Sprints get all the attention in Agile project management, and with good reason. That’s when all the work gets done. Ideas become features, and features converge into products. But there’s a step before the Sprint that makes this all possible: the backlog refinement meeting. Below, we’ll explore the unsung hero that is the backlog refinement meeting, and offer some insights into how to make yours successful.

As the world slowed down to celebrate the holidays, the Miro Community came together for a season of creativity, reflection, and inspiration! We’re so grateful for the amazing energy you brought to Miroverse during these quieter months. Over December and January, we added more than 400 templates to the Miroverse gallery and wrapped up the Calendar Templates Challenge with over 20 incredible submissions. What a way to kick off the new year!

After first connecting at an Agile training course in Malta, we made a deal to form a learning organization for two to drive our personal development. To push through the discomfort of trying something new, we started with a small, but meaningful, experiment to post on Linkedin once per week for a year. We managed to stick to it, publishing more than 52 posts in that first year.

What makes an innovation successful? The history of innovation is littered with great products that people simply didn’t need or want. From Segways and Crystal Pepsi to a long-forgotten Harley Davidson perfume, it’s clear that creativity and technical ability will only get you part of the way there. True success hinges on your ability to build something that meets an existing problem or gap, and products that fail to resonate will ultimately disappear.

In our borderless digital economy — with digital information circling the globe in milliseconds — it may seem like your data lives everywhere. But in reality, where your data resides can have legal and compliance implications. While data privacy laws mandate how personal data should be processed and stored, they can also dictate where data should be stored. This type of requirement is called data residency.

The new year brings new updates to Miro! From new tool integrations to huge Miro Docs updates, these exciting new updates are designed to streamline workflows, boost collaboration, and make projects more dynamic. Dive in to see how these new features will transform the way you work.

For years, servant leadership has dominated Silicon Valley. Leaders have been taught to listen more than they speak, empower their teams by stepping aside, and let autonomy drive innovation. This philosophy promises trust, collaboration, and empowerment. And, for a time, it worked well. But that era is over. The world has changed and today’s fast-paced, hyper-competitive environment demands something different.

They say a craftsperson is only as good as their tools. The same can be said for a Scrum team. While people are at the heart of a successful Scrum project, they’re only as effective as the tools that drive their processes forward. This article explains the importance of Scrum tools, walks through best practices for their implementation, and highlights our favorite applications that you need in your Scrum tool belt for better team alignment and product development outcomes.

Many of the most well-known innovations — from the light bulb to the internet — weren’t solo efforts. They were a direct result of teamwork. So, it should come as no surprise that our ongoing research on innovation has uncovered that collaboration is one of the four main building blocks of innovative company culture. We’ve already covered why a strong sense of purpose and adaptability are important for innovation.

A lawsuit can be stressful and expensive for a company. Those who handle compliance well can move past it to grow, while those who don’t may face higher consequences. In litigation, documentation can make or break a case. Think of every employee and contractor contributing to your software and each tool they use. Every email, chat (yes, even Slack!), wireframe, and digital board iteration could become critical evidence.