Abstract:

Discuss and share experience whether and how successful Product Backlog Refinements can be done remotely

Description:

What we gathered:

Try 

• Collaboration technology from CISCO works very well but is highly expensive (e.g. https://www.webex.com/team-collaboration.html)
• Mirrorboard for realtime visual collaboration (https://miro.com)
• Gamification e.g. "Wheel decides" for User Story Splitting (Self-made or https://tools-unite.com/tools/random-picker-wheel)
• Identify relevant stakeholders before PBR using https://www.stakeholdermap.com
• Use a fixed webcam filming the physical board on a steady basis
• Invite a team representative to the PBR being physically present while her team mates are remote

Learnings

• If a single team is remote, everybody is remote!
• Let a team (member) paraphrase what another team (member) said to emphasize common understanding!
• Insert very short intermediate "Mini-Retrospectives" giving a chance to adapt even during a PBR!
• It's hard to do PBRs remotely without knowing the remote teams in reality!

 

Thank you all for attending even during conference prime time ;) and sharing your experiences

Best. Michael

Edit: Supplementing this I just found some more interesting stuff at https://medium.com/liberationist-thoughts/google-research-reveals-7-secrets-of-successful-remote-teams-8c4437ee4857