For a new Scrum Master, the mechanics of getting started with retrospectives are deceptively easy. Somebody tells them to write three columns on the whiteboard (What Went Well, What Did Not, Ideas) and to facilitate the discussion. The Scrum Master makes sure that management is not invited to the meeting. He/she Identifies the team members … Continue reading Retrospectives – Back to Basics
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Product Ownership – How Can I Best Serve the Team Today?
As a Product Owner, I start each day by asking myself, "How can I best serve the team today?" The PO and Scrum Master's roles as servant leaders is not news. The challenge for the PO is translating this mindset into actions. It is all about mastering the cadence of product ownership. Assuming that a … Continue reading Product Ownership – How Can I Best Serve the Team Today?
The ScrumMaster as Servant Leader
eadership in a modern organization is a paradox whereby leaders provide a vision of what the organization should strive to achieve but then serve those in the organization in order to realize that vision. This is embodied in the management philosophy of servant leadership. As defined by the Alliance for Servant Leadership, the principles of … Continue reading The ScrumMaster as Servant Leader
Got an Impediment? Great!
Part of a ScrumMaster’s job is to remove any impediments that are preventing the team from making progress towards the sprint goal. Often, the biggest challenge is not removing the impediment – it is actually getting people to identify the impediment in the first place. Perception Sometimes it’s a matter of perception. Some people … Continue reading Got an Impediment? Great!
Becoming PMI-ACP Certified
The Project Management Institute’s Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) credential is intended to certify that someone has agile experience as well as knowledge of agile approaches. As a Certified Scrum Master, Certified Scrum Product Owner, and Project Management Professional, the PMI-ACP was a logical next step for me. My goal in attaining the PMI-ACP was similar … Continue reading Becoming PMI-ACP Certified
A Swarming State of Mind
In a previous blog post, I discussed how sprint planning can help put the team in position to effectively swarm on tasks. If building software is like playing golf, sprint planning is akin to assessing playing conditions, determining yardage, selecting a club, and setting up to hit the ball. While the golfer has a few … Continue reading A Swarming State of Mind
