OP and stakeholder engagement (2023)

wounded Flavia

Hey guys,

I have some doubts about the role of the Po and the stakeholders.

Reading Scrum Scrum I understood that the PO is the main reference to involve the stakeholders according to the descriptions of events and responsibilities, however the Scrum guide also says: The Scrum Team is responsible for all the activities related to the product starting from the work with the stakeholders [..].

then; Who is primarily responsible for working with stakeholders?

what if i got the same questions on the exam and had all the options (PO, SM, whole scrum team, developers),

what would be the right question?

Thanks

Flavia

Ian Mitchell

Scott Anthony Keatinge

The Scrum Guide references stakeholders twice

The Scrum Team is responsible for all product-related activities from stakeholder collaboration, verification, maintenance, operations, experimentation, research and development, and anything else that might be needed.

SM obedient PO:

Facilitate stakeholder collaboration as needed or required.

See Also

Understanding and collaborating with stakeholders: 5 ways to collaborate better - @GatherContent

The Scrum Guide refers to stakeholders eleven times

Definition:

The Scrum Team and its stakeholders review the results and adjust them for the next sprint.

Values:

The Scrum Team and its stakeholders are open about the work and challenges.

AFTER:

The product owner can represent the needs of many stakeholders in the product backlog.

Anyone who wants to change the product backlog can do so by trying to persuade the product owner.

SM serves to organize:

• Help employees and stakeholders understand and implement an empirical approach to complex work
• Removing barriers between stakeholders and Scrum teams.

Sprint Planning Topic One:

The entire scrum team works together to define a sprint goal that communicates why the sprint is valuable to stakeholders.

Sprint recap:

The Scrum team presents the results of its work to key stakeholders and progress towards the product goal is discussed.

During the event, the Scrum Team and stakeholders review what was accomplished in the sprint and what has changed in its environment.

Artifacts:

These commitments exist to reinforce the empiricism and values ​​of Scrum for the Scrum Team and its stakeholders.

Product Purpose:

A product is a vehicle for delivering value. It has a clear boundary, known stakeholders, well-defined users or customers. A product can be a service, a physical product, or something more abstract.

Growth:

However, an increment can be delivered to stakeholders before the end of the sprint.

The Sprint Review should never be seen as a gateway to unlocking value.

One of the most important phrases to remember and understand is this one from the PO section:

The Product Owner may perform the above work or delegate the responsibility to others. Regardless, the product owner remains liable.

Daniel Wilhit

then; Who is primarily responsible for working with stakeholders?

Why does there have to be a "primary owner"? The Scrum Team is accountable to stakeholders and will interact with them at various times. The Scrum Team is defined as Scrum Master, Product Owner and Developer. For me, all of this means that every member of the Scrum Team can interact with stakeholders at any time if needed.

If I had to say that there is a responsible person in the Scrum Team, I would say that the Scrum Master is responsible based on what I said in the Scrum Guide section on Scrum Master Responsibilities

• Facilitate stakeholder collaboration as needed or required.

• Help staff and stakeholders understand and implement an empirical approach to complex work; AND,

• Removing barriers between stakeholders and Scrum teams.

wounded Flavia

Hi Daniel,

I would still go to the Product Owner when talking to stakeholders to understand the needs and requirements that need to be added to the Product Backlog. I see the Scrum Master as a leader who serves to help when needed or to interact with stakeholders. Anyone can talk to stakeholders on the Scrum Team (i.e. Sprint Review) or beyond, but I see the Product Owner as the leader in the stakeholder conversation. If stakeholders need to speak to someone on the Scrum Team to clarify something or ask a question, who should they call? I would reply to the product owner

am I completely wrong and maybe influenced by what I see in my workplace?

Thanks

Flavia

Scott Anthony Keatinge

While one of the responsibilities of the PO is stakeholder management, the PO should not act as an intermediary for developers, as it should allow developers to contact stakeholders directly with questions.

This is covered in one of the misunderstood PO positions.

wounded Flavia

Thanks Anthony, so basically no one is responsible for being the main point of contact for stakeholders and the entire Scrum team manages stakeholder engagement?

Flavia

Anjali Deshmukh

VD Tran

Even if no one is explicitly named as responsible for stakeholder engagement, I think the PO can, of course, assume that responsibility, as it is the PO who primarily engages them.

It also depends on the stakeholder, I've worked with stakeholders who talk to developers, others who only talk to the PO.

Daniel Wilhit

If you read my answer, I said "if I...". The first part of my answer is my true belief that there is no primary contact. Everyone on the team must communicate openly and continuously with stakeholders. The Scrum Master is the only role in the Scrum Guide that mentions stakeholders when discussing the role.

Sure, the product owner needs your input to determine product needs and directions. However, developers need input from stakeholders to answer questions and provide feedback on the work done. Although the Scrum Master is the only one who mentions stakeholders in the description, he actually has very few stakeholder needs as his main focus is on the Scrum Team and the organization in which the Scrum Team exists. All of this evidence supports my thoughts that there is no primary contact.

Simon Maier

Low stakeholder engagement can be both a symptom and a cause of the Scrum Team not working as it should.

As such, it can be a useful element in helping the Scrum Team identify opportunities for improvement.
Understanding the reasons for low engagement would be an important part of determining how to adapt.

Developers are responsible for adhering to the definition of Done. If there is no "done" increment, this can result in stakeholders being disconnected.

The Product Owner is responsible for a number of things (as described in the Scrum Guide) that, if not done effectively, can undermine stakeholder engagement.
For example, the product owner may actively choose to engage stakeholders to uncover key insights and ultimately manage the backlog more efficiently.

If stakeholders get disconnected because they don't understand Scrum, it could be the fault of the Scrum Master.
If a lack of stakeholder engagement is impeding the Scrum Team's progress, the Scrum Master can look for ways to involve stakeholders.

Nguyen Thi Hoa Bich

The Scrum Guide said:

Scrum teams are cross-functional, which means that members have all the skills they need to create value in each sprint. They are also self-governing, which means they decide internally who does what, when and how.

Therefore, it does not matter who is primarily responsible for the stakeholder dialogue, as they can decide for themselves. You can even designate product owners or scrum masters or developers.