Information radiators are visual displays of information that are designed to provide quick and easy access to key data and metrics. They are typically displayed in a prominent location, such as a central area in an office or a factory floor, where they can be easily seen by team members and other stakeholders

Tools that can be used for Sharing Information Visually

There are many tools that can be used to create information radiators for Scrum. Here are a few examples:

• Physical Whiteboards or Notice Boards: These can be used to create simple, low-tech information radiators. Sticky notes or cards can be used to represent tasks or stories, and they can be moved around the board as work progresses.
• Digital Whiteboards or Kanban Boards: There are many digital tools available that replicate the functionality of physical whiteboards or Kanban boards. Examples include Trello, Asana, Jira, and Monday.com. These tools allow teams to create boards that can be updated in real-time and accessed by remote team members.

• Burndown Chart Tools: There are many tools available that allow teams to create and track burndown charts automatically. Examples include Agilefant, Scrumwise, and Agile ToolBox.
• Dashboards: Many project management tools, such as Jira, have built-in dashboard functionality. These dashboards can be customized to display key metrics and data in real-time, providing a clear and easily digestible overview of the team’s progress.
• Digital Information Radiator Tools: There are tools specifically designed to create digital information radiators, such as Geckoboard and Ducksboard. These tools allow teams to create custom displays that can be projected onto a large screen in a prominent location, providing an at-a-glance overview of key metrics and data.

Examples of using Information Radiators

Sure, here are a few examples of information radiators commonly used in Scrum:

1. Sprint Backlog: A physical or digital board that displays the tasks that the team has committed to completing during the current sprint. The board can be updated regularly to reflect the progress of each task.
2. Burndown Chart: A chart that shows the team’s progress during the sprint, plotting the amount of work remaining against time. The chart is updated daily and can be used to track the team’s progress towards completing the sprint goals.
3. Release Plan: A high-level plan that outlines the product releases for the upcoming sprints. This plan can be displayed on a physical or digital board and can be used to keep the team and stakeholders informed about the progress of the product.
4. Sprint Goal: A concise statement that summarizes the objective of the sprint. The sprint goal should be prominently displayed in the team’s workspace to keep everyone focused on the objective of the sprint.
5. Impediment Backlog: A board or list that displays the impediments that the team has identified and is working to resolve. This information radiator can be used to keep the team and stakeholders informed about the challenges the team is facing and the progress being made to overcome them.

Information radiators are often used in agile software development environments, where they can be used to display key metrics related to the progress of a project, such as the status of tasks, the velocity of the team, or the status of bugs and issues. However, they can be used in any context where there is a need to communicate information quickly and clearly to a team or group of stakeholders.

Further Read

Visual Controls and Information Radiators

Information Radiator | SMART (scalingmicroagile.ch)