Sprint Review v/s Demo

 


1. Why Sprint Review ≠ Demo

Sprint Review is a collaborative working session where the entire Scrum Team and stakeholders inspect the increment and adapt the Product Backlog. It's about outcomes, value, and strategic direction. The emotional tone here is collaborative curiosity and shared ownership.

Demo is typically a one-way presentation showing that features work technically. It's more about proving functionality than exploring value. The emotional dynamic can sometimes feel like "us presenting to them" rather than "us working together."

The key difference lies in the mindset: Reviews foster partnership and co-creation, while demos can inadvertently create a performer-audience dynamic that distances stakeholders from feeling true ownership.

2. How to Run Each Well

Running a Great Sprint Review:

  • Start with the "why": Begin with business context and Sprint Goal, not features
  • Make it interactive: Encourage stakeholders to actually use the product, not just watch
  • Focus on outcomes: Discuss what value was delivered, not just what was built
  • Create psychological safety: Make it okay to say "this isn't quite right" without blame
  • End with collaborative planning: Together decide what's most valuable to do next

Running an Effective Demo (when you must):

  • Keep it brief and focused: Show working software efficiently
  • Tell a story: Frame features within user journeys
  • Be honest about limitations: Build trust by acknowledging what's not ready
  • Invite questions throughout: Don't save them all for the end
  • Connect to user needs: Always tie back to the problem being solved

The Human Side of Getting This Right

The reason this distinction matters so much isn't just about process - it's about relationships and trust. When stakeholders feel like they're watching a performance (demo), they naturally become critics. When they feel like collaborators (review), they become co-creators.

I've seen teams transform their stakeholder relationships by making this shift. Instead of the anxiety of "will they like what we built?", you get the energy of "what should we build together next?" That emotional shift is powerful - it reduces stress for the team and increases engagement from stakeholders.

Remember: A great Sprint Review should feel less like a presentation and more like a design workshop where everyone's leaning in, asking "what if we tried...?" That's when the magic happens!

- Coach Ram

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