Scrum Team Flashcards
What are the responsibilities of a Scrum Master?
Servant Leadership:The Scrum Master adopts a servant leadership approach. Instead of directing the team, they serve the team by removing impediments, facilitating discussions, and coaching team members to improve their processes and interactions.
Facilitator: The Scrum Master facilitates Scrum events and meetings, such as Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective. They ensure that these meetings are effective, time-boxed, and focused on achieving their objectives.
Removing Impediments: One of the Scrum Master’s primary responsibilities is to identify and remove obstacles that hinder the team’s progress. This can involve addressing issues related to tools, processes, organizational structure, or external dependencies.
Monitoring Progress: While the Scrum Master doesn’t manage the team’s work, they do keep an eye on progress. They help the team stay on track with Sprint goals and ensure that Scrum artifacts, such as the Product Backlog and Sprint Backlog, are maintained and up to date.
Protecting the Team:The Scrum Master acts as a shield for the team, protecting them from external disruptions and distractions that can affect their focus and productivity. They help create a work environment where the team can thrive.
Coaching and Mentoring: The Scrum Master provides coaching and mentoring to the Scrum team and helps team members grow in their understanding of Scrum principles and practices. They support the team in adopting Agile and Scrum values.
Continuous Improvement: The Scrum Master encourages a culture of continuous improvement within the team. They facilitate Sprint Retrospectives, where the team reflects on their processes and identifies areas for improvement.
Promoting Collaboration: The Scrum Master fosters collaboration within the team and between the team and stakeholders. They facilitate communication and ensure that everyone has a shared understanding of goals and priorities.
Educating the Organization: The Scrum Master often plays a role in educating the organization about Agile and Scrum practices. They help management and stakeholders understand the benefits of Agile and support the organization in embracing change.
Conflict Resolution: In cases of conflicts or disagreements within the team, the Scrum Master helps facilitate resolution and encourages healthy, constructive communication.
Self-Organization: Ultimately, the goal of the Scrum Master is to help the team become self-organizing, meaning they can manage their work and make decisions independently. The Scrum Master provides guidance and support to reach this level of autonomy.
What are the Responsibilities of a Product Owner?
In Scrum, the Product Owner is one of the key roles within the Scrum Team, which also includes the Development Team and the Scrum Master. The Product Owner plays a critical role in ensuring that the product being developed meets the needs and requirements of the customer, stakeholders, and end-users. Here are the primary responsibilities and duties of a Product Owner:
Product Backlog Management: The Product Owner is responsible for creating and maintaining the Product Backlog, which is a prioritized list of all the work that needs to be done on the project. This includes features, user stories, bug fixes, and other items that contribute to the product’s development. The Product Owner continuously refines and prioritizes the backlog to ensure that the most valuable items are at the top.
Prioritization: The Product Owner is the ultimate decision-maker when it comes to prioritizing items in the Product Backlog. They consider input from stakeholders, the development team, and their own understanding of the product’s goals and vision to determine what work should be done next.
Clarification of Requirements: The Product Owner works closely with the Development Team to clarify the requirements for each item in the backlog. They answer questions, provide additional information, and collaborate with the team to ensure a shared understanding of what needs to be built.
Acceptance Criteria: The Product Owner defines the acceptance criteria for each Product Backlog item, which outlines the conditions that must be met for an item to be considered “Done.” This helps ensure that the team and stakeholders have a clear understanding of what constitutes a completed piece of work.
Sprint Planning: The Product Owner participates in Sprint Planning meetings to help the team select and plan the work for the upcoming Sprint. They bring their knowledge of the Product Backlog to these meetings and work with the team to define the Sprint Goal and choose items to be included in the Sprint.
Sprint Review: The Product Owner is a key participant in the Sprint Review meeting, where the team demonstrates the completed Increment, and stakeholders provide feedback. The Product Owner discusses what was accomplished during the Sprint and gathers input on future priorities.
Decision Making: The Product Owner makes decisions regarding the release of the product and the order in which features and functionality are delivered. They are responsible for maximizing the value of the product.
Stakeholder Communication: The Product Owner communicates with stakeholders, customers, and users to gather input, share progress, and ensure that the product aligns with their needs and expectations.
Adaptation:The Product Owner continually adapts the Product Backlog based on changing priorities, customer feedback, and new insights. They are responsible for keeping the backlog up-to-date and relevant.
It’s important to note that the Product Owner role requires strong communication and negotiation skills, as they must balance the needs of various stakeholders while maximizing the value delivered by the development team in each Sprint.
Product Backlog Management: The Product Owner is responsible for creating and maintaining the Product Backlog, which is a prioritized list of all the work that needs to be done on the project. This includes features, user stories, bug fixes, and other items that contribute to the product’s development. The Product Owner continuously refines and prioritizes the backlog to ensure that the most valuable items are at the top.
Prioritization: The Product Owner is the ultimate decision-maker when it comes to prioritizing items in the Product Backlog. They consider input from stakeholders, the development team, and their own understanding of the product’s goals and vision to determine what work should be done next.
Clarification of Requirements: The Product Owner works closely with the Development Team to clarify the requirements for each item in the backlog. They answer questions, provide additional information, and collaborate with the team to ensure a shared understanding of what needs to be built.
**Acceptance Criteria:
**The Product Owner defines the acceptance criteria for each Product Backlog item, which outlines the conditions that must be met for an item to be considered “Done.” This helps ensure that the team and stakeholders have a clear understanding of what constitutes a completed piece of work.
Sprint Planning: The Product Owner participates in Sprint Planning meetings to help the team select and plan the work for the upcoming Sprint. They bring their knowledge of the Product Backlog to these meetings and work with the team to define the Sprint Goal and choose items to be included in the Sprint.
Sprint Review:The Product Owner is a key participant in the Sprint Review meeting, where the team demonstrates the completed Increment, and stakeholders provide feedback. The Product Owner discusses what was accomplished during the Sprint and gathers input on future priorities.
Decision Making: The Product Owner makes decisions regarding the release of the product and the order in which features and functionality are delivered. They are responsible for maximizing the value of the product.
Stakeholder Communication: The Product Owner communicates with stakeholders, customers, and users to gather input, share progress, and ensure that the product aligns with their needs and expectations.
Adaptation:The Product Owner continually adapts the Product Backlog based on changing priorities, customer feedback, and new insights. They are responsible for keeping the backlog up-to-date and relevant.
What are the Developer responsibilities & characteristics ?
In Scrum, the Developer role is one of the three core roles in the Scrum Team, along with the Product Owner and the Scrum Master. The Developer role, often referred to as the “Development Team,” consists of professionals who are responsible for delivering the product or increment during each Sprint.
- 3 to 9 team members
Here are the key aspects of the Developer role in Scrum:
Self-Organizing: The Development Team is self-organizing, which means they have the autonomy to decide how to accomplish the work that has been selected for the Sprint. They determine how to break down and complete the tasks and collaborate to meet the Sprint Goal.
Cross-Functional: The Development Team is cross-functional, meaning it includes all the skills necessary to deliver a potentially shippable product increment. This typically includes programmers, testers, designers, and other necessary roles. The team members collaborate to complete all aspects of the work within the Sprint.
Sprint Commitment: During the Sprint Planning meeting, the Development Team commits to delivering a set of Product Backlog items by the end of the Sprint. This commitment forms the Sprint Backlog, which is the work plan for the upcoming Sprint.
Incremental Development: The Development Team follows the principles of incremental development, working on small, manageable pieces of functionality during each Sprint. At the end of each Sprint, they deliver a potentially shippable product increment, known as the “Increment.”
Collaboration with Product Owner: The Development Team collaborates closely with the Product Owner to understand the requirements and acceptance criteria for each Product Backlog item. They seek clarification and actively participate in refining the backlog.
Continuous Improvement: The Development Team focuses on continuous improvement. They review their work during the Sprint Review meeting, gather feedback from stakeholders, and identify ways to enhance their processes and performance in subsequent Sprints.
Responsibility for Quality: The Development Team is collectively responsible for the quality of the work they deliver. This includes writing code, conducting testing, and ensuring that the Definition of Done (DoD) criteria are met for each Product Backlog item.
Daily Scrum: The Development Team participates in the Daily Scrum or Daily Standup meeting, where they synchronize their activities, discuss progress, and address any obstacles or impediments that may be hindering their work.
Focus on Sprint Goal: Throughout the Sprint, the Development Team works towards achieving the Sprint Goal, which is a clear, achievable objective set during Sprint Planning. The goal helps guide their work and aligns with the overall product vision.
Collaboration with Scrum Master: The Development Team collaborates with the Scrum Master to identify and address impediments, ensure adherence to Scrum principles and practices, and foster a productive and collaborative work environment.
The Developer role in Scrum emphasizes teamwork, collaboration, and a commitment to delivering high-quality increments of the product in a time-boxed and iterative manner. Developers are responsible for self-organizing and adapting their processes to meet the Sprint objectives and ultimately deliver a valuable product to stakeholders.
Who are the Stakeholders in Scrum?
In Scrum, stakeholders are individuals or groups who have an interest in the product being developed by the Scrum Team. They play a crucial role in providing input, feedback, and support throughout the product development process. Here are some common categories of stakeholders in Scrum:
Product Owner:The Product Owner is a key stakeholder who represents the interests of customers, users, and other stakeholders. They are responsible for defining and prioritizing the Product Backlog, ensuring the product meets stakeholder needs, and making decisions on behalf of stakeholders.
Customers and End-Users: These are the people who will ultimately use the product. Their needs and feedback are vital for guiding the product’s development. Scrum emphasizes close collaboration with customers and users to ensure the product aligns with their requirements.
Development Team:While they are core members of the Scrum Team, the Development Team can also be considered stakeholders. They have a vested interest in the success of the product and are responsible for delivering a high-quality product increment.
Scrum Master: The Scrum Master serves as a facilitator and coach for the Scrum Team. They may also be a stakeholder in the sense that they have an interest in the team’s productivity and adherence to Scrum principles.
Management and Executives: Managers and executives within the organization often have a stake in the success of the product. They may be responsible for allocating resources, providing support, and making high-level decisions that impact the project.
Regulatory Bodies: In some industries, there are regulatory bodies or agencies that govern product development and require adherence to specific standards or regulations. These entities are stakeholders with a keen interest in the product’s compliance.
Marketing and Sales Teams: These teams may have a stake in the product’s development, as they are responsible for promoting and selling the product. Their input can be valuable in understanding market trends and customer demands.
Support and Maintenance Teams: Teams responsible for supporting and maintaining the product post-release are stakeholders because they will need to understand the product’s functionality and any potential issues that may arise.
Business Analysts: Business analysts may gather requirements and provide input into the product backlog. They can serve as intermediaries between the Development Team and various stakeholders.
External Consultants or Experts: In some cases, organizations may bring in external consultants or subject matter experts to provide specialized knowledge or guidance related to the product.
Effective communication and collaboration with stakeholders are essential in Scrum. The Product Owner acts as the primary point of contact between the Scrum Team and stakeholders, but all members of the Scrum Team should engage with stakeholders as needed to gather input, share progress, and ensure alignment with project goals. The Sprint Review is a key ceremony for engaging stakeholders, as it provides an opportunity to demonstrate completed work and gather feedback.
Provide overview of the Scrum Master role
A Scrum Master is a key role in the Scrum framework, responsible for facilitating and guiding the Scrum team to effectively apply Scrum practices and principles. The Scrum Master’s primary focus is on helping the team to become self-organized, collaborate efficiently, and deliver value to the customer.
It’s important to note that while the Scrum Master serves as a coach and facilitator, they do not have authority over the team’s work or decisions. Scrum values collaboration and shared responsibility among team members, with the Scrum Master playing a crucial supporting role in helping the team achieve their goals and adhere to Scrum principles.
How does the Scrum Master serve as a Facilitator?
Facilitator: The Scrum Master facilitates Scrum events and meetings, such as Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective. They ensure that these meetings are effective, time-boxed, and focused on achieving their objectives.
**Facilitator of Self-Organization: **Scrum Masters empower the Scrum Team to self-organize and make decisions collectively. They encourage autonomy and accountability among team members.
Facilitator of Feedback: Scrum Masters ensure that feedback loops are in place, both within the team and with stakeholders. They help the team gather feedback and use it to improve their product and processes.
How does the Scrum Master Protect the Team?
**Protecting the Team: **The Scrum Master acts as a shield for the team, protecting them from external disruptions and distractions that can affect their focus and productivity. They help create a work environment where the team can thrive.
How does the Scrum Master Coach and Mentor the team?
**Coaching and Mentoring: **The Scrum Master provides coaching and mentoring to the Scrum team and helps team members grow in their understanding of Scrum principles and practices. They support the team in adopting Agile and Scrum values.
Team Coach: Scrum Masters coach the Scrum Team, helping them improve their skills and performance over time. This includes helping the team embrace Agile and Scrum values, principles, and practices. Scrum Master leads and coaches the organization in its Scrum adoption.
How does the Scrum Master serve as a Change Agent?
**Change Agent: **Scrum Masters help the team and the organization adapt to change. They advocate for Agile and Scrum principles and guide the organization in transitioning to a more Agile way of working.
How does the Scrum Master assist with Conflict Resolution?
Conflict Resolution: Scrum Masters assist in resolving conflicts and issues within the Scrum Team and between the team and external parties. They promote a positive and collaborative work environment.
Conflict Resolution: In cases of conflicts or disagreements within the team, the Scrum Master helps facilitate resolution and encourages healthy, constructive communication.
How does the Scrum Master advocate for Continuous Improvement?
Continuous Improvement: The Scrum Master encourages a culture of continuous improvement within the team. They facilitate Sprint Retrospectives, where the team reflects on their processes and identifies areas for improvement.
**Continuous Improvement Advocate: **Scrum Masters promote a culture of continuous improvement within the team. They encourage the team to reflect on their processes and practices, identify areas for improvement, and experiment with new approaches.
Scrum Master - Stakeholder Liaison
Stakeholder Liaison: Scrum Masters facilitate communication between the Scrum Team and stakeholders, ensuring that stakeholders are informed about progress, changes, and project updates. They also help manage stakeholder expectations.
Scrum Master - Monitoring Progress (Reporting)
Monitoring Progress: While the Scrum Master doesn’t manage the team’s work, they do keep an eye on progress. They help the team stay on track with Sprint goals and ensure that Scrum artifacts, such as the Product Backlog and Sprint Backlog, are maintained and up to date.
Metrics and Reporting: Some Scrum Masters gather and analyze metrics related to the team’s performance, such as velocity, burn-down charts, and quality metrics. These insights can help the team and the organization make data-driven decisions.
Scrum Master - Self-Organization
Self-Organization: Ultimately, the goal of the Scrum Master is to help the team become self-organizing, meaning they can manage their work and make decisions independently. The Scrum Master provides guidance and support to reach this level of autonomy.
Scrum Master - Collaboration
Promoting Collaboration: The Scrum Master fosters collaboration within the team and between the team and stakeholders. They facilitate communication and ensure that everyone has a shared understanding of goals and priorities.
