Taking on a new scrum team or entering a new organization can be both exciting and challenging. At Kenway Consulting, we emphasize a clear scrum evaluation process within the first two weeks to set a solid foundation for improvement.  Our agile transformation services are designed to assess and elevate key Scrum practices, focusing on critical areas such as story quality, retrospectives, and team dynamics. By emphasizing continuous improvement and addressing the common challenges teams face, we enable organizations to move beyond initial adoption and thrive in their agile practices.

Agile Adoption & Maturity Levels
Most organizations have adopted agile methodologies like Scrum, but often struggle with low maturity and a lack of focus on continuous improvement. One of the key reasons Scrum teams stagnate is that they are often asked to do more than their capacity allows. The demand for work exceeds their ability to deliver, and once teams adopt Scrum, there’s a common misconception that they've "arrived." This leads to a halt in pursuing continuous improvement, leaving teams stuck in their current state instead of evolving.

Key Focus Areas for Evaluation
We begin by assessing the team’s Scrum practices across three key areas: stories, retrospectives, and team collaboration.

1. Evaluating Stories
   High-quality user stories are foundational to any successful Scrum team. We assess:
   • Are developers consistently seeking clarification after sprints start? If so, the stories may be lacking necessary detail.
   • Are reference documents and discussions properly linked and documented within each story? This ensures all stakeholders are aligned and developers have the full picture.

Tactical Recommendation: Implement a “Definition of Ready” checklist. Before a story is brought into a sprint, ensure it includes all necessary acceptance criteria, reference materials, and dependencies. This practice guarantees that developers can work without confusion, and it minimizes the need for mid-sprint clarifications.

2. Optimizing Retrospectives
   Retrospectives are another crucial element for any scrum team. We look at:
   • Is the team consistently holding retrospectives?
   • Is the conversation collaborative or dominated by a Scrum Master or lead developer?
   • Are successes celebrated alongside areas for improvement? Do all team members participate?

Tactical Recommendation: Introduce a rotating facilitator role in retrospectives. Each team member takes turns leading the retrospective, which fosters inclusivity, reduces dominance by a single voice, and encourages broader participation and ownership in the process.

3. Observing Team Dynamics
   Beyond processes, we assess the scrum team’s overall vibe and collaboration. This “soft skill” evaluation takes time but is essential:
   • Does everyone have a voice, including developers, product owners, and business partners?
   • Does the team feel ownership over its work and decision-making power in how it operates?

Tactical Recommendation: The Scrum Master should take an active facilitation role by ensuring balanced participation in discussions, using techniques like “round-robin” or “silent brainstorming” to give quieter team members space to contribute. They should also model open communication and guide the team toward collaborative problem-solving, helping foster a culture of shared decision-making and accountability.

Where We Start
We prioritize improving stories, retrospectives, and teamwork. A scrum team that excels in these areas is positioned for success, driving higher-quality output and continuous improvement.

By focusing on these elements from the start, we help teams establish strong foundations, fostering a culture that not only delivers value but also thrives over time.  Contact us today tofor learn more about our agile transformation services.