The (mis)adventures of an agile coach
We humans love comfort and habit. We seek consistency, predictability, and the familiar. Comfort can provide joy, relaxation, and tranquillity. It acts as a safe haven when the world seems chaotic or dangerous. Yet, growth and comfort can’t always go hand in hand. When we get too used to comfort, we may stagnate and miss … Read more
The Scrum Master has two important roles: to remove impediments that are blocking the team’s progress, and to coach the team in becoming self-managing. While these roles may seem contradictory, they are actually complementary and interconnected. As a Scrum Master, you’re kind of like a parent to your Scrum Team. Your primary job is to … Read more
My employer announced my promotion to the company’s middle management at the beginning of this year. So, as a member of middle management, does a Scrum Master ‘manage’ others? Gunther Verheyen explains in this 2014 article that the Scrum Master role is not a management role, but rather a facilitation role. The Scrum Master is … Read more
This article is a review of “Coaching Agile Teams” by Lyssa Adkins. I have based this review on a Dutch translation of the book. “Coaching Agile Teams” by Lyssa Adkins is a well-regarded book on the subject of coaching agile teams and is recommended reading for those interested in the topic. The book provides practical … Read more
Sprint Planning is an important Scrum event in which the Developers decide what work they will do during the upcoming Sprint. The Scrum Master is critical in facilitating a great Sprint Planning event by ensuring that the event is well-organized and the team is properly prepared. One of the Scrum Master’s primary responsibilities is to … Read more
How many Scrum Teams does it take to overwork a Scrum Master? It sounds like the beginning of a joke. What is the ideal number of Scrum Teams for a Scrum Master? The benefit of attending trainings is that you can discuss everyday problems with peers – in this case, other Scrum Masters. One topic … Read more
Velocity can be a useful metric for measuring a Scrum Team’s performance. The concept of velocity is based on tracking the amount of work completed by a team during each Sprint. Merits of velocity A team can gain a good understanding of their capacity and the amount of work they can handle in a given … Read more
Embracing emergent architecture and resolving technical debt are two major challenges that Developers working with Scrum often face. These challenges can have a significant impact on a product’s overall success and necessitate collaboration and communication between the Scrum Team and management. Architecture without a predetermined plan Emergent architecture is a software development approach in which … Read more
The Daily Scrum is an important Scrum event. It is a daily meeting in which the Developers discuss their progress, identify any roadblocks and plan for the next 24 hours. The Scrum Master is critical in facilitating this meeting and ensuring that it runs smoothly and efficiently. Creating an environment conducive to open and honest … Read more
In November 2022, I started working for an international software company with offices and remote Scrum Teams across different timezones. We’re talking about two different timezones in Europe and one on the other side of the world – in Australia. Crikey! There was even a short situation that members within one of the Scrum Teams … Read more
I’ve been thinking lately about whether it’s a good idea to write about diversity. It is a subject near and dear to my heart, but when I see how it is discussed, I am always afraid to speak out on it. If there is a debate about this topic, it is mostly the tone that … Read more
Timeboxing is an important aspect of Scrum, and it entails allocating a specific amount of time for each Scrum event, such as Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective. The Scrum Team is able to stay focused and on track by setting a time limit, ensuring that each event is efficient and productive. … Read more
One of the most important roles a Scrum Master can play within a Scrum Team is that of a conflict manager and resolver. Conflicts may arise among members of the Scrum Team, stakeholders, and management. It is your responsibility to assist in the navigation and resolution of these conflicts in a way that is effective … Read more
In an earlier post, I discussed the possibility of incorporating gamification elements into Scrum. Gamification in Scrum has the potential to increase engagement, motivation, and collaboration. Incorporating game mechanics and elements can help to foster a culture of continuous improvement and experimentation. By utilizing game design elements such as point systems, leaderboards, challenges, competitions, clear … Read more
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