Scrum Team Roles and Functions

Scrum Team Roles and Functions

What is a Scrum Team? The purpose of a Scrum team is to deliver products iteratively and incrementally, maximizing opportunities for feedback Scrum teams are comprised by 3 roles: Product Owner (PO) Scrum Master (SM) The Development Team (Dev) Scrum teams typically have 7 +/- 2 people Only 1 PO per team Only 1 SM per team Between 3-7 Developers Scrum Values When the values of commitment, courage, focus, openness and respect are embodied and lived by the Scrum Team, the Scrum pillars of transparency, inspection, and adaptation come to life and build trust for everyone. The Scrum Team members learn and explore those values as they work with the Scrum events, roles and artifacts. These Scrum Values were emphasized in the 2016 update to the Scrum Guide. The Scrum Guide J. Sutherland & K. Schwaber 10/21/2017 Scrum Team Roles and Functions 2

No titles - Just 3 Scrum Roles Business Titles Architect (PSA, LSA, SSA, SA, ASA) Business Analyst (PBA, LBA, BA) Database Analyst/DBA Designer/UX Developer Product Manager Scrum Role PO (Product Owner) SM (Scrum Master Dev (Development Team Member) Project Manager Quality Assurance Tech Lead Technical Writer 10/21/2017 Scrum Team Roles and Functions 3

Product Owner (PO) Role Accountable for the Product Backlog Facilitates the addition, deletion and modifications of items in the Product Backlog Prioritizes items in the Product Backlog Ensures details are added when necessary to any of the backlog items if the Scrum team requires it Ensures Product Backlog is visible, transparent, and understood Interfaces with stakeholders (clients, users, etc.) Determines ROI for each item in backlog Optimizes the value / maximizes ROI of the work that the Development Team performs Note: Others can assist with creation / writing of Product Backlog items (User Stories), but it s the PO s responsibility to accept, reject, and prioritize items in the Backlog 10/21/2017 Scrum Team Roles and Functions 4

The PO Role within Product Management In many organizations, Product Management encompasses more than the Scrum-focused role of the Product Owner. Within Pega, we have a Product Management group covering many strategic areas The PO role, as shown here, is focused on the planning of actionable work for the Dev Team The individual acting as PO for a team may also have broader responsibilities The Strategic Role of Product Management when Development goes Agile Pragmatic Marketing 10/21/2017 Scrum Team Roles and Functions 5

Common PO Responsibilities Owns and is responsible for the inventory on the Product Backlog Facilitates the creation of User Stories for the Product Backlog Responsible for the Business Value associated with each of the User Stories Ensures that the Product Backlog is continuously prioritized Scrum Events Participates in the Backlog Refining by filling in any gaps the Scrum Team may have when refining the User Stories Involved in Sprint Planning Attends Daily Standups, provides input only as clarification/when requested Participates in Sprint Review Participates in the Sprint Retrospective Other Collaborates on the Definition of Ready and Definition of Done with Dev Team Approves/accepts User Stories as they are completed by the Dev Team Ideally not at Sprint Review! Creates space for technical debt and architectural investment in addition to features 10/21/2017 Scrum Team Roles and Functions 6

Product Owner Characteristics Able to describe the problem to be solved, along with a sense of value Has a vision and can communicate the vision Has good working relationship with customers, stakeholders, and the development team Encourages collaboration between customers and development team Empowered to make decisions, is decisive, is willing and able to say NO Able to make decisions with limited information Leader and facilitator Does not push work onto the Dev Team 10/21/2017 Scrum Team Roles and Functions 7

Scrum Master Role Facilitator & Servant Leader for the team Doing whatever is necessary to help the team be successful Ensures that impediments / blockers are removed Protects the team from outside interference Not the manager or Project Manager of the team! Does not assign tasks, make decisions or commitments for the team, overrule the team, direct product and/or technology strategy, etc. Holds the Scrum team accountable for delivery of commitments Owner of the Scrum process Facilitates most of the Scrum meetings Focuses on Scrum practices and any other team-driven items (Working Agreements, etc) Keeper of the Continuous Improvement mindset 10/21/2017 Scrum Team Roles and Functions 8

Common Scrum Master Responsibilities Main responsibility is the health of the team Removes impediments the team is not able to remove or remediate on their own Or, if not directly able to remove the blocker, ensures that it s escalated to those who can Protects the team from outside distractions Is the conduit to the team for anyone interested in the project status Validates the burn down as an indicator of progress Scrum Events Facilitates: Backlog Refining, Sprint Planning, Daily Standup, Sprint Review, Retrospective Acts as Voice of Reason in Sprint Planning, assessing velocity and ability to meet commitments Ensures that Retrospective items are actionable and delivered, cultivating Continuous Improvement Other Assesses state of Product Backlog to make sure there s available work for the team Scrum and Agile resource for the team 10/21/2017 Scrum Team Roles and Functions 9

Scrum Master Characteristics Example of Living the Agile Principles Facilitator, not a Project Manager Knows when to guide and when to give direction Fosters self-organization - Is comfortable letting a Scrum Team figure it out Servant Leader Tenacious in seeing that obstacles raised by the Scrum Team are removed Force-enabler and Force-field for the team s delivery Excellent listener, observant for all forms of communication: Words, Body Language, Tone 10/21/2017 Scrum Team Roles and Functions 10

Development Team Role Delivers the work produced at the end of each sprint Development could be replaced with Delivery as Scrum is leveraged beyond software Designed. Built. Tested. Whatever is included in the team s Definition of Done Everything to get to done for that increment. Work must be potentially shippable product at the end of the sprint Cross-functional Spans many different disciplines (IT, Quality, Documentation whatever is needed for delivery) Contains all competencies needed to accomplish the work Individuals may have specialized skills, but Team as whole is accountable Primary skills, secondary skills, tertiary skills; go where the work is Autonomous and Self-Organized Self-managing and empowered to make decisions as a single team No sub-teams - All members work on the same Sprint commitments Dev team members should only be part of a single team, not multiple 10/21/2017 Scrum Team Roles and Functions 11

Common Dev Team Responsibilities Delivers the work committed to for the Sprint (aka the Sprint Backlog) Commits to deliver a reasonable number of User Stories in the Sprint, meeting Definition of Done and Acceptance Criteria Creates and manage tasks associated with the User Stories Accurate daily updates to the Scrum Board and/or Agile Project Management tools Delivers the expected functionality, as well as maintaining any established quality thresholds Designing, Coding, Configuring, Testing, Documentation, Merging: Any of the activities associated with the delivery of potentially shippable product Prepare User Stories in the Product Backlog Provides critical information for any gaps that may exist in the User Stories during Backlog Refinement Negotiates on Acceptance Criteria Sizing the User Stories Active participation in all Scrum Events Forthcoming about progress during Standup; presents during Sprint Review, commits to process improvements in Retrospective Holds themselves accountable for delivery, quality, and process improvement 10/21/2017 Scrum Team Roles and Functions 12

Dev Team Characteristics Can understand the why of features in the Product Backlog Willing to pair with others for: Knowledge sharing Co-mentoring colleagues Whole-team delivery Able to maintain a balance between working independently, and knowing when to ask for support Awareness that the team succeeds or fails as a unit Able and empowered to make decisions with limited information Can work within context of limited architecture or without full requirements Courageous in giving, receiving and taking action on feedback whether regarding the product deliverables or continuous improvement for the Scrum process Not afraid to fail, but willing to invest in lessons learned from failure for continuous improvement 10/21/2017 Scrum Team Roles and Functions 13

Supplementary Roles Not on a Scrum Team Extended Team Member Directly supports the Scrum team but not a permanent member of it Examples: UX Designers, Architects, Documentation, SME s Extended Team Members are often not full-time dedicated to the Scrum Team but may act as specialists called upon to help in delivery Stakeholder Anyone with a direct, or indirect, interest in the work of the Scrum team but will not be participating as a Team member Examples: Project Managers, Managers of any type, Executives, Adjacent Scrum/Non-Scrum Team(s), Documentation teams Can be present at Sprint Review and can provide product feedback Welcome to Daily Stand, but are expected to be silent observers Follow-up actions or requests should be channeled through the PO or Scrum Master Project Manager Reminder that neither the PO or Scrum Master act as a Project Manager on a Scrum Team Budget tracking, status reporting to management, risk management, etc. can be done by individuals within the Scrum Team, but not in the capacity of their Scrum Team Role Alternatively, Project Managers may be Stakeholders per above 10/21/2017 Scrum Team Roles and Functions 14