Scrum Master
As a Scrum Master, it is your responsibility to help keep the project moving along by coordinating with the Product Owner, and helping to resolve anything that blocks the Team Members from doing their work.
Manage the Product Backlog
Work with the Product Owner to ensure that the team has a sufficient amount of clearly defined Backlog Items in the Product Backlog, and that the items are sorted by highest priority on top, i.e. the top priority!
Manage the Sprints
Prepare the Sprint
Work with the Team Members to determine how many Backlog Items are appropriate for the given time frame. Review with the Product Owner to ensure that this set of Backlog Items is properly the highest priority for the given time frame. This provides an opportunity for the Team Members and the Product Owner to commit to the Backlog Items in a given time frame.
Work with the Team Members to determine how many Backlog Items are appropriate for the given time frame. Review with the Product Owner to ensure that this set of Backlog Items is properly the highest priority for the given time frame. This provides an opportunity for the Team Members and the Product Owner to commit to the Backlog Items in a given time frame.
Monitor the Sprint
While the Sprint is active you'll be able to monitor the activity when viewing the Project. You'll see all the Backlog Items and their respective Tasks as they progress through the various phases of work. Your job is also to help protect the productivity by reminding the Product Owner that any new ideas or changes should just be captured and tracked in the Product Backlog, and that this is not the time to disrupt the team.
While the Sprint is active you'll be able to monitor the activity when viewing the Project. You'll see all the Backlog Items and their respective Tasks as they progress through the various phases of work. Your job is also to help protect the productivity by reminding the Product Owner that any new ideas or changes should just be captured and tracked in the Product Backlog, and that this is not the time to disrupt the team.
Learn from the Sprint
After a Sprint, it is important to conduct a Retrospective review of the Sprint. This is a chance to learn what went well and what didn't go well. Review with the Team Members and the Product Owner to get all perspectives. Determine if there are any changes that should be made to help improve. These improvements can be captured and added to the Product Backlog as well to help track specific actions that are intended to be taken to improve overall team performance. Without this step, improvements would happen almost only by accident, so take the time to reflect on what has worked and not worked, and take an purposeful step towards improvement.
After a Sprint, it is important to conduct a Retrospective review of the Sprint. This is a chance to learn what went well and what didn't go well. Review with the Team Members and the Product Owner to get all perspectives. Determine if there are any changes that should be made to help improve. These improvements can be captured and added to the Product Backlog as well to help track specific actions that are intended to be taken to improve overall team performance. Without this step, improvements would happen almost only by accident, so take the time to reflect on what has worked and not worked, and take an purposeful step towards improvement.
Repeat
Nothing more will happen until you get the next Sprint started. It can be helpful to have a Sprint ready before it is needed, otherwise it can cause some delays.
Nothing more will happen until you get the next Sprint started. It can be helpful to have a Sprint ready before it is needed, otherwise it can cause some delays.
Protect the Productivity
There are many opportunities for a team to get off-track and lose productivity. Time is of the essence and it is one of the only things that can't be recovered when lost. So protect it, and keep the team moving.
Blocks
There are a couple major blocks that can occur during a work cycle. Sometimes it is discovered that one thing can't be completed until something else is completed. Another common block is when clarification is needed before someone can move forward on something. Scrumly has the ability to block a Backlog Item or Task, and a connection can be made so the whole team is aware of this blocking condition. Then, once it is cleared, the team can observe that the item has become unblocked, and can resume the work.
There are a couple major blocks that can occur during a work cycle. Sometimes it is discovered that one thing can't be completed until something else is completed. Another common block is when clarification is needed before someone can move forward on something. Scrumly has the ability to block a Backlog Item or Task, and a connection can be made so the whole team is aware of this blocking condition. Then, once it is cleared, the team can observe that the item has become unblocked, and can resume the work.
- Learn more about Conversations
- Learn more about Blocking Backlog Items and Tasks
- Learn more about handling Problems
New ideas
It isn't uncommon for a Product Owner, or anyone else on the team, to have new ideas in the middle of a Sprint. This can be good as it adds value to the end-product, but it can be bad if it derails the whole team to go off in a new (unplanned) direction. Help the team capture these ideas in the Product Backlog, and not to abandon their post!
It isn't uncommon for a Product Owner, or anyone else on the team, to have new ideas in the middle of a Sprint. This can be good as it adds value to the end-product, but it can be bad if it derails the whole team to go off in a new (unplanned) direction. Help the team capture these ideas in the Product Backlog, and not to abandon their post!
Interruptions
While Scrumly doesn't necessarily provide help here, it does provide tools to help stay focused. Anything that is not part of the Sprint should be put on hold, captured in the backlog, discussed in a conversation, or held for a retrospective review. Stay alert and helpful to keep distractions and interruptions to a minimum, so the team can stay focused on creating value. When valuable, problems can be also tracked in the Product Backlog so that the team can prioritize then to address them.
While Scrumly doesn't necessarily provide help here, it does provide tools to help stay focused. Anything that is not part of the Sprint should be put on hold, captured in the backlog, discussed in a conversation, or held for a retrospective review. Stay alert and helpful to keep distractions and interruptions to a minimum, so the team can stay focused on creating value. When valuable, problems can be also tracked in the Product Backlog so that the team can prioritize then to address them.