Exploringthe Release Phase ofa Scrum Project:
A project that uses the Scrum framework will go through 5 phases. The five phases, composes of nineteen processes, which are indicated in A Guide to the Scrum Body of Knowledge (SBOK™) 4th edition. The Release phase is the final phase in the Scrum framework.
The release phase ensures that the product or software is delivered to the end-users with all the features and functionality they need. This allows the end-users to start using the product or software and get the value they were looking for.
This phase includes two processes that emphasizes on delivering the Accepted Deliverables to the customer. The Accepted Deliverables is the value that will be shared to the customer. Next, the team will be focusing on identifying, documenting and internalizing the lessons learned during the project. Lessons learnt adds value to the company as we are able to find new ways of working and learn from mistakes made from the last project.
The processes indicated here are not necessarily performed sequentially or separately. At times, it may be more appropriate to combine some processes, depending on the specific requirements of each project.
Ship Deliverables
In this process, Accepted Deliverables (those that meet the Acceptance Criteria and Definition of Done) are delivered or transitioned to the relevant stakeholders. To get formal customer acceptance is critical for revenue recognition. The responsibility for obtaining it will be defined not necessarily by the Product Owner but by the company policies. Revenue recognition can be achieved by meeting the needs of the end-users, which can lead to more sales and repeat customers. This process marks the final shippable deliverable for which the project was sanctioned.
As new product increments are created, they are continually integrated into prior increments, so there is a potentially shippable product available at all times throughout the project. The Product Releases should include Release Content, which consists of essential information about the deliverables that can assist the Customer Support Team, and Release Notes, which should include external or market facing shipping criteria for the product to be delivered.
The processes indicated here are not necessarily performed sequentially or separately. At times, it may be more appropriate to combine some processes, depending on the specific requirements of each project.
Retrospect Project
In this process, which completes the project, organizational stakeholders and Scrum Core Team members assemble to retrospect the project and identify, document and internalize the lessons learned. Often, these lessons lead to the documentation of Agreed Actionable Improvements to be implemented in future projects. These items come when the Scrum team receive feedback from the end-users on the product or software. The feedback can be used to make improvements and enhancements in the product or software, which can be included in the next release.
The primary responsibility of the Scrum Guidance Body is to ensure that the lessons learned in each project are not lost and are embedded in the organization. Additionally, the Scrum Guidance Body may provide expertise in various areas including Quality, HR and Scrum. When the initial Program Product Backlog or Prioritized Product Backlog are developed they are based on User Stories and required functionalities.
Often, non-functional requirements may not be fully defined in the early stages of the project and can surface during the Sprint Review, Retrospect Sprint or Retrospect Project Meetings. These items should be added to the Program Product Backlog (for the program) and Prioritized Product Backlog (for the project) as they are discovered.
Overall, the release phase is an important part of the Scrum framework as it helps the Scrum team to deliver a valuable product or software to the end-users, receive feedback, and continuously improve the development process. Executing the two processes of the Release phase ends a project in successful fashion—one that satisfies all parties involved.
You can learn about the other phases in Scrum by joining our “Online Scrum Master Certification” session. Click on the link to find out more.
By,
Udhay Sharma,
Scrum Certified Trainer
Scrum Master Certified, Scrum Product Owner Certified, Scrum Developer Certified,
Scrum enthusiast since 2017
