Scrum Master antipatterns to avoid for a successful Scrum project – part 1
The Scrum Master’s role is crucial to ensuring that the Scrum process runs smoothly. That’s why his duties and missions must be clearly defined, respected and applied. In this article, we explain the first four mistakes to be avoided when it comes to the Scrum Master’s role, and the consequences for your project.
The Scrum Master Administrator
The Scrum Master’s mastery of project management software (for example, Jira) is a good thing, but can represent a number of risks, such as an excessive focus on the tool rather than on the principles and values of the Scrum method.
This could result, for example, in a loss of focus on people and interactions, rigidity and lack of flexibility, limited overall understanding of Scrum, or the risk of dependency and excessive complexity.
Scrum Masters need to develop a holistic vision of Scrum, focusing on the human aspects, process facilitation, team coaching and continuous improvement. While project management tools are necessary to facilitate tasks and document project progress, they should not be seen as the only expertise required to be a Scrum Master.
The Scrum Master Team Boss
Considering that it’s the Scrum Master’s responsibility to write the daily status report to his superiors, based on the information provided by his team during the Daily Scrum, can lead to certain problems.
This can lead to a lack of team autonomy, dilution of team responsibility, barriers to direct communication and potential distortion of information.
It is therefore preferable to follow the Scrum methodology and invite stakeholders to Sprint Review meetings, to keep them informed. If the parties want more detail, or to challenge certain initiatives, this should be discussed directly with the Product Owner. The Scrum Master should not act as an intermediary between the two parties, but simply ensure that this communication is facilitated by encouraging transparency: a healthy product backlog, clear indicators for the parties and support for the Product Owner’s relationship with the stakeholders.
The Scrum Master Chairman
The Scrum Master ensures that meetings take place and that they follow the objectives and produce the desired deliverables. In some cases of immature teams, the Scrum Master may lead certain meetings, but should seek to delegate this to the team as quickly as possible.
It is therefore preferable for Scrum meetings to be led by different team members, taking into account their skills and interests. This will be all the more beneficial, as the team will be more autonomous and develop its skills. The Scrum Master, meanwhile, will be able to concentrate on other, more important aspects of his role.
The Scrum Master Coffee Clerk
The Scrum Master’s job is not to ensure that the team is comfortable in its working environment, but simply to ensure good communication and encourage a good group dynamic. This responsibility generally falls under facilities or human resources management.
If he acts as such, the Scrum Master could lose sight of the project’s objectives, since he is not fully dedicated to them. By taking on responsibilities that are not his own, confusion could arise as to his expectations and responsibilities within the team.
It is therefore preferable for the Scrum Master to focus on the important aspects of his role, such as facilitating meetings, managing obstacles, coaching the team and promoting the agile culture. Logistical aspects, such as material comfort, should be taken care of by the parties dedicated to them.
In conclusion, the smooth running of the Scrum process depends in particular on the Scrum Master. Find out more about common Scrum Master antipatterns in Part 2 and Part 3 of this article!
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