If you’ve worked using an Agile framework or if you’re familiar with the IT world, you probably heard the term, Scrum Master. This role has a great-sounding name, right? Well, the position a Scrum Master plays within a team that starts working using agile methodologies is incredibly valuable. Thus, the name fits well.
The first thing to clarify is what we’re talking about when mentioning Scrum. Scrum is a framework, an agile methodology, that allows teams to deliver high-value products. This is done through collaboration and constant feedback that’s not only between team members but also with people from other teams. A Scrum Master has a key part in this.
Scrum framework encourages the iteration of the products to achieve the best version of it. By doing so, it will fulfill the needs of the users it’s being designed for. A Scrum Master is the one person who makes sure to guide all members of a team through the scrum process and ceremonies so that the process is done as it should be.
Certified Scrum Master: what are their roles and responsibilities?
When working under the Scrum framework, having a professional Scrum Master is essential for the team to function at its highest potential. But, then, what is a Scrum Master?
It is the one who will be in charge of providing the environment for the methodology and processes to develop in the best way within agile teams. At WillDom, we encourage more companies to implement this agile approach so all the processes have more flexibility and scalability when needed.
While it’s known that agile teams are self-organized, it’s also true that they require coaching to achieve their best version. This is where the Scrum Master comes in. Its roles and responsibilities include the following.
Roles
- It provides the team with tools to effectively organize the backlog.
- They make sure that the team knows that what is urgent must be taken care of first.
- It works side by side with the Product Owner (PO). Together they ensure that the team’s objectives are met, aligning them to the business goals.
- They are the ones who facilitate Scrum ceremonies, such as daily meetings.
Responsibilities
- They assist the team in achieving quality, value-added products. Furthermore, they do this by providing help and following up through the daily meetings.
- They must warn the Scrum team when something that should be prioritized is not being taking care of.
- Scrum uses a dashboard to visualize the workflow. The Scrum Master is the one who manages that board and helps the teams to keep the cards up to date. If a team member doesn’t understand how to use the board, the Scrum Master will help him to understand it and improve their work.
- In the Sprint retrospectives, the Scrum Master is in charge of listening to what the team members say in order to find opportunities for improvement in regard to the way of working.
- Scrum Masters often take care of ironing out differences between members of the same agile team.
- They should also make sure to let the team know if they have any blockers that do not allow them to move forward with a task to finish it. If so, they should encourage them to look for alternatives to unblock that process so that they can move forward in the workflow.
Agile: what are the different roles within an agile team?
To achieve the best results, a project working under the Scrum framework needs all the key roles to meet certain characteristics. Usually, these teams shouldn’t have more than six members, and they must be flexible to adapt to the changes that are required.
At WillDom, we believe that everybody in the team must be collaborative to achieve the best result and should be focused on finishing the processes in the agreed time.
There are three key roles that cannot be missing in an Agile team. These are:
Product owner
The Product Owner (PO) is a member of the Agile team whose expertise is the product. They’re the ones who know what’s happening with the product, and how it contributes to the company’s global goals. Their role is to maximize the added value of the team to the product.
They maintain the team’s backlog prioritized, and participate in daily and planning meetings, as well as in demos and retrospectives.
Scrum Master
The Scrum Master focuses on the process. They work together with the PO to make sure the team has all the tools they need to take its work to the best it can do it. They also define how the development of the product will be done.
Scrum Masters manage the Scrum board and make sure it’s up-to-date, plus they’re always making sure the team meets its deadlines.
Team members
Team members are specialized in different areas, depending on the product to be developed. They must have different skills to perform the work in the best possible way.
In an agile framework, team members do not simply work independently but collaborate with each other to achieve the best results. They not only take what the PO brings to the table and work on it, but also propose new solutions and improvements to it.
Among the specializations that can be found are UX designers, UX writers, UI designers and developers.
In essence, having a Scrum Master within the company will ensure that the objectives are met and that the agile team works to its highest potential, guided by an expert in the methodology.
If you are interested in Agile teams, do not hesitate to visit us at WillDom.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and twitter to know more about them.
