • Try a Sprint Review Bazaar Format
  • Try a World Cafe Sprint Review
  • Try a 1-2-4 all Sprint Review

Sprint Retrospective

Event Purpose: The Scrum Team inspects how the last Sprint went; individuals, interactions, process, tools and Definition of Done. Output: the Scrum Team adapts by identifying the most helpful changes to improve its effectiveness.

Facilitator Focus: Enable a safe atmosphere in which everyone in the team feels open to participate. Listen actively to what is said and what is not said. Open the floor to different perspectives. Build consensus and clearly define next steps. 

Example Facilitation Techniques:

• Want to create a safe environment and get the team on the same page? 
  • Try creating a team agreement collaboratively
  • Increase team collaboration by building empathy with each other - try creating personal maps
     
• Want to avoid groupthink? And/ or want to come up with many different ideas?
  • Try diverging & converging techniques such as silent brainstorming, 1-2-4-all, crazy 8s, grouping (affinity mapping)
  • Try participative techniques such as White Elephant
     
• Ready to explore different perspectives to solve problems with the team?
  • Try Six Thinking Hats
     
• Spice up your Sprint Retrospectives with regularly changing formats 
  • Try different Sprint Retrospective formats
     
• Not sure what improvement actions to work on next? Craving consensus?  
  • Try Five Ways to Build Consensus

Learn more about facilitation.