Do you record monthly stakeholder videos?
Keeping stakeholders up to date is crucial for the success of any project. Developer teams use Scrum meetings which work very well. For internal admin teams - Scrum might not work as well (e.g. Sales, Accounting). Often admin teams get sidetracked or have tasks that are not definitively measurable, therefore Scrum isn't a perfect tracker of tasks or performance.
To keep stakeholders well informed, these teams should record a monthly stakeholder video. This ensures that stakeholders are aware of the project’s progress, any challenges faced, and the plans for the upcoming month. It also provides a personal touch - stakeholders get to hear from the team directly.
For more detailed updates on completed work each Sprint, make sure you're also doing a Sprint Review Summary Recording to show what’s been done and get PBIs accepted.
✅ Benefits
- Transparency - Regular updates promote transparency and problems get resolved before they balloon
- Engagement - Videos are more engaging than written reports
- Accessibility - Stakeholders can watch the video at their convenience, making it easier for them to stay informed without scheduling conflicts
To be consistent, have a recurring appointment each month:
Hi {{ PERSON WITH THE EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITY }}
Please record last month’s overview video.
- Follow the instructions: {{ URL TO THE LIST OF REPORTS TO REVIEW }}
- Try having {{ PRODUCT OWNER }} on the call – if not choose another relevant person
< As per https://ssw.com.au/rules/monthly-stakeholder-video >
Creating an effective video
To ensure your video is clear and following best practices, read and follow the key things for making a great 'Done Video'.
Steps
The video should be recorded by the Product Owner (or other head of the team).
- Open the relevant pages/analytics in browser tabs (this might be PowerBI for Sales, Google Ads and social media for Marketing, etc.)
- Bring up the important points you will talk about
- Record the video, clicking through the tabs and talking through the important metrics
Tip: Use ZoomIt for easy recording and on screen notation - Upload the video to YouTube (public if there is no sensitive information - unlisted if there is)
- Email your stakeholders with the video link
Hi {{ PRODUCT OWNER }}
FYI - I have recorded the Monthly Marketing video for {{ MONTH }} with {{ COLLEAGUE }} on the call with me.
✅ Done - I have called you to watch the video together.
Here’s the link {{ YOUTUBE LINK }}
- So I know who has watched this - please like and comment on the video
< As per https://ssw.com.au/rules/monthly-stakeholder-video >
✅ Figure: Good example - Watching the video with the Product Owner, then sending it in an email with a task so you can confirm visibility from your team.
✅ Figure: Good example - a list of reports to review each month (this one is a SharePoint example)