Meetings Are for Value, Not Just Attendance
"The art of doing twice the work in half the time is not about doing more, but about doing what truly matters." – Jeff Sutherland
Picture this: A sprint review with 25 attendees, half of whom have their cameras off, mics muted, and minds elsewhere. Or a Scrum of Scrums where people attend just to be there, adding nothing to the conversation. Sound familiar?
Meetings in Agile, especially in Scrum, are meant to be valuable. Every event—be it Sprint Reviews, Scrum of Scrums, Release Reviews, or Joint Planning—has a purpose. The more people we have just "attending" rather than "participating," the less valuable that meeting becomes.
Who Really Needs to Be There?
Scrum events are not about filling virtual seats; they are about collaboration and decision-making. According to the Scrum Guide, every event is time-boxed and serves a specific purpose:
- Sprint Review: Demonstrates what was built. Key stakeholders, customers, and the development team should be present—not every person in the company.
- Scrum of Scrums: Focuses on cross-team alignment. Only the representatives with relevant updates should attend.
- Release Reviews & Joint Planning: Strategic alignment sessions where decision-makers, technical experts, and key contributors should participate.
As Ken Schwaber, co-creator of Scrum, wisely said:
"Scrum is like your mother-in-law, it points out all your faults."
If your meetings feel bloated and unproductive, it's time for a reset.
How a Scrum Master Can Facilitate Meaningful Attendance
A Scrum Master is not just a timekeeper; they are a facilitator of focus. Here’s how they can help ensure the right people are in the right meetings:
1. Define the Purpose Clearly
- Every invite should explain the value of the meeting. If people don't know why they’re there, they probably shouldn’t be.
2. Empower the Team to Choose Representatives
- Not everyone needs to be at every event. Encourage delegation—let the most relevant person represent the team and share insights later.
3. Set Expectations on Participation
- Being present is not enough. Those attending should engage, contribute, and take away action items.
4. Use the Agile Manifesto as a Compass
- "Individuals and interactions over processes and tools." If a meeting is just a process-driven formality, cut down attendees or rethink its necessity.
5. Inspect & Adapt Attendance Regularly
- After every major event, ask:
- Who added value?
- Who was just observing?
- Can we make the next session more focused?
Less Is More
Jeff Sutherland once said:
"Scrum is based on what is called an empirical process. That means whatever you do, you measure it, and then you improve it."
The same applies to meetings. If a meeting is bloated, cut the fat. If people are disengaged, rethink who needs to be there. Meetings are expensive—not in money, but in time and focus.
So, before sending that invite, ask yourself:
- Will this person add value?
- Will this person gain value?
If the answer is no, let them focus on delivering what truly matters.
#Agile #Scrum #EffectiveMeetings #LessIsMore #SprintReview #ScrumMaster #AgileManifesto #JeffSutherland #KenSchwaber #ScrumGuide
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