The (mis)adventures of a Scrum Master
Gamification in Scrum is possible and can increase engagement, motivation and collaboration. Incorporating game elements & mechanics can foster a culture of continuous improvement & experimentation. It can also impact Scrum Values like commitment, courage, focus, openness & respect by using point systems, leaderboards, challenges, competitions, clear goals, autonomy & rewards.
Since I was introduced to the Agile Maturity Model in the Professional Agile Leadership course, I have given this model a lot of thought. In Geoff Watts’ ‘Scrum Mastery’, I found a very amusing quote comparing the role of the Scrum Master to that of Nanny McPhee from the 2005 movie of the same name. … Read more
A few weeks ago, while preparing for my PSM-III exam, I encountered an article (in Dutch) where someone spoke of a useful tool to make connections between the different parts and aspects of Scrum. They proposed a spreadsheet with the various Scrum Events, Artifacts, Roles and Values. I have decided to make my own version … Read more
This article is a review of “SCRUM – A Smart Travel Companion” by Gunther Verheyen. As I take along quite some books to be read on my daily commute, one little book often gets stuck behind other books, my work laptop and lunchbox in my backpack. And as I move big things from my backpack, … Read more
Today I scheduled another one of my three-weekly company talks on Scrum. This time I prepared a presentation for my peers on the topic of the benefit of using (great) Sprint Goals. I have rewritten the structure and contents for publication on this blog. In brief: a Sprint Goal is the single objective that defines … Read more
This article is a review of “Mastering Professional Scrum” by Stephanie Ockerman & Simon Reindl. In a variety of Scrum literature, I encountered the ‘Shu-Ha-Ri’ concept, which describes the stages of learning to mastery. Originating from Japanese Aikido, it can be roughly translated to “follow the rule, break the rule and transcend the rule”. In … Read more
As we are in the final days of 2022, I can’t help looking back to this eventful year. It’s the year that I made great leaps and bounds as a Scrum Master and Agile professional. I started this blog in April this year, documenting my journey of growth; I continued on teaching my peers essential … Read more
This article is a review of “Scrum Mastery” by Geoff Watts. Do you know that feeling, when reading professional literature, that you are overcome with a feeling of happiness? When you’re reading a book, and think “God, I love my job“? That is basically what this book did for me. It was a reaffirmation for … Read more
A few months ago I enrolled for a Professional Agile Leadership (PAL-E) course. This was during the time when I decided to persue my further career at a different employer. The premise of this course has always intrigued me. But it seems taking this course could not be at a better time… Recently I have … Read more
The last half year I was preoccupied with a very important question: what is next? I have been putting a lot of work in planning my professional and private life. Recently I made the step towards a full-time appointment as a Scrum Master, shedding my skin as a digital project manager for good. But where … Read more
So today marks the last day of work at the digital agency that has been my employer for the last three years. I have found a new challenge as a full-time Scrum Master at an international software company, with multiple Scrum Teams in the Netherlands, Portugal and Australia. That’s right, I’m stepping out of the … Read more
It was 2012, I was 27 years old and I felt as if I was at the zenith of my career. It was the year of change and ambition, of standing in the limelight. Of attending award shows and even taking the stage at a TEDx event. I rode on a high, and I loved … Read more
Scrum is mainly known for its visible roles, events and artifacts. But there are some elements, less visible to the naked eye, that are of utmost importance in using Scrum. Scrum focuses on individuals and their interaction, rather than on processes or tools. Scrum is also organized around values that Scrum Teams could (and should!) … Read more
“Scrum team members respect each other to be capable, independent people.” – The Scrum Guide Everyone comes from a different place in life, and they bring with them different experiences and ideas. To work as a Scrum Team, members must respect each other’s differences. Better yet, celebrate them! Take the developers for example. They are … Read more
“The Scrum Team and its stakeholders agree to be open about all the work and the challenges with performing the work.” – The Scrum Guide Openness as a Scrum Value is of utmost importance. To ensure that the Scrum Team makes the most progress in the shortest amount of time, each team member must be … Read more