The (mis)adventures of a Scrum Master
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
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 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
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