AdrianCarr.com ^1.0

These are some notes that I put together for use in a longer post, but haven't found the time to write it. I thought this might be helpful for someone out there as it is, so I'm posting it. If you do find it helpful, or have any questions, you can let me know at my contact page.

• Demonstrates working software, instead of promises of working software. As we know from the Agile Manifesto principles, working software is the primary measure of progress.
• Enhances communication, from the team and to the team.
• Force the team to tie up loose ends and get "done" software together.
• Forces testing early and often.
• Forces surprises to pop up early.
• Allows end users and stake holders to actually see the software that they will be using, and this helps to eliminate surprises.
• Enables team to get feedback from end users on actual working software early and often.
• Allows the team to get a pat on the back every few weeks. Helps motivate and energize the team when people are excited about the work they are doing.
• Builds trust that the team is truly building functionality and not working on vaporware.

Tips:

• Make them fun- Serve food or some sort of refreshments.
• Make them be informal, so people are willing to talk and ask questions.
• Minimize the use of PowerPoint, and make most of the review about the working software.
• Invite questions, criticism, & feedback.
• If the review is the first time your Product Owner has seen the software, you are doing it wrong. Get the Product Owner onto your team, sitting with you. Get them to help test from time to time, and let them see changes every day. This minimizes surprises and rework.
• Schedule reviews at the same recurring time so the team, management, stakeholders all know what to expect. Avoid the "Oh, now that the sprint is done, I have to find time for the review." If people know that you run three week sprints, and the review is always on the third Wednesday at 9:00 AM, there are no excuses. This encourages people to arrange their schedule around your review, rather than your review around their schedule.