The role of the Scrum Master

The Scrum Master role is a crucial one in Agile projects and is probably the best-known role thanks to its catchy title.   The primary responsibility of the role is to be a facilitator of the Scrum process, responsible for ensuring that the team is following the framework and adhering to Agile principles and values. The Scrum Master has a secondary role which is different to the role within the project team, and that is to help the entire organisation to adopt Agile principles.

In this blog, we will discuss six of the priority activities that a Scrum Master must do when working in an Agile environment:

Facilitate Scrum Ceremonies:
Scrum ceremonies such as the daily stand-up, sprint planning, sprint review, and retrospective are the essential nuts and bolts of the Scrum process. The Scrum Master must facilitate these ceremonies, making sure that they are conducted effectively and that the team is getting the most value out of them. The Scrum Master must ensure that the ceremonies are efficient, and aligned with the team’s goals and objectives.

Coach the Team on Agile Principles and Practices:
The Scrum Master must coach the team on Agile principles and practices, and help them to improve their performance. This includes working with the team to identify and remove obstacles, helping the team to understand and apply Agile estimation techniques, and providing feedback on their performance. They must also be able to provide guidance to the team on best practices, so the team can improve their performance and deliver better results.

The long-term goal of the Scrum Master is that the team will have sufficient knowledge to self-manage and unconsciously comply with the Scrum Framework, without the need for oversight from the Scrum Master.

Helping to Address Risks and Issues:
The Scrum Master must help the team identify and manage risks and issues that might impact the project. This includes working with the team to identify and mitigate risks and help them to ensure they come up with effective corrective actions when necessary. The Scrum master should also be able to anticipate potential problems and work offline with team members to help them proactively come up with solutions.

Communication:
One of the most important roles of a Scrum Master is to facilitate clear communication flow within the scrum team and with stakeholders. The team must be able to communicate effectively and ensure that all parties are on the same page. The Scrum Master must be able to facilitate communication between different teams and departments, and ensure that everyone is aware of what is happening within the project.  While it is the Product Owner’s responsibility to represent the Business as part of the team, often the Scrum Master will support the Product Owner in doing that, by helping ensure the technical team and the business team are speaking a language that both sides understand.

Continuously Improve the Team’s Performance:
The Scrum Master must continuously look for ways to improve the team’s performance.  They must help identify areas for improvement, and help the team come up with plans to address them. They must also help the team measure its performance, and track their own progress over time. They help the team to use that data to make informed decisions and adjust their approach as needed.

Promote Agile Adoption within the organisation:
As mentioned in the introduction, the Scrum Master role is not limited to their project team. They must also be an Agile Coach that helps the organisation as a whole to adopt Agile principles and practices. This includes working with other teams and departments to implement Agile and providing training and coaching to those who are new to the Agile methodology.  The Scrum Master must be able to educate the organisation on the benefits of Agile, and how it can improve their way of working.  Sometimes this means acting as an ‘Agile purist’ by resisting attempts by managers in the organisation to reinvent Agile in a way that nothing changes from the traditional way the organisation has always operated. 

To be effective, the Scrum Master must have relevant experience working in an Agile environment and have the ability to coach people in a hands-on manner.  For Scrum Masters challenged with the responsibilities of the role but who do not have the desired experience, access to a strong and experienced Agile coach can be a game-changer.  An experienced Agile coach can provide guidance and support, and help Scrum Masters to develop the skills and knowledge they need to be effective in their role.

Considering the list of responsibilities we’ve covered, it’s not surprising that the Scrum Master role is a crucial one in Agile projects.  The role is not only about managing the project, it’s about creating an environment where the team can thrive, and where Agile principles and practices are embraced and continuously improved. It’s about leading the team toward success and achieving the project’s goals and objectives.  An effective Scrum Master can make a major difference in helping the team to deliver successful projects, the difference between success and failure. It’s a great certification to have on your C.V.