The Product Manager is the one who administers every team process and influences their results. At the stage of planning and developing projects or programs, people often adhere to the Agile approach, for instance, Scrum.
Thus, it is important for a PM to continuously advance their time management skills. We have prepared a short checklist of tips for product managers who use the Scrum methodology.
Backlog grooming meeting
- Make sure that the communication process of the Product Owner and your team goes well.
- Prepare all team’s questions.
- Assure that the Product Owner is ready for the meeting, knows its goals, and is prepared for all potential questions.
- Affirm that all the questions get their answers.
- Confirm that everyone is aware of the goals of your meeting.
Retrospective
- Make sure your team feels comfortable at this meeting.
- Everyone should comprehend all the previous issues of your working process and be open to discuss them.
- Make sure every team member tells their opinion.
- Suggest meeting formats that provide an open discussion facility.
- Ensure that your team understands the importance of the meeting.
Demo
- Your team should be prepared to show their current working progress.
- Make sure the team is able to answer all the Product Owner’s potential questions.
- Confirm that your team is ready to represent the completed tasks and answer all of the questions, including ones touching the uncompleted tasks.
Working in a sprint
As a Scrum Master, the Product Owner is responsible for approving that the tasks are being updated based on the team’s progress.
- Confirm that product backlog updates up to the team’s requirements.
- Ensure everyone’s presence at the meetings.
- Host team a stand-up daily.
- Make sure everyone who comes to your meetings is well prepared. If you notice someone who hesitates to answer, ask them not to join the meeting.
- Watch every team member completing their tasks on time.
- Renew the burndown chart regularly.
Remember, the Scrum master has to let the team members know that they are not officially reporting to him. Make your team feel comfortable.
Planning meeting
- Help your team understand their potential.
- Use your previous results in their velocity and capacity.
- Working with your team, estimate severe risks that might affect your team’s predictions for a sprint.
