Scrum master, a key profession for Scrum project management

Project governance almost systematically requires a steering committee. The role of Scrum Master is relatively new. Few people have specialized in this field, even though it is a key element of a successful Scrum project. In this article, we propose to review the method and the role of Scrum Master as well as its importance.

What does “Scrum” mean?

Scrum is a scalable framework used to develop complex products. Not only is it part of the Agile methodologies but it is the most widespread version in the world today. This method is based on the observation that decisions must take into account the experience of the entire team.

More generally, the general idea is to encourage the cooperation of all team members in a coordinated and organized manner. In practice, as is the case for all Agile methodologies, the Scrum method is based on delivering prototypes of the service, progressively enriched and validated by the customer. These deliveries are carried out using sprints, right up to the final delivery of the product.

At each Sprint, the working group presents new operational and implementable features that are evaluated by the customer. We then enter into an iterative system that allows us to increase the project’s functionality little by little, but very frequently. The main advantage for the customer is that his satisfaction is continuously measured against what has already been produced and can be adapted to his demands.

The Scrum Team

Three roles are identified in the Scrum methodology: the Product Owner, the Scrum Master and thedevelopment team. The Product Owner’s function is to define the work to be done. To do so, it gathers the voice of the stakeholders, the needs of the end user and the requirements of the market. Based on these elements, he establishes the development priorities for the Scrum team.

The work team is generally composed of 3 to 9 people. Sometimes the Scrum Master, whose role will be explained below, is also part of the development team. The product owner, the scrum master and the development team together form the Scrum Team.

The role of the Scrum Master in an agile project

If we were to summarize this role in one sentence, we could say that it consists of verifying that the “daily scrum” is successful. The scrum is a daily meeting. The method’s creators, Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland, borrowed the term from the world of rugby. In the context of sport, it refers to the situation in which team players form a compact unit pushing in the same direction.

At the end of the day, the Scrum Master is simply the leader at the service of his team. It facilitates self-regulation, implements visual management tools and stimulates the different actors in order to make them more productive. He is in no way a project manager. He/she takes care of everything outside the team, such as relations with external stakeholders. He/she must ensure that the team is focused on producing the required service.

The Scrum Master as an agile coach and catalyst for self-organization

This is one of the most difficult tasks for the Scrum Master. Teams are usually used to receiving work and requests in push mode. They often tend to get used to the fact that an executive usually makes the decisions, and find it difficult to get used to taking on new responsibilities.

To achieve this goal, the scrum master must teach the team to live as a self-sustaining social unit. He/she must guide the members to work together, to organize themselves to develop the functionalities that the Product Owner needs and to manage the concept of transversality. They must convey the idea that they are primarily responsible for the functioning of the team.

Produce more in a serene environment

As previously stated, the scrum master is there to improve productivity or rather to be the “nudge” that will stimulate and help the team. Talking about increasing productivity in a context such as that of agile methods may seem inappropriate.

Generally speaking, when we talk about productivity, we tend to refer to the number of people in a team, or the amount of work each member can deliver.

Increased productivity means ensuring the group’s sustainability over time, without the need for overtime and without pressure from external factors, while still providing the services required.

Who is the Scrum Master after all?

Who can be assigned as a scrum master? Some believe that the leader, or more specifically the manager, should hold this position. But this choice is not a good one. The Scrum Master’s strength lies first and foremost in his human and professional qualities.

Indeed, in addition to having to showempathy towards the team, he must be passionate about the Scrum methodology. It must be able to facilitate the integration of a way of working without imposing it. Conveying the importance and significance of each step is essential. An excellent Scrum Master must therefore be a good teacher. Authoritarian people are generally considered unsuitable for this key role.

Indeed, they seem incompatible with the missions of the scrum master and the concept of “servant leader”. The latter is a facilitator for the team, making the work flow smoothly, removing obstacles that the team finds during the Sprint, exchanging with other collaborators and advising them on difficult choices. It brings out the team’s ideas and the commitment they are willing to make.