Focus On Sharing Information
In an environment of mutual trust we seek to share as much information with our customers as we can. We expect that our customers will show us the same respect. As a team we seek to be open about our plans, our work, our progress, the difficulties we are encountering and what we have learned. Our events are open to our customers and to others who wish to attend. When an event needs to be private to the team we are clear about why the privacy is important.
In A Nutshell
To share information continuously, we keep our delivery information as open as possible. The product vision, strategy and roadmap are all accessible by our customers. The product backlog may be visible to the customers too.
We seek to be open with our customers about the work we are performing, the progress we are making, the difficulties we are encountering, the level of service being provided and what we have learned. Our default position is to make our regular work events open to our customers and to all who wish to attend. We are clear about which events are private to the team and take care to describe why that privacy is important to us. In an environment of shared commitment, we expect our customers to display similar behaviour towards us.
Our immediate plans are shared with customers as they are formed. We regularly review our progress and the value we are creating with our customers.
Implementing Practices
Teams plan work to fill their short-term planning horizon. With a clear understanding of current priorities and the capacity of the team, work items are chosen to satisfy the forthcoming delivery goals. The team elaborates the plan as necessary to ensure that there is a shared understanding of the work that is required.
Sprint Planning is a Scrum event that is held before the start of the sprint to establish the scope and priorities of the coming sprint. Its purpose is for the whole team to establish an agreed sprint goal based on the Product Owner’s view of the value that can be created for the customer. To establish a scope of backlog items that can be got to done. For each backlog item the team decides how done will be achieved.
The Product Roadmap provides a simple view of how the product will grow towards its vision. As a forward looking view, the roadmap does not set fixed priorities or deadlines. Rather it is a fluid view that evolves as our understanding of customers’ needs evolves. Roadmaps are influenced by concerns in addition to the customers’ needs. These may include our capability and capacity to deliver change and the business, financial and legal context in which our product operates.