When you move to the Scrum framework in a project and team, no doubt team members have doubts and ambiguities.
The project manager or Scrum Master has to reassure his colleagues and answer all their questions again about the transition of the project to the Scrum framework.
Here are some sample questions from different roles on the teams and what their Scrum Master would answer
Can I keep my current project manager role and not participate in the Scrum roles? Julia, Project Manager
Your functional position in the organization will not change. You will continue to be in the position of Project Manager and have all the opportunities and responsibilities that are related to it.
In Scrum teams, however, there is a conditional division of roles from the point of view of clearer delegation of the tasks and goals of the specific development, and these are – The development team, Product Owner and Scrum Master.
To be able to apply Scrum to developments, each member of the team must accept the conditional role during the development period, for example, you will be part of the Development team as a Project manager in the organization and a person familiar with the requests of the product owners and the capabilities of the developers or Scrum Master to allocate tasks and request feedback from the development team. Read more: Real Scrum problems of the Scrum Master role during the Daily Scrum meeting
To be able to take on the role of Scrum Master, additional skills in organizing teams and applying the model are required, for which I can recommend you take a training course. So, at the next stage, your role may, in a future project, be that of Scrum Master.
Do I have to participate in the events being talked about? I’m a designer and I see no point in attending the meetings. Mariah, graphic designer
Hi Mariah. Each design is directly related to the functional requirements and capabilities of the specific software and product or process being developed.
In this regard, the design, although it is an independent development, is not carried out for itself, on the contrary – every change in the main product leads to a change in the design as well.
The events in the Scrum teams, such as planning, daily meetings (Daily scrum), review (Scrum review), and Scrum retrospective are not to burden the development participants further, but rather to facilitate them in understanding the product requirements, to clarify problems that have arisen, to specify changes that have occurred. Read more: Professional Scrum Master vs Professional Scrum Developer
Since the designers are also part of the development team, we want them to have an idea of how the product will function, so they can take this into account in the design. You also need to participate in these events to facilitate your work and to specify details that are not entirely clear to you.
On the other hand, you can give us various UX/UI proposals to be discussed and accepted, and the product owners to present you with more details about whether the proposals can be implemented in practice and whether there is a need to reflect and in design.
I don’t understand exactly Scrum will improve our work. Can you please explain? Stephen, Programmer
Hi Steven. The main idea and goal of Scrum are to facilitate the work of all participants in the developments.
Through Scrum, we shape the specific teams and their participants, what role each participant will have and what function, and what the specific tasks will be, we set deadlines for each task and we constantly discuss the results of the work done so far and the problems that have arisen. More on the topic: Scrum example team and projects scenarios
It will be much easier for you as a programmer to see what your tasks are and have clear information and a deadline to work with. On the other hand, you can always share a development situation or a new idea you have at the daily scrum team meetings, as well as get feedback from the product owner on whether a certain model/approach will work the way you decided it would. your program from a requirements perspective.
The goal is for the work to be more organized and for you as programmers not to be overwhelmed by an excessive number of developments within the time frame of the prioritized development (Sprint).
I remain available for further clarification.
I’m very excited about integrating Scrum into our work and can’t wait to get started. Can someone tell me what and how I will do exactly? Kate, Senior Public Relations Specialist
Hi Kate. I’m glad you’re excited, as many colleagues are skeptical of the Scrum project management framework. I think for us Scrum will be very useful and I want to offer the best understanding of this model.
In short, the roles in Scrum teams can be developer, product owner, and Scrum master.
Each role is defined depending on what function the development participant has.
Your role can be different depending on whether you will be a stakeholder or a participant in an internal process without being directly responsible for it.
For example, you will be a Product owner if your department or management requests optimization of communication processes through external channels, which will require the implementation of new software, refinement of the current one, or automation of a given process.
You can also be part of the Development team if, within a completely separate project, it is necessary to join as a participant, within your competencies as a public relations expert, to describe a process, to get involved in testing per product component, etc.
So your participation will not be late!
I have read a bit about Scrum and would like to be appointed to the Product Owner position. Paola, Advertising Manager
Hi Paola. I am glad for the interest shown in Scrum. In the case of the Scrum framework, we have no real assignment of positions in the teams, as the roles are rather conditional.
In this regard, you will continue to fulfill your position – advertising manager, but in reality, in the future development of a new product or process that also affects your department, you can take on the role of product owner, scrum master, or part of a development team – ah.
Hypothetically, you are the Product Owner or at least you are part of the Product owner team for the Advertising department and you will be able to step into this role at the moment when the department is involved in a new project that is about to be developed. Reference: Product Owner role in Scrum and real problem situation
You can also be part of the Development team if, within a completely separate project, it is necessary to join as a participant, within the scope of your competences of the position, to describe a process, to get involved in testing a product component, etc.
I would like to participate in Scrum roles as Project Owner. Steven, Project Coordinator
Hi Steven! Congratulations on your initiative. Motivation and desire are important for applying Scrum, and not only for every single project. Your duties in the company will in no way be removed or replaced, nor is the idea to increase them. Rather, through Scrum, your knowledge of how to apply certain approaches and perform tasks in project coordination will be upgraded. As a project coordinator, you are well-versed in different planning and management models, project stages, product owner requirements, and team capabilities. The position also implies good communication skills with stakeholders and contractors.
In this regard, you would be very suitable for the role of Scrum master in the team, and in my opinion, with a good understanding of the framework, you can apply the model very successfully.
I recommend that you look at the materials I sent you about the Scrum framework and, if you wish, I can direct you to an additional course.
I would like to join the Scrum team as a Quality Master or something similar. Kimberly, Quality Control Manager
Hi Kimberly. Of course, you will be involved in Scrum, but not in a specific position, but rather you will have a specific role in developments and projects.
In short, the roles with Scrum teams can be developer, product owner, and Scrum master. As a quality control manager, you and your team will be part of the development team during development, as you have specific skills and knowledge in the field of quality. These competencies make you relevant and necessary in testing new developments and products and determining the level of their performance, of their quality.
Depending on the project, you can also take on the role of Product owner, in case the request for new development is submitted by you or the management and your team is an interested party in the project.
So your knowledge and experience as a quality control manager are valuable and relevant, both now and in Scrum implementation.
Project Management, Agile and Scrum 