Engaging Stakeholders During the Sprint
How Scrum Masters, Product Owners, and Developers Can Foster Collaboration
Stakeholder involvement is critical in Scrum. The more engaged stakeholders are during the sprint, the faster the team can validate their work, get feedback, and course-correct before Sprint Review. However, many teams struggle to bring stakeholders in at the right moments without derailing their focus or getting overwhelmed with new requests.
For this to work, each member of the Scrum Team has a key responsibility:
The Scrum Master encourages developers to involve stakeholders effectively.
The Product Owner educates stakeholders on how to collaborate during development.
The Developers manage stakeholder interactions to gather feedback without compromising their sprint commitments.
This blog post explores how each member of the Scrum Team can contribute to a stakeholder-friendly, yet developer-focused, sprint.
How the Scrum Master Encourages Developers to Involve Stakeholders
A Scrum Master isn’t just a facilitator—they help ensure the team connects with stakeholders at the right times without disrupting the flow of development.
Here’s how a Scrum Master encourages developers to bring in stakeholders effectively:
Create a Culture of Early Feedback
Encourage developers to seek stakeholder input before Sprint Review rather than waiting until the end.
Facilitate discussions in Sprint Planning on when and how to engage stakeholders for specific backlog items
Make Stakeholder Involvement a Habit
Use Daily Scrums or other natural checkpoints to remind the team to engage stakeholders.
Encourage developers to invite stakeholders to informal demos or early feature walkthroughs.
Remove Barriers Between Developers and Stakeholders
Work with the Product Owner to ensure stakeholders are accessible.
Help stakeholders understand the benefits of interacting directly with developers.
Facilitate the Right Level of Involvement
Ensure stakeholders don’t micromanage or disrupt sprint commitments.
Coach the team on balancing stakeholder input with maintaining focus.
How the Product Owner Prepares and Educates Stakeholders for Direct Collaboration
Stakeholders aren’t always sure how to work directly with developers. The Product Owner plays a crucial role in bridging this gap by preparing stakeholders for effective interactions.
Set Clear Expectations for Stakeholder Engagement
Help stakeholders understand when and how to provide feedback during the sprint.
Clarify that developers need insights, not solutions—stakeholders should focus on value and outcomes.
Schedule Feedback Opportunities at the Right Times
Work with the Scrum Master and developers to identify when stakeholders should provide input.
Encourage stakeholders to attend mid-sprint check-ins to review early progress.
Teach Stakeholders How to Give Actionable Feedback
Help them understand the difference between useful feedback (“This feature is missing an important case”) and prescriptive demands (“Change the UI to look like this”).
Encourage outcome-based discussions rather than dictating specific solutions.
Protect the Sprint Goals
Ensure stakeholders understand that mid-sprint feedback is welcome, but new requests need to go through backlog refinement rather than derailing sprint commitments.
How Developers Can Manage Stakeholder Feedback Without Disrupting the Sprint
Developers need timely feedback, but they also need focus to complete their work. Managing stakeholder interactions during the sprint requires a balance between gathering input and maintaining commitments.
Be Proactive About Feedback
Invite stakeholders to review work-in-progress before Sprint Review to prevent surprises.
Ask targeted questions to ensure feedback is specific and actionable.
Control the Flow of New Requests
If a stakeholder introduces a new request, acknowledge it, but remind them that new work must be added to the backlog and sequenced by the Product Owner.
Use phrases like:
“That’s a great idea—let’s bring it into the backlog and discuss it during refinement.”
“We can explore that in a future sprint—let’s focus on refining what we have first.”
Keep Feedback Aligned with Sprint Goals
If feedback requires changes, assess whether those changes align with the current Sprint Goal.
If a requested change is critical, escalate the discussion to the Product Owner to determine if an adjustment is needed.
Use Lightweight Demos for Quick Feedback
Rather than waiting for Sprint Review, developers can share early iterations with stakeholders through:
Informal walkthroughs
Prototype testing
Quick usability feedback session.
Close the Feedback Loop
If a stakeholder provided feedback mid-sprint, follow up to confirm whether their concerns were addressed.
This helps stakeholders feel heard and reinforces the value of early engagement.
Conclusion
For Scrum Teams to successfully involve stakeholders during the sprint, each member has a distinct responsibility:
• Scrum Masters encourage and facilitate engagement while preventing disruptions.
• Product Owners prepare and educate stakeholders on how to collaborate effectively.
• Developers manage interactions by gathering feedback while staying focused on sprint commitments.
By fostering structured, meaningful engagement, teams can get the feedback they need without compromising their workflow, ensuring better outcomes for both the team and stakeholders.
