Agile Scrum Master

SCRUM MASTER CERTIFICATION (CSM)
Scrum Alliance

Atlanta, Georgia

2022

Scrum is an Agile project management framework that enables teams to work together in an efficient, organized way. It is divided into five distinct phases - initiation, planning and estimates, implementation, review and retrospective, and release phase. Let’s talk about each stage and the processes related to each of them.

Scrum
Kanban
Extreme Programming (XP)
Lean Development

1. Initiation Phase -

The initiation phase is one of the most critical steps of the Scrum methodology, as it sets the foundation for the rest of the project.

During this phase, the team will create the project's vision, essentially outlining a roadmap with the main objectives, goals, and deliverables. They will also identify all stakeholders, assign team members to each role, and determine epics forming the project backlog.

The product backlog is a list that contains features (product epics) that will be implemented during development, ordered by priority.
A Product Owner creates these based on the project’s vision and the client’s needs, and they’re usually formatted as follows:

As a/the [user role], I want to [product capability] so that [user benefit].

Here are a few examples of product epics:

For a website: As an aspiring entrepreneur, I want to sign up for this coaching program quickly so I can complete my registration without spending more than 5 minutes on a registration form. For a media launch event: As a blogger, I want to film and document exclusive and exciting experiences with the newly-released product line so that I can publish exclusive content on my blog.

Once all the processes related to this phase are complete, the team will be ready to move on to the next phase.

2. Planning & Estimates Phase -

Product epics are rarely accomplished with just one task or feature. To achieve the goals of a product epic, the Scrum team would have to complete several actions. These are called user stories. User stories are formatted in the same way product epics are formatted. However, they are typically quicker to implement.

3. Implantation Phase -

The implementation phase is about the execution of tasks and activities to accomplish product goals and complete project deliverables.

Scrum processes that are key to this phase are daily stand-up meetings and burndown chart monitoring.

Daily stand-up meetings are regular (but quick) touch bases that the team does to check on task status, align on sprint progress, and check for possible issues. During these meetings, each team member gets the chance to share the following:

What tasks he/she did yesterday
What tasks he/she plans to work on next today
What issues he/she faced (if any)

Burndown charts are graphs that illustrate how much the team has done compared to how much they should accomplish.

Burndown Chart

12

10

8

6

4

2

0 Tasks (in days)

Ideal

Actual

2 - Nov

4 - Nov

6 - Nov

8 - Nov

10 - Nov

12- Nov

6 - Nov

8 - Nov

Calendar Days

Burndown chart components:

X-axis - Time remaining until the project deadline
Y-axis - Amount of tasks
Ideal work remaining - Illustrates the perfect pace of the team
Actual time remaining - Tracks the team’s actual progress in real-time

This phase of Scrum can be demanding, but it's also gratifying. With the right team and the right processes in place, you can ensure that communication is constant among the development team and the product is progressing as planned.

Sprint Cycle

Backlog
Refinement

Sprint
Release

Sprint
Review

Sprint

(2 weeks)

Retrospective

Daily
Scrum

Product
Backlog

Sprint
Planning

Deployment

Product Backlog -

A product backlog is a prioritized list of work for the development team that is derived from the product roadmap and its requirements. The most important items are shown at the top of the product backlog so the team knows what to deliver first. The development team doesn't work through the backlog at the product owner's pace and the product owner isn't pushing work to the development team. Instead, the development team pulls work from the product backlog as there is capacity for it, either continually (kanban) or by iteration (scrum).

Sprint Planning -

is a set period of time where all the work is done. However, before you can leap into action you have to set up the sprint. You need to decide on how long the time box is going to be, the sprint goal, and where you're going to start. The sprint planning session kicks off the sprint by setting the agenda and focus. If done correctly, it also creates an environment where the team is motivated, challenged, and can be successful. Bad sprint plans can derail the team by setting unrealistic expectations.

Backlog Refinement -

a project management process that involves reviewing, prioritizing, and editing a product backlog. It's an important tool in the product development process because it helps teams build the features and functionalities that customers and businesses want.

Daily Scrum -

quick meetings held each day at the same time for members of the product development team working on a particular sprint. The team collectively reviews the progress made toward achieving the Sprint Goal.

Sprint Review -

A sprint review is a meeting that takes place at the end of a sprint in Agile development, particularly within the Scrum framework. The meeting is a collaborative session where the development team and stakeholders review and demonstrate the work completed during the sprint. The purpose of the sprint review is to: Showcase the features developed, Gather feedback, Ensure alignment with the product vision and requirements, Keep stakeholders up to date, and Identify the next incremental effort to optimize business value.

Sprint Release -

A release sprint is a specialized sprint that focuses on deliverables and finishing unfinished work. It's the final work done before the release, and typically doesn't include any additional development. A release sprint may include: Stories related to release activities, Finishing un-done work, No additional development, and No additional new feature development.

Sprint Retrospective -

A sprint retrospective is a team meeting that takes place after a sprint to review what went well, what didn't, and how to improve for the next sprint. It's a key part of the Agile methodology and is essential for team collaboration.

Sprint Deployment -

time-boxed periods of one week to one month, during which a product owner, scrum master, and scrum team work to complete a specific product addition. During a sprint, work is done to create new features based on the user stories and backlog.

Kanban -

Kanban uses cards to represent work items and columns to represent each stage of a process, visually depicting work at various stages.

Extreme Programming (XP) -

Kanban uses cards to represent work items and columns to represent each stage of a process, visually depicting work at various stages.

Lean Development -

adaptive Agile approach for planning and production that involves collaboration with customers and internal users, and work in sprints. Scrum is intrinsically Lean and Agile, and is faster, more flexible, and less wasteful.

To sum it up:

My key responsibilities:

Fostering Communication -
Effective communication is essential for the success of a Scrum team:

Provide regular updates - Regular updates promote transparency and help everyone stay aligned with the project's progress.
Use simple language - Avoid technical jargon, as not all stakeholders are versed in it.
Practice active listening- Active listening shows respect for the speaker and ensures that you've understood their message accurately.
Set an example - Focus on the speaker, ask the right questions, fact-check, and summarize the conversation.
Create transparency - Every person involved within or outside the Scrum team should be transparent about the work they do.
Create understanding - The prime objective of the scrum master is to provide an environment in which each member of the scrum team has shared knowledge of the objectives and priorities.
Encourage participation - Encouraging team members to work together.

Protecting the Team -

Responsible for protecting the team from outside distractions and interruptions, allowing the team to focus on their work and deliver value:

Acting a buffer for disruptive PMs and Management.
Guiding the team towards realistic estimates.
Seeking to understand before simply responding or debating a specific position.
Combating over commitment.
Creating engagement and accountability around the notion of continuous improvement.
Acting as a shield for your team to reduce interruptions.
Promote the Daily Scrum as a regular check-in practice.
Leverage the sprint as a boundary marker.
Use the Sprint Goal as a guide for evaluating unexpected work.
Use the Sprint Retrospective to learn from past performance.
Manage stakeholder expectations.
Break tasks into manageable chunks.
Keep work visible.

Tool Maintenance - JIRA

Reporting -

Creating burndown charts, velocity, etc. - The chart shows the rate at which work is completed, and the slope of the line indicates the velocity of work. The chart helps team members and stakeholders identify trends, make decisions, and adjust strategies.

Meeting Facilitation -

Standups, Retros, Sprint Planning, etc.
Understand and achieve goals
Feel safe to learn, collaborate, and engage
Discover different perspectives
Use diversity
Use collective wisdom

AGILE Coaching - 1 on 1 and at the organizational level

Team Support - Focus on continuous improvement: Scrum is an iterative process, and continuous improvement is a key component. Encourage the team to reflect on their work and identify areas for improvement. Ensure that they have the necessary tools and resources to make changes and improve their work.

Removing Blockers -

Identify the cause: Analyze the root cause, scope, and impact of the blocker
Prioritize and escalate: Prioritize the blocker based on its urgency and importance, and then raise it during daily stand-ups or retrospectives
Assign a clear owner: Assign an accountable person for each blocker
Act on an option: Select an option or alternative and act on it
Assess the results: Evaluate the results of your action
Encourage self-organization: Encourage the team to be self-organized
Facilitate refinement sessions: Help the team figure out who to talk to, and facilitate focused refinement sessions