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All about Confirming Benefits in Scrum

Posted by SCRUMstudy® on March 28, 2023

Categories: Agile Product Owner Scrum Scrum Guide Scrum Master

All about Confirming Benefits in Scrum

Confirming Benefits, the Scrum Way

It is not the delivery of project’s outputs that determines the success or failure of a project but the

delivery of the project’s benefits. In this piece of writing, let’s try to understand Scrum’s approach to

realization and confirmation of expected benefits of a project.

Throughout a project, it is important to verify whether benefits are being realized. Whether the

products of a Scrum project are tangible or intangible, appropriate benefit realization planning and

verification techniques are required to confirm that the project deliverables with benefits and value

are being created by the Scrum team members. So a well-structured benefit realization plan helps

the teams map benefits of individual projects to the overall programme and corporate strategic

objectives. This also helps in tracking the identified benefits even after completion of Scrum project

and handover of deliverables

At the beginning of the project, all the project outputs, outcomes and benefits expected by the

user groups and other key stakeholders should be identified and documented. And a means of

measuring benefits, key responsibilities and accountabilities associated with benefits, time of benefit

realization, etc. should also be agreed. At pre-determined intervals, the team should review the

benefit realization plan to assess the status of expected benefits and to incorporate any changes in

the forecast of realization of benefits.

Now, let’s look at some of the ways of confirming benefits. Some useful techniques are use of

prototypes, simulations, workshops, demonstrations etc. Demonstrating prototypes to customers

and simulating their functionalities are commonly used techniques for confirming value. Often,

after using the features or having them demonstrated, customers can more clearly determine

whether the features are adequate and suitable for their needs. They might realize a need for

additional features, or may decide to modify previously defined feature requirements. In product

development, this customer experience has come to be known as IKIWISI (I’ll Know It When I See It).

Through demonstrations or access to early iterations, customers can also evaluate to what degree

the team has successfully interpreted their requirements and met their expectations.