Continued Acceptance by the Product Owner

The Sprint Review should not be the first time the Product Owner (PO) sees the features developed during the Sprint.

For the agile process to be truly effective and waste minimized, it is crucial that the PO is continuously involved in the development process, providing feedback and validating the work as it progresses.

This continuous buy-in ensures that the team stays aligned with the PO's vision and the customer's needs, enabling early corrections and avoiding unpleasant surprises at the end of the Sprint.

This is not micromanagement, but constant and fluid collaboration.

Daily Involvement of the PO in Development

The Product Owner must actively participate in the day-to-day work of the development team.

This does not mean dictating technical solutions, but being available to answer questions, clarify requirements and review work in progress. Ways to achieve this daily involvement include:

Attendance at Daily Scrums: The PO should be present (though usually as an observer) to listen to progress, identify potential misunderstandings, and be available for immediate consultation.

Informal Micro-Demos: Encourage developers to briefly show the PO the work as it progresses, even if it is not completely finished. This allows for early validation of direction.

Constant Availability: The PO should be accessible to the team, either physically (if they are co-located) or through fast communication channels, to resolve questions without delay.

This constant interaction ensures that development remains aligned with expectations.

Avoiding Surprises in the Sprint Review

When the PO is continuously involved, the Sprint Review becomes a confirmation and celebration of known work, rather than a discovery session full of surprises.

If the PO sees a feature for the first time in the review and it does not meet their expectations, valuable Sprint time has been wasted.

Continuous acceptance allows deviations or misunderstandings to be caught much earlier, when correcting them is easier and cheaper.

This makes the Sprint Review more efficient, focusing on stakeholder feedback and future planning, rather than on correcting basic errors or redefining misunderstood requirements.

Foster PO-Team Collaboration

As an Agile Coach, an important task is to facilitate and foster a collaborative and trusting relationship between the Product Owner and the Development Team.

Sometimes, friction can arise if the PO is perceived as too demanding or disconnected, or if the team is not proactive in showing their work. The coach can help by:

Establish rituals: suggest specific times for micro-demos or informal reviews.

Mediate conversations: Help both parties communicate effectively and respectfully.

Clarify roles and expe