Handling "unplanned" in Scrum

Background

Almost in all my Scrum.org classes, I get these two common questions:

How to handle unplanned scope changes during the Sprint?

How to handle unplanned leaves of team members during the Sprint?

I am providing a detailed walkthrough of my answer in this issue.

Q1: Handling Unplanned Scope Changes

For the #1 question, when I probe further - I get one common reply:

At Sprint Planning, our Sprint Backlog is fully formulated, all Devs take up PBIs (Product Backlog Items) upto available Capacity. Any changes in Scope that come during the Sprint, it disrupts our Sprint Plan.

"Being Agile" fundamentally requires

Responding to Change over following a Plan

You know from where this statement is coming from. If your Scrum Team has a fully formulated Sprint Backlog in Sprint Planning itself, it doesn't allow the Scrum Team to be flexible and respond to change - thus fundamentally preventing "being agile".

To handle these unplanned Changes:

1. Do not fully formulate the #SprintBacklog in #sprintplanning.
2. Let Developers take the PBIs that contribute towards the #sprintgoal and few additional PBIs they would like to work on during the Sprint.
3. When ever any #unplanned #scope #changes come - if #developers are confident that they can get those changes #done during the reminder of the #sprint with whatever available capacity they have, they add it to #sprintbacklog. If not, developers #negotiate with #productowner about taking away a PBI from Sprint Backlog to create enough room so that they can accommodate these scope changes.

When I quote the above, another question comes like this:

Our Project is fixed bid. We can't get more time - therefore we are forced to work extra hours to deliver these scope changes.

Well - I fully understand these #fixedbid #projects - this presents a very #courageous #changeagent moment for the #scrummaster - to work with their organization's #sales, #presales etc. teams educating, coaching them on how #scrum works.

Being agile at only team level doesn't help. Sales, Finance, HR etc. parts of the Organization should also be enablers of agility.

Q2: Handling Unplanned leaves

When #covid19 #deltavariant was raging in #india in #2021 - I was an Agile Coach for Xebia 's #productdevelopment project for a leading #bank in India. Unfortunately for several weeks, several of our team members (developers) were severely impacted - someone in their family or in close circles were infected with #covid19 and we had regular #unplanned #leaves. During such situations #humanlife values more than #work.

Recap of 2 values from Agile Manifesto:

Individuals and Interactions value more over processes and tools AND

Customer collaboration over Contract negotiation

Fortunately our customer was #compassionate about #humanity - we were able to manage the #turbulence. Though there was an impact of missing the #deliverydate - #beingagile #mindset helped us to focus on #mvps and test the #market in short #iterative cycles.

Handling unplanned leaves:

One important factor that can contribute greatly towards developers #selfmanage is:

• Not all Sprint Backlog Items are related to the Goal. Due to unplanned leave if a Sprint Goal related PBIs is impacted, they can take that PBI's ownership so Sprint Goal is not impacted. Any non-Goal related PBI part of Sprint can be taken out of Sprint Backlog - developers informing the Product Owner for transparency.

Closing note

On the day of writing this newsletter issue i.e. 3-Jan-2023, I was #carpooling with my colleagues Kalyanaraman Dandapani and Sridhar Rao Diagala to work. During our journey - we had a discussion in similar lines to the #changeagent part of Scrum Master mentioned above. We three are going to have that courageous, open conversation soon with our sales teams - on #beingagile - wish us all the best !

Have a great 2023. Thanks for coming this far. #rawagility