I've always looked for creative ways to make the agile process more engaging and visually memorable. I hit upon an idea that turned out to be both fun and surprisingly effective: using Funko POP figures to represent each of our two-week sprints.

Quick note about this technique. Traditional business people HATE this. They think it junks up or makes the office look dumb. So, when using this technique, be mindful of the office dynamics. Geeks don't care and like the idea of pairing big sprint releases with a visual.

The Alphabetical Sprint Approach

We decided to name our sprints alphabetically, starting with "A" and moving forward with each new cycle. This gave us an easy organizational system, but it needed something more to make each sprint truly memorable. That's when the idea of pairing each letter with a corresponding Funko POP figure came to life.

For our first sprint "A," we chose Alice from The Brady Bunch. Her blue dress and iconic character was perfect for kicking off our visual sprint board. Two weeks later, sprint "B" featured Batman, followed by "C" with Captain America, and so on. With each completed sprint, we'd add the corresponding figure to our showcase shelf.

Building a Visual History

What started as a fun gimmick quickly evolved into something much more valuable. Our Funko POP display became a physical representation of our team's journey and accomplishments. New team members could literally see how much we'd built together, and long-time members had a tangible reminder of challenges overcome and milestones achieved.

After several quarters, our collection grew into an impressive display that showcased the breadth of our work. We arranged them chronologically, allowing anyone to walk through our development timeline and recall what features were implemented during each sprint.

The Unexpected Benefits

While I initially thought this would just be a fun team-building exercise, I discovered several unexpected benefits:

1. Improved Sprint Identity - Team members stopped referring to work by sprint numbers and instead used character names: "Did that feature come in during Iron Man or Jack Sparrow?"
2. Enhanced Demo Engagement - During sprint reviews, we'd feature the corresponding Funko POP prominently, giving stakeholders a visual anchor for new features.
3. Celebration Ritual - Unboxing the new Funko POP at the beginning of each sprint became a small celebration and reset moment for the team.
4. Team Bonding - Team members took turns selecting the character for upcoming sprints, giving everyone a chance to express their interests and personality.
5. Visual Roadmap - When planning future work, we could point to where on the "Funko timeline" we expected features to land.

Executive Support

Initially, I was concerned leadership might see this as a frivolous expense, but the opposite happened. My fellow executives who visited our floor were drawn to the display, often spending time examining our collection and asking about what each character represented. It became an unexpected conversation starter about our development process and achievements.

Creating Your Own Sprint Mascot System

If you're interested in implementing a similar system for your team, here are a few tips:

1. Choose a consistent theme - Funko POPs worked well for us, but any collectible series could work
2. Create a simple system - Alphabetical worked for us, but you could use themes, colors, or other organizing principles
3. Document the meaning - Create a small card or label for each figure explaining what major features were delivered in that sprint
4. Give selection authority to team members - Rotate who gets to pick the next figure
5. Display prominently - Make your collection visible to team members and stakeholders alike
6. Incorporate into ceremonies - Reference the figures during stand-ups, reviews, and planning sessions

While it might seem like a simple or even silly idea at first, creating physical representations of your development timeline can become a powerful tool for team identity and project management. Our Funko POPs have become more than just collectibles - they're a visual history of our team's journey together.