Software Quality
5 Ways to Improve Software Quality 
Viktor Clerc 29 Nov, 2021
it is not the domain expert’s knowledge that goes into production, it is the developer’s assumption of that knowledge that goes into production – Alberto BrandoliniThe methods used to refine work can be highly influential in gleaning this shared understanding. Most refinements will have a form of feature presentation, followed by some Q&A between the team. Visuals and wireframes help to improve understanding. However, for some processes this simply will not work: administrative processes, for example. We love to use visual collaboration methods for this kind of work. Example mapping is a popular method for clarifying and conforming the requirements of a user story. It is a short and visual way to structure the refinement conversation. A second method (although it is a bit more complex in facilitation) is Event Storming. This is a terrific way to align the language and understanding of business processes, bringing subject-matter experts and the development team together for a shared sense of reality. Being able to facilitate these methods as a Scrum Master helps the team to make better assumptions on the problem. Better assumptions result in higher-quality delivery of the product. It is important for refinement that the whole team is available, not just a part of it. Running a Three Amigos (product owner, developer, tester) session is not suggested as it fosters ranking and misalignment. Some techniques can be facilitated by any member of the group. Example Mapping can be run by anyone, without harming neutrality of the facilitator. In this case the Scrum Master can learn and coach the team to run the intervention. For an Event Storm or User Story Mapping it is better to have a neutral facilitator. The Scrum Master can fulfill this role perfectly, allowing all team members to actively participate.