Sprint Retrospective
Hi everyone,
I have a question regarding a quiz that is related to the course I've taken.
The question is as follows:
During the Sprint Retrospective, the Scrum Team members identify the most helpful changes to improve their effectiveness. Where are the most impactful improvements registered?
- Next Sprint Backlog
- Issue Tracker
- Product Backlog
- Process Improvement Backlog
I've discussed this question with the course instructor. My choice was that the correct answer is Product Backlog, but according to the Scrum Guide it is not, the Sprint Backlog is the correct answer which is not included as a possible answer:
The Scrum Team identifies the most helpful changes to improve its effectiveness. The most impactful improvements are addressed as soon as possible. They may even be added to the Sprint Backlog for the next Sprint.
The instructors response is:
There are two key points you need to be aware of.
1) Improvements are "work".
The Scrum Guide says that "It (the Product Backlog) is the single source of work undertaken by the Scrum Team."
Hence, work cannot go directly to the next Sprint Backlog before being moved to the Product Backlog.
2) The sentence you highlighted from the Scrum Guide says, "They may even be added to the Sprint Backlog for the next Sprint." It uses the term "may", meaning that this is a possibility. It is also possible that are not added to the Sprint Backlog for the next Sprint. In fact, a few of them will never be added to any Sprint Backlog at all.
Thus, "Product Backlog" is the best option, and the answer is correct.
I understand that the Product Backlog is the single source of work understaken by the Scrum Team. The Scrum Guide is strict on this part, and says that the Scrum Team members may add changes to the Sprint Backlog. Since the Retrospective Event is mostly about developers, it is logically to add these changes to their artifact!
Since the Sprint Retrospective is still part of the current Sprint, there isn't a Sprint Backlog created yet for the next Sprint. So I can see the improvements having to wait until Sprint Planning.
Appreciate the discussion.
The best way to action improvements is right now. Right here in the Sprint Retrospective itself, if it is at all practical to do so. Better yet, improve as soon as the issue arises and don't even wait for the Retro.
The Scrum Events represent formal opportunities to inspect and adapt certain things, but they are not necessarily the only opportunities. Remember that in lean and agile practice, the best way to inspect and adapt is as closely as possible to the time and place of work being carried out.
Otherwise, do the best you can to make the timeliest adaptation. Add improvements to the Sprint Backlog during the next Sprint Planning session, if it helps. Don't do that if it doesn't. I had a team who would tape their Retrospective improvements on the back of my chair for tracking purposes. Fine: if that's what they wanted to do I left it up to them, and at least it disciplined me to hang my jacket up properly.
Ian Mitchell, my guess wasn't wrong at all. It is the Sprint Backlog.