Applying the Agile framework in a virtual setting comes with a unique set of challenges. In addition to the difficulty of collaborating in a remote space, you may also find that it’s hard to host daily sprint meetings and achieve all of the goals outlined therein. Still, whether you’re the SCRUM master or the product owner, you need to lead your team to success — and you can do this by ensuring that you’re adequately prepared for the next sprint planning meeting. Make sure you’re ready to hit every item on the agenda and tackle your backlog with confidence. You can even make things special with a Google Meet custom background that displays your company logo and an image of your choosing.
Go Over Updates, Feedback and Issues
It’s important to spend your time wisely when you’re in a sprint planning meeting. Most sprint planning meetings are capped at eight hours, but most Agile experts recommend that a meeting consist of two hours of planning for every week of a sprint. Although this might seem like sufficient time, it’s easy to get distracted and off-track if you aren’t completely tuned into the events of the meeting. This is why it’s imperative that you set an agenda, identify the most important items on the task list, and proceed with intention.
You can also help keep your team focused by sticking to the sprint planning meeting format that’s frequently used in an Agile context. You should start by going over any updates that may impact the progress of the project, assessing any feedback from team members and stakeholders, and addressing any issues that may arise as you begin to plan your next sprint. Each of these elements is an important part of the planning process, and going through each step will help lay the foundation for a successful sprint. If you’re not sure whether your computer meets the Zoom system requirements for virtual background, consider looking for a workaround.
Backlog Organization
One of the most important aspects of a sprint planning meeting is the backlog orientation. Backlog orientation is the process of identifying each of the projects that are contained in the backlog, assessing its urgency, and planning out the steps toward completion. This is often the most challenging part of a sprint planning meeting, but it’s also the most important. When you’re planning the next step in your development, you need to be sure that your entire team is on board and ready to tackle the backlog.
To this end, you can unite your team by providing custom Zoom office backgrounds for everybody. It can be hard to recreate the feeling of the in-person office — and there are certainly many advantages to the virtual environment — but there’s no denying that it made collaboration and engagement a lot easier. If you want to give your team a united front and ensure that everybody feels the team spirit, a background is a great way to establish camaraderie. Make your next spring planning meeting fun with a custom background.