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Why Do Scrum Masters Get Paid so Much?

Is Scrum Master the best paying job? Do Scrum Masters are highly paid individuals? Though these two questions look very simple in asking but are very difficult in answering. Let’s dig in and find out the salary range that Scrum Masters are earning.  The survey conducted by ‘Age of Product’ (Stephen Wolpers and Sumit Mehta) in 2017, included Scrum Masters from 13 countries around the world. The salary of a Certified Scrum Master varies from country to country. Collated below are the salary ranges in USD for three important countries:US: 100,001 – 125,000UK: 60,001 - 70,000India: 20,001 – 30,000The monthly income of a Certified Scrum Master can be listed as follows-US: 8333 – 10416UK: 5000 – 5833India: 1667 - 2500The weekly income of a Certified Scrum Master, assuming 52 weeks for a year, the certified scrum master makes the following salary (in USD):US: 1923 – 2403UK: 1154 – 1346India: 384 - 577The hourly salary of Certified Scrum Master (CSM) makes the following(in USD):US: 48 – 60UK: 29 – 34India: 9.6 – 14Note: The figures mentioned here are in USD. Additional compensations for this job The certified scrum master can get additional compensations if he/she can take up a training for the community or get further certified in the line of his/her career. Salaries by company Here are some of the average salaries paid by the top companies to the certified Scrum Masters:TCS: 11,11,500/yearIBM: 16,07,000/yearAmdocs: 14,00,000/yearJP Morgan: 16,52,000/yearPhilips: 19,96,000/yearWhy do scrum masters get paid so much?According to Glassdoor, it is one of the 25 highest paying jobs in America.In an era in which software is constantly being updated and flying out the door, the ability to keep everyone connected and communicating, face to face if possible, is critical. A breakdown in communications leads to a breakdown in software. And a breakdown in software leads to a breakdown of the business.As companies are moving more to Agile, they have realized that scrum master is the core and important role in making the team productive, self -organized and follow the practices of Agile diligently.Job Description for certified scrum masterBelow are the on-job responsibilities of the Certified Scrum Master (CSM):Essential Duties:Guiding the team and organization on how to use Agile/Scrum practices and values to delight customers.Guiding the team on how to get the most of out of self-organization.Guiding the team on self-organizing to fill in the intentional gaps left in the Agile/Scrum frameworks.Assessing the Scrum Maturity of the team and organization and coaching the team to higher levels of maturity, at a pace that is sustainable and comfortable for the team and organization.Removing impediments or guiding the team to remove impediments by finding the right personnel to remove the impediment.Building a trusting and safe environment where problems can be raised without fear of blame, retribution, or being judged, with an emphasis on healing and problem-solving.Facilitating getting the work done without coercion, assigning, or dictating the work.Facilitating discussion, decision making, and conflict resolution.Assisting with internal and external communication, improving transparency, and radiating information.Supporting and educating the Product Owner, especially on grooming and maintaining the product backlog.Providing all support to the team using a servant leadership style whenever possible, and leading by example.Required Skills/Experience:Experience in playing the Scrum Master role for at least one year for a software development team that was diligently applying Scrum principles, practices, and theory.  (Adjust based on your necessity)Good skills and knowledge of servant leadership, facilitation, situational awareness, conflict resolution, continual improvement, empowerment, and increasing transparency.Knowledge of various well-documented patterns and techniques for filling in the intentional gaps left in the Scrum approach(example: numerous Burndown technologies, various Retrospective formats, handling bugs, etc.).Preferred Skills/Experience (Any of these is a plus):Experience is playing the Scrum Master role for at least two years for a software development team that was diligently applying Scrum principles, practices, and theory. (Adjust based on your necessity)Knowledge of other Agile approaches: XP, Kanban, Crystal, FDD, etc.Awareness and experience with widely successful Agile techniques: User Stories, ATDD, TDD, Continuous Integration, Continuous Testing, Pairing, Automated Testing, Agile Games.Applicable knowledge of the technologies used by the team.The experience in applying a wide variety of well-documented patterns and techniques for filling in the intentional gaps left in the Scrum approach (example: various Burndown technologies, many Retrospective formats, handling bugs, etc.).Excellent communication and mentoring skills.Tasks of the Certified Scrum MasterHelping the Development Team to create high-value productsCoaching the Development Team in self-organization and cross-functionalityRemoving impediments to the Development Team’s progressFacilitating Scrum events as requested or neededCoaching the Development Team in organizational environments in which Scrum is not yet fully adopted and understoodEnsuring that goals, scope, and product domain are understood by everyone on the Scrum Team as well as possibleFinding techniques for effective Product Backlog managementHelping the Scrum Team understand the need for clear and concise Product Backlog itemsUnderstanding product planning in an empirical environmentEnsuring the Product Owner knows how to arrange the Product Backlog to maximize the valueFacilitating Scrum events as requested or neededCompanies that prefer Certified Scrum MasterAccording to the Scrum Guides, “Scrum has been adopted by a vast amount of software development companies around the world.” Scrum has been used in education, manufacturing, marketing, operations, and other fields. If you have the skills in dealing with conflicts and you are an experienced facilitator, then following are the top companies in the world that hire the skilled Scrum Masters like you. According to the latest data on Glassdoor, the top companies preferring Scrum Master are:Answer Financial Inc. – Encino, CAPegasystems – Cambridge, MADonnelley Financial Solutions – Glen Mills, PAIntraEdge – Phoenix, AZWipro Limited, BengaluruZensar Technologies Limited, HyderabadJP Morgan Chase, HyderabadBarclays – PuneOrange, MumbaiFiserv – Pune, and many moreIt is more surprising that the Scrum Master salaries have increased in such a short span of time. Moreover, being a Scrum Master is not an easy role as it requires more of a servant leadership skills. So, the aim of the Scrum Master is always to finish-up the project in time without compromising the quality. Climb-up the ladder of Scrum with Scrum interview questions and answers! Find here.
Why Do Scrum Masters Get Paid so Much?
Mukundan
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Why Do Scrum Masters Get Paid so Much?

Is Scrum Master the best paying job? Do Scrum Masters are highly paid individuals? Though these two questions look very simple in asking but are very difficult in answering. Let’s dig in and find out the salary range that Scrum Masters are earning.  The survey conducted by ‘Age of Product’ (Stephen Wolpers and Sumit Mehta) in 2017, included Scrum Masters from 13 countries around the world. The salary of a Certified Scrum Master varies from country to country. Collated below are the salary ranges in USD for three important countries:US: 100,001 – 125,000UK: 60,001 - 70,000India: 20,001 – 30,000The monthly income of a Certified Scrum Master can be listed as follows-US: 8333 – 10416UK: 5000 – 5833India: 1667 - 2500The weekly income of a Certified Scrum Master, assuming 52 weeks for a year, the certified scrum master makes the following salary (in USD):US: 1923 – 2403UK: 1154 – 1346India: 384 - 577The hourly salary of Certified Scrum Master (CSM) makes the following(in USD):US: 48 – 60UK: 29 – 34India: 9.6 – 14Note: The figures mentioned here are in USD. Additional compensations for this job The certified scrum master can get additional compensations if he/she can take up a training for the community or get further certified in the line of his/her career. Salaries by company Here are some of the average salaries paid by the top companies to the certified Scrum Masters:TCS: 11,11,500/yearIBM: 16,07,000/yearAmdocs: 14,00,000/yearJP Morgan: 16,52,000/yearPhilips: 19,96,000/yearWhy do scrum masters get paid so much?According to Glassdoor, it is one of the 25 highest paying jobs in America.In an era in which software is constantly being updated and flying out the door, the ability to keep everyone connected and communicating, face to face if possible, is critical. A breakdown in communications leads to a breakdown in software. And a breakdown in software leads to a breakdown of the business.As companies are moving more to Agile, they have realized that scrum master is the core and important role in making the team productive, self -organized and follow the practices of Agile diligently.Job Description for certified scrum masterBelow are the on-job responsibilities of the Certified Scrum Master (CSM):Essential Duties:Guiding the team and organization on how to use Agile/Scrum practices and values to delight customers.Guiding the team on how to get the most of out of self-organization.Guiding the team on self-organizing to fill in the intentional gaps left in the Agile/Scrum frameworks.Assessing the Scrum Maturity of the team and organization and coaching the team to higher levels of maturity, at a pace that is sustainable and comfortable for the team and organization.Removing impediments or guiding the team to remove impediments by finding the right personnel to remove the impediment.Building a trusting and safe environment where problems can be raised without fear of blame, retribution, or being judged, with an emphasis on healing and problem-solving.Facilitating getting the work done without coercion, assigning, or dictating the work.Facilitating discussion, decision making, and conflict resolution.Assisting with internal and external communication, improving transparency, and radiating information.Supporting and educating the Product Owner, especially on grooming and maintaining the product backlog.Providing all support to the team using a servant leadership style whenever possible, and leading by example.Required Skills/Experience:Experience in playing the Scrum Master role for at least one year for a software development team that was diligently applying Scrum principles, practices, and theory.  (Adjust based on your necessity)Good skills and knowledge of servant leadership, facilitation, situational awareness, conflict resolution, continual improvement, empowerment, and increasing transparency.Knowledge of various well-documented patterns and techniques for filling in the intentional gaps left in the Scrum approach(example: numerous Burndown technologies, various Retrospective formats, handling bugs, etc.).Preferred Skills/Experience (Any of these is a plus):Experience is playing the Scrum Master role for at least two years for a software development team that was diligently applying Scrum principles, practices, and theory. (Adjust based on your necessity)Knowledge of other Agile approaches: XP, Kanban, Crystal, FDD, etc.Awareness and experience with widely successful Agile techniques: User Stories, ATDD, TDD, Continuous Integration, Continuous Testing, Pairing, Automated Testing, Agile Games.Applicable knowledge of the technologies used by the team.The experience in applying a wide variety of well-documented patterns and techniques for filling in the intentional gaps left in the Scrum approach (example: various Burndown technologies, many Retrospective formats, handling bugs, etc.).Excellent communication and mentoring skills.Tasks of the Certified Scrum MasterHelping the Development Team to create high-value productsCoaching the Development Team in self-organization and cross-functionalityRemoving impediments to the Development Team’s progressFacilitating Scrum events as requested or neededCoaching the Development Team in organizational environments in which Scrum is not yet fully adopted and understoodEnsuring that goals, scope, and product domain are understood by everyone on the Scrum Team as well as possibleFinding techniques for effective Product Backlog managementHelping the Scrum Team understand the need for clear and concise Product Backlog itemsUnderstanding product planning in an empirical environmentEnsuring the Product Owner knows how to arrange the Product Backlog to maximize the valueFacilitating Scrum events as requested or neededCompanies that prefer Certified Scrum MasterAccording to the Scrum Guides, “Scrum has been adopted by a vast amount of software development companies around the world.” Scrum has been used in education, manufacturing, marketing, operations, and other fields. If you have the skills in dealing with conflicts and you are an experienced facilitator, then following are the top companies in the world that hire the skilled Scrum Masters like you. According to the latest data on Glassdoor, the top companies preferring Scrum Master are:Answer Financial Inc. – Encino, CAPegasystems – Cambridge, MADonnelley Financial Solutions – Glen Mills, PAIntraEdge – Phoenix, AZWipro Limited, BengaluruZensar Technologies Limited, HyderabadJP Morgan Chase, HyderabadBarclays – PuneOrange, MumbaiFiserv – Pune, and many moreIt is more surprising that the Scrum Master salaries have increased in such a short span of time. Moreover, being a Scrum Master is not an easy role as it requires more of a servant leadership skills. So, the aim of the Scrum Master is always to finish-up the project in time without compromising the quality. Climb-up the ladder of Scrum with Scrum interview questions and answers! Find here.
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Why Do Scrum Masters Get Paid so Much?
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Why Do Scrum Masters Get Paid so Much?

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All you need to know about Certified Scrum Product Owner

Scrum as a framework describes roles and rules that help and facilitate people in their own way. As each team consists of people of different skill sets, each project is different. Every company has its own policies, so there are no stringent rules for any type of team or project. It is a simple framework which gives us the boundary to manage complex and unpredictable projects.The best part of Scrum is that during the process, the customer can change the requirement which he wants to see in the final product and Scrum team should be flexible enough to embrace it.“A good team needs both Scrum Master and Product Owner to succeed.”Who is a Product Owner?Product Owner can be any person from the team who has a very strong knowledge of Program Management, Business skills, knows Agile, and Scrum Methodologies as well as has good communication skills to deal with the stakeholders. He/She is a person who makes sure that the team is aimed at the right goal, sets the correct target, and provides a vision for the product. Product Owner is clearly responsible for defining and prioritizing the product backlog which expresses the goal.Responsibilities of a Product OwnerLet's take a look at the responsibilities of the Product Owner:Product Backlog prioritization: Product Owner is clearly responsible for defining and prioritizing the product backlog which expresses the goal.Maximizing ROI: Responsible for ensuring that a project earns a good return on the investment (ROI) made in it.Providing a vision: Responsible for establishing and communicating the vision of the product. Questions could be, what is unique about our product? To whom are we selling? What about other competitors?Sharing a vision is important for motivating a team and creating a long-term connection between those who are developing the product and those using it. Not only Business Analysts, but the Product Owner writes the product backlog as well. Irrespective of who is writing the Product backlog, it is only the Product Owner who is responsible for the product backlog, backlog prioritization, and making sure that the PO delivers the quality products satisfying the customers’ needs.Addressing questions: Product Owner is responsible for answering the questions if the team has any queries related to a user story.For example- Why is this task on high priority? Why are we doing this user story? The Product Owner (PO) can also delegate the questions to someone else but he/she should make sure all the team queries are addressed.Providing boundaries: Vision and boundaries are competing aspects of the project. The vision shows what a product can be. The boundaries describe realities within which the vision must be realized. Boundaries are provided by the Product Owner and often comes in the form of constraints as:It needs to be completed by JulyIt can use only half the memory of the current versionReduce the per unit cost but with the same functionalityRuns at twice the speedThe role is all about giving enough scope to the team so that they feel motivated to solve difficult problems while working on a project. But one should refrain from providing the team with so many boundaries that it becomes impossible to solve the project problems.If this role appeals to you and you like to work as a Product Owner, then you can go for CSPO certification. Here is everything about the Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) that you need to know:What is a Certified Scrum Product Owner® ?CSPO®- Certified Scrum Product Owner®The Certified Scrum Product Owner® Certification from Scrum Alliance is a validation of your commitment to ongoing excellence in your Agile journey and makes you eligible to take on Product Owner responsibilities and lead successful projects. The Product Owner is a key member of the Scrum Team and holds the responsibility of leading the project strategically, collaborating with the customers and team on a daily basis, and managing the business value.Accreditation Body for CSPO®-Scrum AllianceTwo-day Certified Scrum Product Owner® (CSPO®) training classes are delivered by Scrum Alliance Certified Trainers® (CSTs®), which combines classroom study, group discussions, and hands-on practice exercises. The program will provide you with a deep understanding of Scrum from the perspective of a Product Owner, enabling you to be an effective customer to the Scrum team and at the same time maximizing ROI.Key Takeaways of the courseEnhance your skills as a Product OwnerLead Agile teams and motivate your team membersFacilitate smooth communication channel between the Stakeholders and the Scrum teamIncrease Scrum functionalityCreate practical and efficient plans and schedulesReduce risk by pre-planningImprove ROIEnsure maximum delivery.“Defining the boundaries is a debatable topic but it is important to be done by a Product Owner for the success of the product.”Is CSPO® = Future?As the popularity of SCRUM is increasing, there is a high demand in the market for professionals with the Scrum Experience. According to Glassdoor salary website, the salary of the Certified Product Owner ranges from $2,110 - $20,090 per year making an average of $114,130 annually.   CSPO® certification is advisable for individuals who are already in project or product management and now wish to adapt to the new methodology under Scrum. This is for the aspirants who want career growth in project management area with Scrum experience. CSPO® certification is very helpful in gaining the following:You can globally increase your career opportunities across all industry sectorsIt eases you to prove your achievement of core Scrum knowledgeYou will learn the basics of Scrum and the scope of the Product Owner roleEngage with Agile practitioners committed to continuous improvementAccess to local groups, networks, and resources available only to Scrum Alliance members.Who can be CSPO®?Following is the target audience who can take up CSPO® Certification:Project ManagersDevelopersProduct OwnersManagers-Software developmentArchitects-Software developmentProduct ManagersSoftware developersSoftware codersSoftware testersTeam Leads or Team Members who are interested in learning more about Scrum and leading Agile projects.Prerequisites to become a CSPO®The first step needed to become a CSPO®  is to get familiar with the Scrum framework. Then,  attend an in-person two-day (16 hour) CSPO® training course taught by a Certified Scrum Trainer® (CST®) to become eligible for the CSPO® certification.Step-by-Step Process to becoming a CSPO®Step 1: Attend an in-person 2-day CSPO® training taught by a Certified Scrum Trainer® (CST®).Step 2: After successfully completing the course, you will be asked to accept the CSPO® License Agreement and complete your Scrum Alliance® membership profile.Step 3: Login to your Scrum Alliance® account and fill the details.Step 4: Congratulations! You are now CSPO® certified and your certificate is valid for two years.Step 5: Download your CSPO® certificate from Scrum Alliance®.Step 6: Certification renewal process: You can maintain your CSPO® certification by earning Scrum Education Units® (SEUs) and renewing your certification every two years. For more details on CSPO certification renewal process, check the Scrum Alliance® website.Benefits of CSPO® CertificationThe benefits of CSPO certification are so many. Mentioned below are the benefits explained with the statistics of different countries.Most Popular Job for Employees with a Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO®) CertificationThough many certifications of SCRUM are getting popular nowadays. CSM® and CSPO® are one of them. The popular designation with Scrum certifications for India, US, and UK are mentioned below.CountryDesignationIndiaProduct Owner, Product Manager, Business Analyst, Senior Product Manager, Project Manager, Senior Business Analyst, Lead Business Analyst.USProduct Owner, Product Manager, CSM, Senior Product Manager, Project Manager, Senior Business Analyst, Software Development Manager, Agile CoachUKProduct Owner, Senior Product Manager, Senior Business Analyst, CSM, Product Manager, Software Development Manager, Senior Product ManagerCSPO® salary by countryThe survey conducted by the Payscale regarding the salary range of Product Owner in different countries is as given in the table below.CountryAverage PayRangeIndia (Rs)1,424,014708,139-2,670,022US ($)83K58K-117KUK (€)40K28K-64KCSPO® salary by experienceYearsIndia RsUS $UK €Less than 1 year-61K36K1-4 years887,23378K38K5-9 years1,195,642100K51K10-19 years2,014,207116K61K>20 years3,000,000127K75KMost popular Employers Name who prefer CSPO® certification.IndiaUSUKOracleAmazonTescoGE General ElectricFidelityPearsonHoneywellIBMCEBDellCapital One financial corpExperianAccentureNikeRegisters of ScotlandEY Ernst & YoungGECambridge University PressWhat next after CSPO® certification?The career path of a Scrum Product Owner® can vary according to the interests of an individual. It could be higher in a Product Management role.So, Are you ready to become a CSPO®?On a Scrum team, individuals are asked to look beyond their explicit role to find ways to help the team accomplish its goals.Product Owner is a very special role in SCRUM and can stand out as the CEO of the product. Certification CSPO® will be an added advantage if somebody is planning to seek this role. The Scrum Product Owner plays a key role in the Scrum team and leads the project strategically, collaborating with the users and team regularly to manage the business value.
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All you need to know about Certified Scrum Product Owner
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All you need to know about Certified Scrum Product...

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Scrum: A Better Way of Building Projects

If you are new to the world of software development, then there is a likelihood that the terms “Scrum” and “Agile” will appear the same to you. But, there is a major distinction between the two.Agile comprises of self-organisation, cross-functionality of the teams, collaboration and refers to the methods and practices based on the values and principles expressed in the ‘Agile Manifesto’.Scrum is a framework that implements Agile development.Simply put, Scrum is an iterative and incremental structure for project management mainly used in agile software development. The scrum methodology indicates functional software, the versatility to change accompanying with emerging communication, collaboration, and business realities.If you are planning to put Scrum applications into practice in your team or organization, and are new to the concepts, then you have reached the right place. Read on to know the basics of Scrum, how it works along with in-depth detail on its frameworks, roles, and artifacts.Understanding ScrumScrum is a framework with the help of which people can address complex problems and at the same time deliver products with the highest possible creativity and productivity.Scrum is an agile way to manage projects, mostly emphasizing on software development. Many a time, it is perceived as a methodology, but it is a framework for managing processes, with its main focus on teamwork, accountability, and iterative progress to achieve a well-defined goal.Scrum helps teams to work together in a better way. An example of the same would be a properly functioning Rugby team, where the team members are encouraged to-Learn through their past experiencesBecome self-organized while working on a problemReflect on their victory as well as loss in order to improve continuously.Evolution of ScrumThere was a time once when the word ‘Scrum’ was used only as a rugby football term. Scrum is a technique to restart playing in Rugby, where players pack themselves closely together with their heads down in order to gain possession of the ball. This became the inspiration for the Scrum method in businesses. Let’s have a look at its history and how it came into being.The Scrum concept dates back to 1986. That year, two Japanese business experts Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka introduced the term ‘Scrum’ in the subject of product development. They published the article ‘New New Product Development Game’ in the Harvard Business Review, where they described an approach for commercializing product development which would increase speed and flexibility.By taking real-life examples of companies like Honda, Canon, and Fuji-Xerox, who have achieved surpassing results using extensive, team-based techniques in product development, they emphasised more on self-organised teams and the role of management in the development process. This led to the birth of the concept of ‘Scrum’.In 1995, Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schwaber presented a paper, ‘The Scrum Development Process’, at Object-Oriented Programming, Systems, Languages, and Applications (OOPSLA) conference, 1995 in Austin, Texas.In 2001, Sutherland and Schwaber, along with fifteen other colleagues, got together in Snowbird, Utah, where they drafted the Agile Manifesto. It acted as a revolution for the software developers around the globe, as now they had a new approach for creating new software.Since then, the community of Scrum practitioners has grown and is continuing to grow exponentially, generating thousands of high-performing teams in organisations all around the globe. It is now used widely outside of software development as well, changing the world of work for better!Why use ScrumUsing Scrum tools and processes in software development can be very beneficial for the organisation as the framework prefers to work and develop in short sprints. The major advantages of using Scrum are:Higher customer satisfaction: Sprints are short-spanned in Scrum. Hence, results are ready to be delivered and tested within a time span of 1-3 weeks. Scrum provides new features and corrections on a very frequent basis and collects feedback from its clients. This speeds up the process of fixing the bug, hence making the development process even faster. This keeps the customers satisfied.Increases the morale of the team: The teams are self-organised and self-managed. This allows the team members to be more innovative, creative and gives them acknowledgment for their work. They work in a cross-functional manner, helping them to learn new skills.Better exposure and improved progress visibility: All the members of the project team, including the stakeholders can know the updates of the project at any given time. Transparency helps the project team in identifying issues as well as making predictions about the progress of the project.Decreased time to market the product: Scrum has proved to deliver valued products to the customers 30 to 40 percent faster than the traditional methods.Increase in Return on Investment: The decrease in time to market the product is one of the major reasons for Scrum projects to receive a higher return on investment(ROI). The revenue starts coming in sooner,  which results in a higher total return over time.Better project control: The project performance is controlled by the Scrum team and corrections can be made by them. The priorities are adjusted by the Scrum teams at each sprint interval. This allows the team to address issues as they arise and get the requirements done as per necessity.More flexible and responsive: The requirements in the product backlog are unpredictable and volatile, unlike traditional models where requirements are fixed before the development process starts. This makes the business more responsive to the demands of the market.How Scrum Training has benefited companies in the pastOrganizations primarily focus on customer satisfaction in order to achieve success. Teams are self-organized in an Agile environment. They share ideas and collaborate their ideas to find solutions to produce high-quality products. But Agile is not a technique for success. It requires a framework and that is where Scrum plays its role.Scrum has gained immense popularity amongst software development organisations. To name a few:3MAlso known as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, 3M is an American manufacturer that manufactures multiple numbers of products, ranging from electronic circuits to medical products.According to 3M, they previously relied on the traditional Waterfall methodology for its software development process. When they wished to increase their speed of development of new applications and lower their cost of software product development, they were not satisfied with the Waterfall process. They decided to opt for Agile with Scrum methodology and went for it. With the self-organised teams, they were able to push priorities as deemed. Hence, Agile and Scrum proved worth the effort for them.  ANZThe third-largest bank in Australia, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) has thousands of employees who work together to provide commercial and retail banking to its customers.They adopted Agile with sprint framework in 2017 and since then, they have enjoyed the benefits of Agile. It now releases new functions and features on a monthly basis. SpotifySpotify provides music streaming service and has successfully implemented an Agile environment to attain positive results from the same.Spotify has its employees divided into teams and each team is responsible for building and maintaining a specific function of the app. They don’t fear that one bad commitment will break the entire platform. This has resulted in Spotify becoming the leading music streaming service. Google Google is a part of Alphabet Inc., which is the world’s second-biggest tech company. The main reason behind their success is the timely delivery of updates of its applications. Agile can be credited for this mindset.With multiple applications like Gmail, Google Maps, etc. they all are needed to be first tested extensively before being released for the users.One major example that can be taken from Google is that Google builds, works on, and improves its Android OS. They then release a beta version of the functioning Android OS for its users. It allows users to participate and give feedback. If the reports indicate bugs or usability issues, they fix it and an update is rolled back. IBMBeing one of the biggest technology companies, IBM is known for creating computer hardware around the world. Scrum has also helped improve IBM’s business operations in such a manner that now it offers its own management software that integrates an agile development environment, known as IBM Rotational Team Concert.How is Scrum different from the Waterfall Model?Also known as the linear sequential life cycle, it was the first process model ever introduced. It was used in environments which were structured and weren’t adaptable to changes easily.In the Waterfall Model, each stage or task is needed to be completed before the next task can start. This is done to avoid any overlapping of project stages and to maintain the flow in a single direction.When it comes to the comparison between Waterfall and Scrum methods, a major drawback that Waterfall faces is that it doesn’t allow any changes or alterations. In case an issue occurs, it becomes very difficult to revisit the earlier stages. The project flow must follow the life-cycle as planned before making any changes. Since the market trend in today’s scenario changes on a regular basis, the Waterfall model becomes very difficult to sustain and implement.How does Scrum work?The Scrum Framework has three distinct categories: roles, events, and artifacts. Read along to know about these three categories and the importance of the Scrum Framework.Scrum Framework: How it differs from AgileSince Scrum is centered around steady improvements and is also the core principle of Agile, people often confuse between the two. There are even instances where people (especially those newly introduced to Scrum) use the terms “Agile” and “Scrum” interchangeably.Hence before we begin to explain further, it is important to understand the differences between Agile and Scrum.Scrum is a framework for getting things done while Agile is a mindset. One can use frameworks like Scrum to think the Agile way and build the agile principles in their day-to-day work and communication.Scrum is regarded as an iterative, incremental framework. Let us understand why.An iterative framework like Scrum is one that makes progress towards a defined goal mainly through successive refinements. In Scrum, the iteration happens in the following steps -The development team takes the first important step in any iteration.They write the code based on the collected requirements.Next, the team identifies and refines the weak areas in the code until the product is satisfactory.In every iteration, refinements are made, the code undergoes further changes, and the software is improved.The work in every iteration is improved in the upcoming iterations.But, why is Scrum called an incremental process?In Scrum, the software is developed and delivered in pieces, in small increments. Every new increment is nothing but a subset of the final software. Each increment is fully coded and tested. In other words, “completed” work is delivered throughout the project.This explains why Scrum is regarded as an incremental process.Read along and learn about Scrum roles, artifacts and events, and how they work together in order to deliver a product in the market.Scrum RolesThe scrum framework defines three scrum roles, namely:Scrum TeamScrum MasterScrum Product OwnerAll of these roles have a defined set of responsibilities. They need to interact closely, work together and act according to their responsibilities to finish a project successfully.Each of these roles is explained below:Scrum Team: It is a group of individuals who work together to deliver the product as requested. They hold the responsibility to decide and delegate how a problem can be solved without the help of any team leader. The team as a whole decides how to address an issue and take care of it. The most effective scrum teams are close-knit, co-located, and small-scale. All team members have different skill sets and they help each other at any point needed to ensure a successful sprint completion.  In order to work more efficiently, a Scrum Team should:Follow a common goalAdhere to the same rules and regulationsRespect everyone aroundIt is the responsibility of the scrum team as a whole to deliver the product in the committed time frame and with the desired quality. A good result or a non-success of the product is never credited to a single team member but always to the Scrum Team as a whole.Characteristics of a Scrum Team:Scrum teams have the following attributes:The team as a whole is responsible for the delivery of the projectThe Scrum Team is self-dependent and empoweredThere aren’t any sub-teams under the Scrum TeamAll team members are collocatedThe skills within the Scrum Team are balancedThe team is cross-functional and holds mutual accountabilityScrum Master: A Scrum Master is a part of the Scrum Team who holds the responsibility to ensure that the Scrum Team abides by the Scrum theory, rules and practices. He is not the same as a Team Leader. A Team Leader leads the team as well as assigns tasks to the team members, whereas a Scrum Master ensures that the team is working according to the rules and that they have understood the Scrum method entirely. They act as an advisor for the team and are on a continuous lookout for the team’s improvements.Responsibilities of a Scrum Master:A Scrum Master has several important responsibilities, to name a few:Act as a coach for the Scrum TeamMake sure that the Scrum Team is protected from any external requests or disruptionsFacilitate the Scrum EventsTake measures to maximize the productivity of the teamBuild trust and transparencyEnsure that there is proper communication between the Scrum Team and the Product Owner.Product Owner: The Product Owner plays a very crucial role in a Scrum team. He acts as an interface between the team and the stakeholders and is responsible to ensure that the work is being in the correct order to deliver a product of the highest possible value. He works very closely with the Scrum Team and coordinates their activities throughout the project.Responsibilities of a Product Owner:A Product Owner has several responsibilities:Communicates with the stakeholders  (customers, marketing, etc.) and discusses the required functionality. These are then filtered and prioritized before being handed over to the team.He is the only person who is allowed to manage the Scrum Product Backlog and keep it in the order of the priority.Responsible for making it to the project goal, hence creating and maintaining the release plan.Make sure that all members of the team understand what is required of the project.The team reports the results to the Product Owner during the sprint review.He makes the schedule, scope and trade-off decisions.Responsible for the ROI of the product.Scrum Events (Ceremonies)To create regularity and to minimize the need for undefined meetings in Scrum, there are a few prescribed events in Scrum. All of these events are time-boxed and are conducted on a regular basis. The Scrum Events are stated below:SprintSprint PlanningDaily Scrum MeetingsSprint ReviewSprint RetrospectiveSprint: A Sprint is a time-boxed period in which specific work is completed, that is, the team works together to develop a product incrementally. Sprints are usually of a duration of one month or less. A new Sprint starts as soon as the previous Sprint gets over. The main motive behind a Sprint is to provide a pattern to work on for the team.Sprint Planning: A Sprint Planning is a meeting where the Product Owner along with the Development Team discusses the prioritization of the product backlog items and plans the delivery of the final product. It occurs at the beginning of a sprint. The work that is to be performed in a sprint is discussed and planned in this meeting. It is the responsibility of the Scrum master to make sure that the meeting takes place and that the team understands the purpose.  The necessary inputs for Sprint Planning are:Product BacklogConstraintsSprint GoalTeam capabilitiesDaily Scrum Meeting: A daily scrum meeting is commonly termed as a daily stand-up meeting, where all team members meet to discuss their progress since the last stand-up meet. It is a time-boxed meeting of 15 minutes.The main objective of this meeting is to discuss:Work in progressCreate a plan for the next 24 hours.Sprint backlogs, if anyAny new informationSprint Review: After the end of each Sprint, the development team along with the stakeholders hold a session to discuss the updates of the backlog items and receive feedback for the same. This session is known as the Sprint Review.The possible outcomes of the Sprint Review are:Demonstrate the results of the sprintsRevised Product BacklogCancel any further development, if neededRespond to questionsReceive feedbackResolve the impedimentsThe final result of the Sprint Review is the revised Product Backlog, which acts as the Product Backlog for the upcoming sprint.Sprint Retrospective: The Sprint Retrospective is a technique which is used for continuous improvement. It is conducted after the Sprint Review, preceding the upcoming Sprint Planning. In this meet, the Scrum Team examines the previous sprint and creates a plan for enhancement which can be put into action in the upcoming sprint. The Development Team, Product Owner and Scrum Master participate in this meet.The important inputs are:Data about team performanceImprovement backlogThe focus of the teamScrum ArtifactsThe Scrum Artifacts present the development team and the stakeholders with the key information that they need to be aware of. The main objective of the Scrum Artifacts is to provide transparency and opportunities for inspection and adaptation. It reflects a team’s progress towards the sprint goal.The Scrum framework defines three artifacts:Product BacklogSprint BacklogProduct IncrementProduct Backlog: Product Backlog outlines all the requirements that are needed for a project, product or system. It can be considered as a to-do list of all the changes that are to be made to a project. The Product Owner is responsible for the Product Backlog, where he can add, change and re-prioritize the tasks as needed. It is a living artifact as the requirements never stop changing. Any changes in the business requirements, market conditions or technology may result in changes in the Product Backlog.A Product Backlog may contain functional, non-functional, infrastructural, and architectural elements. They also work on the important risks that are needed to be removed or mitigated.The Product Backlog is refined and revised periodically so that it can be helpful for the next level of planning. This is known as Product Backlog Refinement. The Development Team along with the Product Owner estimate the items in it, which includes order, description, estimate, and value.The major activities involved during the backlog refinement are:Asking questions to the product owner for precise informationCreating new user storiesDeleting stories that are no longer requiredEstimating or re-estimating the user storiesRefining stories for preparation of future sprintsRe-prioritising the storiesReviewing the highest priority storiesSprint Backlog: A Sprint Backlog is a list of items that are taken from the Product Backlog which are to be completed within a Sprint. It also contains a plan to deliver the product increment and to realize the sprint goal. The development team plans and gives a forecast about the changes or increment in the functionality that will happen during the sprint, along with the work that is required to deliver the implemented functionality.The Development Team is responsible for creating and maintaining the Sprint Backlog. As soon as new work comes in, the development team adds it to the Sprint Backlog. The team can change, add, remove or modify the tasks any time as needed. The scrum master can give advice and make suggestions about any missing task(s).The Sprint Backlog needs to be updated by the team at least once every day. A sprint starts only when all the team members agree on the fact that the Sprint Backlog is achievable.The Sprint Backlog can be monitored and the work which is remaining can be calculated. By doing this, the likelihood of successfully achieving the Sprint Goal can be concluded as well, which will help the development team to manage its progress.Product Increment: Product Increment is the most important Scrum Artifact. It is the sum of all the Product Backlog items that have been completed in the sprint along with the values of the increments produced in the previous sprints. An increment is the product of a project which is potentially shippable. It should be acceptable by the Product Owner regardless of whenever he decides to release it.Challenges faced in applying Scrum and how to overcome themMastering the rules and practices of Scrum is not that simple. It will require a lot of time and effort to do so.Scrum doesn’t promise to fix all problems, but it helps bring them out in the open. Scrum can be mastered by facing different challenges and overcoming them. Scrum will certainly not fail you in doing so as it is designed to work for you, as long as you know how to make it work.Let’s address the common challenges that teams and organisations face during the implementation of Scrum and look at the possible solutions.1. Resistance to change: Organisations are generally resistant to changes. Change can be difficult and uncomfortable, hence people generally avoid it. Scrum may prove to be challenging to deploy for established organisations. The major challenge that they face is the change from yearly or semi-annual releases to weekly iterations. For an organisation to start using Scrum, it will require a shift in the fundamental mindset which will change the old habits and bring along new, more effective ones.Get out of comfort zone: It is very important to understand what an individual’s true feelings are towards adopting Scrum and why they resist changes. Learn about them and find measures to help them overcome it.An incremental approach can be observed as well. Start small, that is, involve one team and showcase their results. Let their experience inspire others.2. Distributed team: A major issue that a distributed (Scrum) team faces is communication. Conflicting working hours and a difference in time zones may diminish the overall effectiveness of the team, making collaboration difficult in many cases. Lack of communication may cause delays or unnecessary errors, which can lead to poor sustainability, ultimately affecting productivity.Everyone should be on the same page: It is very important to be considerate of the fact that team members of different nationalities will have different traditions. Apart from this, coordination and trust are very important as well. One can also take the following practical measures:A boot camp can be conducted where the whole team can come together. These sessions can give an understanding of a customer’s requirements and goals.Designated members can be relocated to different places, where they can work with the resident team on a temporary basis.Team members working in different time zones should be provided with different facilities like video conferencing, instant messaging software, and desktop-sharing abilities.Teams can be paired across different locations. It functions in a way that when one member is clocking off for the day, his corresponding team member may be starting his day across the globe. He can take over the work and continue working.3. Handling bugs and high-priority tasks: One can receive unexpected and urgent requests from stakeholders and customers. Bugs might also arise in the process. Some of these can be added to the Backlog, though it is recommended not to add all of them. They might be needed to be taken care of as soon as possible.Assign a person for the same and allow more time for bug fixing: Assign a person from the team who will focus all of his attention on tasks like fixing bugs, responding to urgent requests, etc. Also, with the development of progress, increase the time allocated for bug fixing.Scrum Vs KanbanAgile is a set of principles and ideas while Scrum and Kanban are frameworks that help teams and organizations to put these agile principles and values into practice to get things done.Kanban and Scrum follow the same principles, while their practices differ. The main aim behind both of these frameworks is to help you build better products.Kanban in a nutshell:Kanban is a tool which is used to organize work so that efficiency can be improved. Like Scrum, Kanban breaks down its work into small chunks and makes use of a Kanban Board. The Kanban Board is used to keep track of the work as it advances through the workflow. It not only displays the workflow but also optimizes the flow of tasks within different teams. The work to be done is time-bounded in Scrum, whereas Kanban limits the amount of work to be done in a condition, that is, it limits the ongoing tasks and the to-do list. Kanban visualizes the work and limits the work in progress so that the efficiency can be improved.There are several differences in the philosophies and practical applications of Kanban and Scrum, as well as many individual differences. Let’s have a look at them.ScrumFactorKanbanThe Scrum Team consists of the Scrum Master, Product Owner, and the Development Team.Team RolesThere are no defined roles in a Kanban Team. The roles need not be cross-functional.Each sprint is estimated or planned based on the Backlog Sheet.Work BoardWorkflow/ Work Item/ Kanban Board is used to track the work.Scrum emphasises on regular, fixed sprints.ScheduleThere is no iteration or time-boxing in Kanban. It has a continuous flow.No changes are made during the Sprints.Change philosophyChanges can happen at any time during the process.Releases are made at the end of each sprint.ReleaseThere is a continuous delivery in Kanban.Best applicable for teams which have stable priorities that will not change much over time.ApplicationBest applicable for projects which have a lot of varying priorities.Productivity is measured using velocity through sprints.Productivity MeasurementMeasures productivity by measuring the amount of time that a team takes to complete a piece of the project from the starting till the end.List of Scrum certificationsScrum Master certification is one of the oldest and also the most popular certification in Agile. Certifications help and are needed because they are a confirmation on the implementation and also a verification of the knowledge gained.They validate your knowledge in Agile and Scrum.The most popular certification programs are:Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM: Scrum Alliance)Certified Scrum Product Owner® (CSPO: Scrum Alliance)Certified Scrum Professional® (CSP: Scrum Alliance)SAFe® Agilist (SA)SAFe® Program Consultant (SPC4)Professional Scrum Master™ (PSM: Scrum.org)Certified Scrum Developer® (CSD: Scrum Alliance)LeSS (Large Scale Scrum)Scrum Master Certified (SMC™)Certified Agile Leader (CAL: Scrum Alliance)SAFe® 4.0 Advanced Scrum MasterSAFe® 4.0 for TeamsProfessional Scrum Product Owner™ (PSPO: Scrum.org )SAFe® 4.0 Product Manager/Product OwnerMost of the basic certifications do not require any experience as a Scrum Master and can be taken up directly after completing training. However, the Advanced certifications require completion of basic certification and work experience ranging from a minimum of 1 to 2 years.In conclusionThe Scrum Framework is simple and easy to understand, and so are the rules, artifacts, roles, and events. Scrum doesn’t keep a count of the amount of time that you have spent working but measures the tasks that have been accomplished. It makes one more efficient with their time and work.It is ideal for complex and difficult projects as the tasks are broken down into small user stories. The transparency throughout the development cycle along with the distribution of roles and planned events are added advantages. Progress can be observed in a small amount of time which might even lead to quick releases.But, if the team is accustomed to the traditional Waterfall model, then they might feel difficulty in adopting Scrum. But the long-term benefits outweigh the problems faced in the initial learning curve, making it a cogent framework to adopt for your organization.
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Scrum Epic: How to Split an Epic into Chunks in Agile?

Scrum has been a buzzword since a decade now, and why not, it has so many success stories, hey, I am not talking about the stories which mean requirements in Scrum but the actual stories of teams and the organizations practicing Scrum. Looks like, I just gave the hint of what I would be covering in my article today.Yes, we will be talking about the requirements and how are they handled in Scrum. We will be talking about the Epic, so far, we have known Epic as a long narrative about the heroes of great historical or legendary significance performing courageous deeds but here we will touch upon a different side. Believe me, we are now going to talk about the Epics in Scrum!What is an Epic in Agile?In simple terms, Scrum Epic in Agile Methodology is a big chunk of work which can be divided into smaller user stories. An Epic can be spread across sprints and even across agile teams. An Epic can be a high-level description of what the client wants, and accordingly, it has some value attached to it. As we mentioned, an Epic is a high-level requirement, hence its scope can change over the course of time.Epics are a helpful way to organize your work and to create a hierarchy. The idea is to break down the work into shippable pieces so that large projects can actually get done and you can continue to ship value to your customers on a regular basis. Epics help teams break their work down while continuing to work towards a bigger goal.- AtlassianTo explain it better, I would prefer taking a life example, let’s say, throwing a New Year party at your place can be an Epic requirement for you. To do so, you’ll need to organize your effort: from the biggest objectives down to the smallest details. You should be able to respond to change, report your progress, and stick to a plan. Once you are aware of the Epic, you can drill it down to create smaller tasks like creating a guest list, deciding on the menu, shopping grocery, decoration at home, shopping for the new year, etc.Let’s see how we can create an Epic also called Scrum Epic User Story – In today’s era, almost all the tools that the team use have the capability to create an Epic, it is up to the product and the team, which type of Epic they want.Some Epics cater to the reporting needs of management. Some Epics are created with a timeframe in mind, it should not be too long and too short, i.e. it should not take more than a couple of weeks to finish. But the widely used way is Storytelling. But, what is storytelling?What is Storytelling?Storytelling is a tool which helps you visualize the flow of events and how they corroborate back to the Epic. If you feel, your working pattern does not sit in any of the mentioned ways, create your own. Just remember, Agile is never prescriptive, it shows you the path and how you want to go over it, it’s your choice!Coming back to our example, let us try to break it down in some doable components. It is really important to create chunks out of the Epic, so that the team can pick those up and deliver in a Sprint period. You can compare this activity with an art which requires precision in terms of size, priority, minimally interdependent etc. There are some pre-set ways of doing it, like:Workflow break downHere in our example, we talked about a project where we have a New Year party, let’s see how we can break it down in terms of workflow – Shopping can be a workflow where you need to get the items from outside. Another workflow can be cooking the food for the guests, the same way we can have decorating the house as another workflow. See how simple it gets to understand once you start connecting it with our lives! This also helps the Product Owner to easily prioritize the work, in our case, the Product Owner can be the host of the party. Some steps in the workflow may not be important right now and can be moved to later stages. Perhaps baking the cake takes on the priority as it takes time to cool down but the same can be done later as well.Role-based breakdownWe can also break an Epic as per the role, there can be different roles in your product or a project, here we have a role of a ‘host’, ‘guest’ or you can have a role as a ‘cook’, you can even add the roles based on your product. In a role-based breakdown we talk in terms of that particular persona, e.g., for a host, ‘Driving a successful party’ can be one, for a guest, it can be, ‘Looking for some fun games at the party’.Break Down around the timelineSome of the Epics can be broken down according to the time it will take to complete. The team usually divides the work which can be accomplished in a sprint time. They take up the whole thing, break it into pieces and fit the pieces in different Sprints as per the dependency and priority.As I have already mentioned, breaking down the user stories, requires consideration into several areas such as size, priority, interdependency, etc. Thus, there are two approaches for dividing the user stories– Horizontal and Vertical. It is like cutting the cake, if you cut it horizontally, you will get a single layer but if you take a vertical approach, you will get to have a bit of all the layers.Understanding the basic differences between Epic, Story, and TaskWe have been talking a lot about Epic and its breakdown, now let’s capture how it actually disintegrates further. We had an Epic “New Year Party”, this was a big chunk of work to be accomplished, we learned about the techniques to break it down. The result of the breakdown is termed Stories, which can be accomplished in a sprint time. The stories are further broken down into chunks called ‘Tasks’, the team pulls up the tasks and complete them, once all the tasks are completed the story is marked as ‘Completed’. The below figure explains Scrum Epic Vs User Story:Thus,Epic - A requirement that is just too big to deliver in a single sprint. Epics need to be broken into smaller deliverables (stories).Story - A requirement that the business wants. It is something that is deliverable within a single sprint.Tasks - The essentials of a story, these are the milestones to take the story to ‘Done’.Anything that we cannot measure will not yield many results, we have been hearing this for a long time. It does apply here as well. We can use burndown charts to measure how much work has been accomplished in an Epic. This also helps in predicting if the team is on track with the commitments. By keeping a watch on the Burndown chart, it becomes easy to manage the progress and blockers (if any) that the team is facing. This not only provides transparency to the system but also helps in building the trust for the team and the clients.How to identify Epics in AgileEpic is something which is a fairly large chunk of work and cannot be completed in one go. It is something which requires discussion and brainstorming so that it can be broken down further into smaller chunks.At the Epic level, we give rough estimates which can be in the form of T-shirt sizes, swags, points or any other method the team is comfortable with. The team can track the progress in an Epic through the Burndown chart which represents the progress and also reflects if there are any blockers.Benefits of EpicsEpics help in understanding the high-level requirement from the Stakeholder and what exactly is the need.It also helps in defining the scope of work which is in agreement with the client. Epics articulate efficiently about the final output what user needs.Epics help to track bigger thoughts in a product backlog without swamping it with multiple things. They allow establishing a hierarchy for the backlog items where the Epic represents the original idea often closely related to a particular outcome.It also helps in estimating how much time it will take to deliver. Epics are time and again used as placeholders for new views that have not been thought out completely, or whose full expansion has been postponed till essentially desirable.Epics are then evolved into split into multiple user stories that help Agile development teams effectively manage and groom their product backlog.Common Pitfalls in EpicThough there are many positive aspects of using the Epics in backlog management, a coin always has two sides, it has its pitfalls too! Sometimes, the teams can create confusions around the end deliverable from the Epic by just viewing them as more than just large user stories. This is deceptive when the team creates multifaceted tools to distinguish between Epics and user stories as well as creates far-reaching tools for chasing Epics separately from other backlog items.The teams may also try to estimate the Epics at a very high level though they might not have a clear picture of what is to be done. This increases the chances of ambiguity and it is very likely that the estimates will not be of any use as it will not serve any purpose in reporting.Finally, here we are, with the discussions around the Epics and how we can break it down. There is no fixed way to work on the Epic, it is all about what approach suit your needs. Again, it is all about the mindset and an approach we use to deal with the backlog. Epics are always fascinating to work with!User story is the unit of work defined in Scrum. When a Product Owner writes a user story for the customer’s requirements, it looks pretty simple at an initial stage. But, while working on that user story, all the related tasks tends to increase a lot that it is unable to fit in a week sprint. In such case, you need to break down such big user stories in epic and start slicing the epic further in smaller user stories. This approach can ease the efforts of Agile teams to get smaller but quality outcome in single sprint.   
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Scrum Epic: How to Split an Epic into Chunks in Agile?
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Scrum Master Certification - The Definitive Guide

What is a Scrum Master?The Scrum Master in a Scrum team is responsible for managing the process, while at the same time ensures that the team is observing the Scrum theory, rules and practices. They are not a part of the decision-making process, but they act as a guide for the team, thanks to their experience and expertise. They also help in simplifying complex projects.Scrum Masters act as a facilitator and advisor for the Scrum team and are always on a continuous lookout for the team’s development. Moreover, they make sure that Scrum adoption is successful in their organisation.Roles played by a certified Scrum MasterBroadly speaking, the role of a Scrum Master is challenging as they are responsible for the functioning of the team as well as monitoring the Scrum processes and events. Professionals with a Scrum Master certification, however, are acknowledged to be the masters of the art of facilitation and drive their teams to success.An efficient (and certified) Scrum Master ensures that the Definition of Done (DoD) is being followed, and this helps him maximize the potential of the team.A Scrum Master has several important responsibilities, to name a few:Act as a supervisor for the Scrum TeamKeeps the Scrum Team protected from any external requests or disruptions as well as over-commitmentsAssists the Scrum EventsTake measures to  maximise the productivity of the teamBuild trust and transparency between the teamMake sure that there is proper communication between the Scrum Product Owner and Scrum TeamPromote daily stand-up, as neededThe popularity of the role of a Scrum Master has increased exponentially in the past few years. Glassdoor has included Scrum Master in their list of highest paying jobs, with a rank of 20 and a median salary of $98,239 USD. On top of this, LinkedIn has included Scrum Master in top 2019 most promising jobs list.What are the benefits of Scrum Master certification?Legit concern. If knowledge is the fundamental aspect here, what is the need for a Scrum Master certification at all?Recently certified Scrum Masters will have so many positive anecdotes to share.1. Validation from the industryAs a professional Scrum Master certified by an accreditation body of global repute has a lot to contribute to the industry. Basic benefits aside, a globally valid Scrum Master Certification lets you:Expand your career opportunities across multiple sectors embracing Agile practicesDemonstrate your scrum knowledge and skillsLearn about the fundamentals and scope of ScrumEngage with active Agile practitioners committed to continuous improvement and deliveryScrum Master certifications do not just merit a raise in salary but offer several additional benefits which include but are not limited to the following.Now that you already know the benefits of Scrum Master certifications in terms of knowledge, salary, designation, mindset, and industry value, let us walk you through the roles and responsibilities of certified scrum masters.2. Scrum knowledge and skillsEarning a Scrum Master certification will help you in acquiring the knowledge and skills needed in any project that entails scrum. Having a scrum certification will also give you the motivation and confidence to implement Scrum across different sectors and projects.3. Grow in your careerBeing certified as a Scrum Master will make you more marketable and relevant in your field. It equips you with the skills that will help you reach the goals of the business and offer the highest value to the customer. It is the basic validation of an agile mindset, knowledge and skills to apply in organisations.4. Boost team’s collaborationA certified Scrum Master encourages the whole team to work together in a better manner as (s)he has a good understanding of Scrum.5. Change of mindsetMore than doing Agile, being Agile fosters teamwork, avoids conflicts and helps create more successful projects.According to a survey conducted as stated in the 2019 Scrum Master Trends, when asked about their current title, the following response was received by the participants:ChoicesResponses (%)Happy as Scrum Master15.85Happy as Agile Coach10.95I am a Scrum Master now, but want to become an Agile Coach20.65I plan to become a certified trainer or coach22.59I am working to become a Scrum Master11.49Other18.47And when asked about their current titles, the following response was received:ChoicesResponses (%)Scrum Master39.45Agile Coach15.56Development Team Member5.84Product Owner3.15Product Manager9.62Agile Project Manager3.26Product Manager1.24Others21.87Also, about Scrum and facilitation training, it was observed that:83% of participants had formal Scrum training17% of participants had formal facilitation training15% of participants had no certifications45% of participants had more than one certificationAnd, the top three certifications among the participants were:Professional Scrum MasterTM I (PSM I)Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®)Professional Scrum Product OwnerTM  (PSPO I)Scrum has been adopted by many big organisations like Google, Spotify, IBM, 3M, etc. Moreover, Scrum is no more limited to the fields of the IT sector. According to a State of Scrum Report 2017-2018, participants voted Scrum Master (85%) as the top certification of 2017.The following is a list of departments that use Scrum other than the IT department:Operations or Production - 42%Research and Development - 31%Sales and Marketing - 25%Content Development, Management - 24%Consulting - 22%Human Resources - 19%Financial or Accounting - 18%What is the average salary of a certified Scrum Master?As a certified Scrum Master, salary is the last thing you need to worry about. A Scrum certification alone will boost your salary manyfold.According to a research by Glassdoor in 2018, the role of Scrum Master is one of the highest paid jobs in the United States with a median base salary of $98,239 and with job openings of over 1800. Being certified makes the Scrum Master a more accomplished person for the job, providing prospective employers with acknowledgement of their skills.The following is the average salary of a Scrum Master by region, as per the survey: 2019 Scrum Master Trends.CityAverage SalaryNorth America$113,295Europe$76,889South America$43,505Africa$62,571Asia$40,326Oceania$149,507Top Scrum Master CertificationsHere’s is a globally acclaimed Scrum Master certification programs:Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) by Scrum Alliance®Professional Scrum MasterTM I (PSM I) by Scrum.orgSAFe® Scrum Master (SSM) Certification by Scaled AgileEXIN Agile Scrum Master by EXINScrum Master Certified (SMC™) by SCRUMstudyScrum Master Accredited Certification™ by International Scrum Institute™Advanced & related Scrum Master certifications:Advanced-CSM® (A-CSM®) by Scrum Alliance®Certified Scrum Professional®-ScrumMaster (CSP®-SM)  by Scrum Alliance®Professional Scrum MasterTM II (PSM II) by Scrum.orgProfessional Scrum MasterTM III (PSM III) by Scrum.orgPMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® from Project Management Institute (PMI)How do I get a Scrum Master certification?To become a professional Scrum Master, you need to clear an examination or assessment and get certified. This will help you to get a better understanding of the fundamentals of  Scrum framework, values, practices and applications. It also provides a level of expertise and knowledge. Having a certification means an acknowledgement that you hold the core knowledge of Scrum as well as know how to engage with other practitioners for further collaboration and improvement.It is necessary to familiarize with Scrum and understand the prerequisites that are needed to attend any certification course. With various certification courses available in the market, it is equally necessary to research well and choose a certification according to their needs and demand.The procedure for getting certified is roughly the same for all Scrum Master certifications:Step 1: Attend training or take a course, as per the certifying body’s requirement.Step 2: Register for an examination as per the certification.Step 3: Take a test and score at least the minimum required score.Step 4: Get certified.To make things easy for you, we have put together a list of the best Scrum Master certifications which will help you get essential knowledge of the how to get certified and can also help you decide which certification to opt for.1. Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®)Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) is the most widely acknowledged Scrum Master certification. To become a Certified ScrumMaster, it is essential to attend a 2-day classroom training, after which you will be required to take an online test. You will acquire the required essential knowledge in this two-day training, which is conducted by a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST®) authorised by the Scrum Alliance®. The topics of discussion during the training include Scrum frameworks, its usage, User Stories, Estimations and Release Planning.According to the State of Scrum Report 2017-2018, Certified ScrumMaster® is the most popular certification, selected by 84% of the respondents.1.1 Who is the authorised body for Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) certification?Scrum Alliance® is the authorised body for the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification.1.2. What is the eligibility & prerequisites for Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) certification?There are no eligibility criteria for a CSM certification. But, it is advisable to have familiarity with the Scrum framework. You have to take up a two-day (16 hours) course, which is conducted by a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST®). This course provides an overview of supporting and organising a Scrum team.Taking a course is mandatory for Certified ScrumMaster® certification.1.3. What is the cost of Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) certification?Cost of 2-day Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) course is around $1000 (depends on your training provider), which also includes the cost of certification and examination fee.1.4 How to become a Certified Scrum Master (CSM®) with Scrum Alliance®Attend a 2-day Scrum Master course from a Registered Education Provider (REP) like KnowledgeHut.After your course completion, you’ll receive an email with a unique username from Scrum Alliance® to register online. Click on the activation link, log in with the given username and create your own password. Fill in your profile information in all the mandatory fields.Proceed by clicking on “Take CSM® test” form the certification dashboard that can be reached on the settings page. You can take the test within 90 days after completion of the Scrum Master course.Take the test.After passing the test, you can download your internationally valid Certified ScrumMaser® certificate from the certification dashboard (under the “Print Certificate” option). Scrum Alliance® has partnered with BadgeCert Inc. allowing you to display a secure and verifiable digital certification badge on social networks, resumes, email signatures, and websites.1.5. What will the Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) certification exam be like?Take the test, which comprises of 50 multiple-choice questions based on the CSM® learning objectives within a 60 minute time limit. The test can be taken anytime, anywhere and is available to take in English, Spanish (Castilian), Portuguese, French, Italian, German, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Danish, Czech, and Russian. You’ll be tested on the types of topics and questions as mentioned in CSM Test Specifications Outline. The passing score is 74% - this means you should have answered 37 questions correctly.1.6. Reattempts for Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) certification examIf you don’t pass your exam in the first attempt, you can take up a second attempt without any extra charge.If you fail the second time as well, you can attempt the exam again by paying a fee of $25 to ScrumAlliance.If you are a Certified ScrumMaster and are wishing to level up, then you can opt for the Advanced Certified ScrumMaster certification. The Advanced Certified ScrumMaster certification has been discussed further in the blog under the advanced certification sectionHow to renew your Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) certification?Every two years, it is necessary to get the certification renewed by paying a fee of $100 as well as earn 20 Scrum Education Units® (SEU®). Learn how to earn SEUs here.2. Professional Scrum MasterTM I (PSM I)Professional Scrum Master I is another highly sought after Scrum Master certification offered by Scrum.org, founded by Ken Schwaber — the co-creator of Scrum — after he parted from Scrum Alliance®.Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) is a course with 2-days duration that covers the process theory and the principles of the Scrum framework, also covering the role of the Scrum Master. This course contains instructions as well as team-based exercises, which teaches the core of the Scrum and Agile movement.According to the 2019 Scrum Master Trends, on Scrum and facilitation training, the maximum number of votes were obtained for PSM I certification, which is 53 % of the participants.Scrum.org says Microsoft uses the PSM I assessment “to validate knowledge as part of its Silver and Gold Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) competencies”.2.1. Who is the accreditation body for Professional Scrum MasterTM I (PSM I)?Scrum.org2.2. What are the eligibility requirements & prerequisites for Professional Scrum MasterTM (PSM I) certification?There are no specific prerequisites for undertaking the examination or attending this course. The Professional Scrum Master training can be attended by professionals who are interested in attending the training and giving the examination. After completion of the course, you will receive a password for PSM I assessment conducted by Scrum.org. Subsequently, you can decide if you should proceed and undertake the PSM II and PSM III assessments.The following individuals can benefit by taking up the Professional Scrum Master training to showcase the fundamental level of Scrum mastery:Professionals who wish to pursue the Professional Scrum Master CertificationScrum Team managersTeams which are transitioning to ScrumScrum Team members such a Product Owners and developersTaking a course is optional for PSM I certification.2.3. What is the cost of the Professional Scrum MasterTM (PSM I)certification? If you are well-versed with Scrum, taking a course is optional. PSM I assessment fee is $150 per attempt.But if you to attend a 2-day training, the exam fee for the certification is included in the course price of around $350 and depends on the training provider. If you have attended the training, you’ve two attempts to clear your exam as opposed to only one chance when attempting the exam without any training.2.4. Here’s how to become a Professional Scrum MasterTM (PSM) professionalAttend a 2-day PSM training (optional). You’ll need an Assessment Password to take the test - after clearing which you’ll receive the industry recognized PSM I Certification.If you have paid for your PSM course, you’ll receive the Assessment Password to your email address. If you haven’t taken the course, you’ll have to buy PSM I assessment online to receive the Assessment PasswordThe password doesn’t have an expiration date but is valid for one attempt only if you haven’t taken the PSM 1 course, and two attempts you have taken the course.Take the test.After the completion of the assessment, the results will be emailed to you. Here’s an example Scrum.org Assessment Results email.If you have scored at least 85% in your test, your certificate and badge will be added to your member profile on Scrum.org. Your name your name will also be added to the public list of certified professionals on their website.2.5. What will be the Professional Scrum MasterTM (PSM I) examination like?With the knowledge of the Scrum Guide (authored by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland), official Scrum.org resources, and other suggested reading material, you can assess your basic Scrum knowledge before taking the actual assessment that covers topics from multiple Focus Areas defined by the Professional Scrum Competencies.  The PSM examination that can be taken in Enlish language only, consists of a total of 80 questions in the following formats: multiple choice, multiple answers and true/false.PSM exam can be a bit difficult and you’ll have 60 minutes to attempt all the questions, where you’ll have to score a minimum of 85% in order to pass the examination.2.6. How to renew the Professional Scrum MasterTM (PSM) certificationAlong with the PSM certification, any Scrum.org certificate is has a lifelong validity and do not require any additional payments or renewals.3. SAFe® Scrum MasterGain a thorough understanding of the roles of a Scrum Master in a SAFe® enterprise by attending a 2-day course. With the help of this course, explore the roles of a Scrum Master at the enterprise level and prepare yourself to plan and execute the Program Increment successfully, which is the primary enabler of alignment through all levels of SAFe® organisation. Discover different approaches to become a servant leader and coach to build high performing Agile teams.  3.1. Who is the authorised body for SAFe® Scrum Master certification?Scaled Agile is the authorised body for SAFe ® Scrum Master certification.3.2. What are the eligibility & prerequisites for SAFe® Scrum Master certification?The course is open to all, regardless of what experience you hold. But, the following prerequisites are recommended for those who wish to take the SAFe Scrum Master (SSM) certification exam:Insight of Agile concepts and principlesAwareness of Scrum, eXtreme Programming (XP) and KanbanWorking knowledge of hardware and software development processes3.3. What is the certification cost for SAFe® Scrum Master certification?The first attempt of the exam is included as a part of the course registration fee, provided the exam is taken within 30 days of completion of the course. Each retake attempt costs $50.3.4. Here’s how to become a SAFe® Scrum Master professional:The very first step is to attend a SAFe® Scrum Master course. This is a requirement as this will help you gain access to all the study material as well as the examination.Upon completion of your SAFe® Scrum Master course, you can gain access of the examination within the SAFe® Community Platform.Take the test.After clearing the test, you’ll get a Certified SAFe® 4 Scrum Master PDF certificate or a Certified SAFe® 4 Scrum Master digital badge along with a one-year membership to the SAFe Community Platform, which includes access to the SSM Community of Practice.3.5. What will the SAFe® Scrum Master certification examination be like?The SAFe® Scrum Master certification examination can be taken in English, consists of a total of 45 questions of the type multiple choice and multiple select, and out of which you are required to score a minimum of 73% (33 out of 45) to obtain your certification. The time duration for the exam is 90 minutes. Here are a few sample test questions.3.6.Reattempts for SAFe® Scrum Master certification examThe first retake, that is the second attempt of the examination can be taken immediately after the first attempt. The third attempt requires a 10-day wait, while a fourth attempt requires a 30-day wait. Each retake attempt costs $50.3.7. How to renew your SAFe® Scrum Master certification?SAFe® certifications hold the validity for one year. After the completion of first year, you will be required to renew your certification by paying a renewal fee of $100.4. EXIN Agile Scrum Master (ASM)The EXIN Agile Scrum Master certification is a unique certification that combines the Scrum practices and Agile methodologies along with practical assignments. The certification tests the proficiency of a Scrum Master which is required to coach, facilitate and enable a cross-functional team. The course covers various topics like the role of the Scrum master, Adopting Agile, Agile planning estimation, control, monitoring, etc. This certification can be attained by professionals belonging to fields like business management, IT project management, Software development, IT service management.4.1. What is the accreditation body for the Agile Scrum Master (ASM) certification?EXIN is the accreditation body for Agile Scrum Master (ASM) Certification.4.2. What are the eligibility requirements & prerequisites for ASM certification?There are no particular eligibility criteria for the Agile Scrum Master course. But it is mandatory for you to successfully complete an EXIN Accredited Agile Scrum Master Training.This certification is suitable for professionals in the following fields:Business managementSoftware DevelopmentIT Project ManagementIT Service Management4.3. What is the cost of the Agile Scrum Master (ASM) examination?The cost of the examination comes around $260, without any training course. If you have opted for a training course, it will include the exam fee as well.    4.4. What is the Agile Scrum Master (ASM) examination like?The  EXIN Agile Scrum Master certification examination consists of a total of 40 multiple choice questions (can be taken in English, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Latin American Spanish, Dutch, German, Polish, Czech, Chinese). The difficulty level for the examination is advanced and the exam duration is 90 minutes. You have to score a minimum of 65% in order to pass the examination and to get the ASM certification.5. Scrum Master Certified (SMC™)The Scrum Master Certified (SMC™) professionals can ensure that the Scrum Team is provided with the proper environment which helps the team in completing the project successfully. It is the duty of the Scrum Master to make sure that the Scrum process is being followed, while at the same time he is responsible to guide, facilitate and teach the Scrum practices to everyone who is involved in the project.5.1. Who is the accreditation body for Scrum Master Certified (SMC™)?SCRUMstudy is the accreditation body for Scrum Master Certified (SMC™)5.2. What are the eligibility requirements & prerequisites for SMC™ certification?This certification is suitable for anyone who is interested in becoming a Scrum Master. There aren’t any specific prerequisites needed for this course. But, if you  who have completed the Scrum Developer Certified (SDC™) certification before opting for this certification are highly preferred.Moreover, it is recommended that you attend a 2-day SMC classroom training provided by a SCRUMstudy approved Authorized Training Partner (A.T.P.).5.3. What is the cost of the Scrum Master Certified (SMC™) examination?The cost of the examination is $450.5.4. What is the Scrum Master Certified (SMC™) examination like?The  SMC™ certification examination consists of a total of 100 Multiple Choice questions. The exam duration is 120 minutes. The current pass rate of this examination is 95%.5.5. How do I maintain my Scrum Master Certified (SMC™) certification?You are required to maintain 40 Recertification Units (RCUs) every 3 years in order to maintain your certification.6. Scrum Master Accredited Certification™The Scrum Master Accredited Certification Program is an online test examination that can be taken from anywhere around the world. The examination success rate is 98%.6.1. Who is the accreditation body for Scrum Master Accredited Certification™?International Scrum Institute™6.2. What are the eligibility requirements & prerequisites for Scrum Master Accredited Certification™?This certification is suitable for anyone who is interested in becoming a Scrum Master.6.3. What is the cost of certification for Scrum Master Accredited Certification™?The test and certification cost for Scrum Master Accredited Certification is $69, with no other hidden costs or fees involved.The number of re-attempts: you can retake your examination for 10 times, without any additional fee. If you fail at your last attempt, the full amount of registration fee will be refunded to you.6.4. What will the Scrum Master Accredited Certification™ be examination like?The test contains 50 multiple-choice questions that you have attempt within 60 minutes. In order to obtain the certification, you will have to answer at least 60% of your test questions correctly.Summary of comparison between Scrum Master CertificationsCertificationAuthorized BodyDifficulty level Exam  DurationNo. of Questions CostRenewalCertified ScrumMaster (CSM®)Scrum Alliance®EasyNo Duration35$1400 (including a mandatory course fee)$100, every 2 yearsProfessional Scrum MasterTM (PSM)Scrum.orgMedium1 hour80$150 (course fee not included -depends on provider)Not required, has a lifetime validitySAFe® Scrum MasterScaled AgileDifficult1.5 hours45$995 – $1,295 (including a mandatory course fee)$100, every yearEXIN Agile Scrum Master (ASM)EXINDifficult1.5 hours40$260Not required, has a lifetime validityScrum Master Certified (SMC™)SCRUMstudyEasy2 hours100$45040 RCUs every 3 yearsScrum Master Accredited Certification™International Scrum InstituteDifficult1 hour50$69Not required, has a lifetime validityAdvanced and Related Scrum Master certifications1. Advanced CSM® (A-CSM®)If you have Certified ScrumMaster certification from Scrum Alliance® and have twelve months of working experience as a Scrum Master in the last five years you can get Advanced CSM® certificate after taking the class and “successfully completing all educator-designed components of an approved educational offering”.This course demands that you need to have a basic understanding of Scrum along with its practical usage and implementation. This workshop will help you get a deeper insight into the  Scrum Framework and how it relates to the Agile Manifesto and learn the ways to coach the Product Owner and development team members. You can renew your A-CSM® by earning Scrum Education Units® (SEUs) every two years.2. Certified Scrum Professional®-ScrumMaster (CSP®-SM) The CSP-SM certification is unique and distinct to developers. Along with the certification, the professional get opportunities to attend exclusive CSP events along with many other leaders in Scrum and Agile. The certification helps professionals to make an impression on the recruiters as well as attract a higher rate of pay.If you have an active A-CSM® certification with 24 months of experience as a Scrum Master in the last five years, and attend a CSP-SM workshop which is conducted by the Scrum Alliance® approved ‘Path to CSP Educator’, you can get certified after “Successfully complete all educator-designed components of an approved educational offering”You can renew your CSP-SM by earning Scrum Education Units® (SEUs) every two years.3. Professional Scrum MasterTM II (PSM II) & Professional Scrum MasterTM III (PSM III)The Professional Scrum Master II (PSM II) and Professional Scrum Master III (PSM III) are advanced-level courses from Scrum.org. You can attend an optional 2-day training for PSM II, while there isn’t any training required for PSM III. If you have cleared the PSM I assessment, can opt for PSM II assessment. If you have cleared the PSM and PSM II assessments and if you wish to gain a distinguished level of Scrum mastery can take up the PSM™ III assessment.PSM II assessment will cost you $250, will have 30 questions to answer in 90 minutes, and needs at least 85% passing to get certified. Whereas, PSM III assessment will cost you $500, will have 34 questions to answer in 120 minutes, and needs at least 85% passing score to get certified.4. PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® from Project Management Institute (PMI)PMI-ACP acknowledges your knowledge and skill in Agile principles and techniques. The PMI-ACP covers agile approaches such as Scrum, Kanban, Lean, extreme programming (XP) and test-driven development (TDD.)If you have 2,000 hours of general project experience working on teams along with1,500 hours working on agile project teams or with agile methodologies and 21 contact hours of training in agile practices, you can get PMI ACP certified after clearing the exam having 120 multiple-choice questions within 3 hours. You can renew your PMI-ACP certification every 3 years by earning professional development units (PDUs) in agile topicsThe Career path for a Scrum MasterBeing a certified Scrum Master opens the door for opportunities growth.1. Scrum MasterAfter completing the Scrum Master certification, the Scrum Master gets to perform all the roles that a Scrum Master is assigned to do. They need to work in this position for a minimum duration of one year to five years.2. Senior Scrum MasterAfter Scrum Master, you progress to becoming a Senior Scrum Master. A Senior Scrum Master needs to gather advanced knowledge of the best practices of Scrum and should know how to implement them in teams as well.3. Agile CoachFor the transition to become an Agile Coach from a Senior Scrum Master. It is essential for you to have a minimum of five years of knowledge in being a Scrum Master along with at least one year of experience of coaching and mentoring.Scrum is an Agile development framework which is used to manage the process of product development. The Scrum Master is a person who is responsible for implementing Scrum amongst the team members, remove the obstacles faced by them and make sure that the team members understand Scrum and its principles. He does the planning, takes care of the team backlog, sprint retrospective and sprint demo.Scrum Master certification opens the door to a leap in career growth. There are many certifications options to choose from. With the provided information, we hope you will choose a best Scrum Master certification as per your expectations and requirement work towards your getting your dream job.
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Scrum Master Certification - The Definitive Guide
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Scrum Master Certification - The Definitive Guide

What is a Scrum Master?The Scrum Master in a Scrum... Read More

How to Be a Great Scrum Master: Best Practices & Tips

So you spent two days on the Certified Scrum Master course and passed with flying colors. Congratulations.  For a project to be successful, it is important to set the right expectations. Now the real work begins.I would like to give you some pointers of things you can do to make your new role easier to manage.1. You and the Product Owner are joined at the hipHere, one can look at this relationship as being a new twist on the prisoner’s dilemma, albeit with a new twist. Defection is painful for everyone, so you need to find ways to cooperate.Look for the source of motivation for your team – A cross-functional team might be defined as a team of equals, but the Scrum Master is responsible for enabling the team to get the work done. Sometimes, this requires holding out a carrot (you get a goodie) or the stick (your work quality is unacceptable). Use both these tools wisely.2. Make it funLet’s be honest. It’s extremely difficult to motivate people if work is a drudge, so make it lively.Join a support group – Sometimes, it’s lonely being a Scrum Master. Nobody understands your situation, and you have no one to turn to. It’s good to know that there are others out there who understand your plight, so reach out to your fellow Scrum Masters and feel good about consoling yourselves.3. Live in realityRemember, both you and your team can only do what you can do. That’s what Agile is all about, but such an attitude is difficult for an overachiever.4. From beginning to endTraceability is a technique worth treasuring. Going from top to bottom…and then reverse. Does it still make sense? Don’t be surprised if you found some gaps. After all, we’re only human.5. Focus on one project at a time If you handle more than one project, it truly means you are partially committed to the project and are not able to give your 100% to it. A capable ScrumMaster may handle multiple projects, but successful projects are handled one at a time. 6. Increased team effectivenessScrum results are advantageous only as a team effort. In this approach, emphasizing on individual results becomes an impediment.7. Facilitating & not controlling It’s important to know that as an effective ScrumMaster, you should rely on the principles of self-management and not managing the team.8. Striking a work-life balanceTo ensure consistent performance, it’s vital that the work attributed to team members isn’t too much, requiring them to compromise their personal time that would lead to burnout, dissatisfaction, and poor output. 9. Updating team on work progressWhen a team member states that he has completed a task, how does one determine that it is done as expected? Here, it would help to have an auditable checklist so that the team can recognize what the real state is and strive to accomplish each activity based on definitions.10. MotivateLack of motivation reflects on ScrumMaster’s job. When the team works in unison, it means you can achieve desired results. However, if a team member is not motivated enough, it means the ScrumMaster is not doing his job well. Even if one team member is not in sync, it increases the project risk.11. Be a guideThe role of a ScrumMaster is similar to that of a tourist guide. He can guide you, but not control you. The ScrumMaster too is expected to make a difference but he can’t have any formal authority over the team members.12. Demonstrate ownershipWhile a good scrum master knows that he is responsible for ensuring the success of the team by removing all roadblocks that may hinder the progress, a great one rather takes the onus of driving the team on that road to Scrum success. Though a Scrum Master may lack authority to direct team, a great Scrum Master addresses the unspoken needs of the team to be able to comfortably work with each other. A great Scrum Master ensures that the team environment is conducive to discussion and collaboration which undisputedly the soul of any successful work.13. Show humilityA good Scrum Master relies on coordination to bring the team on the same page but a great Scrum Master rather understands the need to facilitate the scrum process. Any Scrum Master would know that glory for a Scrum Master truly lies in the success of the team rather than just for their own self. A great Scrum Master can identify and align the value that each member brings to the table and thus enhances the overall team potential. Also. the key ingredient here is to know that each team is different and each team may need a different approach. This mode of continuous learning keeps the humility alive in a great Scrum Master.14. Team culture is importantA great Scrum Master knows the importance of a collaborative culture for a successful team. The intent here is to establish collaboration, discussion, and debate to resolve any question, query or conflict among team members. A sense of gain in all the members on arriving at a useful conclusion is continuously reinforced by a great Scrum Master to develop a collaborative culture.15. Have dedicationSince Scrum Masters do not usually work in this role full time, great Scrum Master is someone who ensures commitment to the project through the sprints till the successful completion of the project. Usually, this requires a focus on removing all impediments as soon as possible to ensure that every sprint can achieve its desirable outcomes. All the roadblocks are timely addressed by all great Scrum Masters.16. Be influentialGarnering influence from the team is an essential trait to persuade the team to dedicate their team goals to the Scrum way. It also helps when a great Scrum Master is able to identify resources that the team may require but are not readily available. A great Scrum Master is able to proactively understand the needs of the team and use influence to make them accessible to the team when they may require it. Within the team also a great Scrum Master can convince team members to use new, better approaches and tools to solve their problems.17. Be knowledgeableThough every Scrum Master learns Scrum and improves their approach with every project, a great Scrum Master continuously learns and unlearns the details of what the team does as part of their scope. This helps the Scrum Master to be great because only with the knowledge are they able to understand the criticality of decisions that are taken through the process and can address issues that may be technical in nature. They are in turn more effective and are more successful at facilitating the team.18. Keep the team goal-orientedFor the development of a product and its management, the development team has certain predetermined goals that must be achieved within a limited time period. The deadlines keep the team oriented towards completing tasks. As a ScrumMaster, your duty would be to make deadlines and goals clearly visible to everyone involved in the team.19. Impend obstaclesYou need to remove any blocks and barriers that come in the team’s way to accomplish their objectives and provide matchless quality in performance. You will have to monitor your team’s execution and prevent distractions like unnecessary complexity in procedures, delay in resources, challenges pertaining to work environment and other factors, or even having too many office meetings that interfere with the workflow.20. Maintain a balanceMaintaining a balance between the product owner and development team tactfully is one of the major responsibilities of a ScrumMaster. Knowing the product owner’s requirements and conveying them to your team in a way that will yield apt and quick results is not as simple as it sounds. You will have to ensure your team delivers with maximum efficiency while rolling out a high quality product and meeting the client’s specifications.21. Teach the team scrum practicesEducate your team about Scrum practices to make the workflow better. Through these practices, you must be able to build self-organised teams, implement simple and adaptable techniques, create a smooth flow of information between team members and product owners or any other external groups, having a common vision for your team, product, and project, monitoring the project for smooth operation and giving timely feedback, and providing team flexibility without compromising on customer needs.22. Introduce techniques and toolsAs a ScrumMaster, you will need to ensure your team uses adaptable techniques and engineering tools for the enhancement of the project. Keep a simple design, provide a time-to-time review, reduce time and efforts with automated builds, provide a multi-level automated testing, improve the software quality, and adapt to the latest industry trends and procedures to make the project more efficient.23. Support collaborationsScrum-prescribed collaborations help you etch out a strong plan that enables faster and better results. So, encourage collaboration amongst your team by releasing planning sessions, iterating these sessions, conducting daily standup meetings, reviewing iterations, having demo sessions, and finally holding a retrospective session to reflect on the issues related to the project.24. Keep the learning process going Be it for yourself or for your team, learning should be a continual process. Learning new techniques and inculcating new methodologies will definitely help in the enhancement of the product. You can learn new ways of solving problems. It also gives you the benefit of knowing the ever-changing market and customer needs.As a ScrumMaster, you have many responsibilities. The good to great journey for a Scrum Master may not come easy. There are always roadblocks associated with managing team members, keeping the team focused and most importantly maintaining the momentum to achieve deliverables each sprint. Being mindful of following tacit aspects are cues to scaling that journey. Open communication, active contribution from team members and product owners, stressing on people over processes and customer value over extensive documentation, are some of the Scrum-based strategies that help in deriving effective outcomes and delivering complete customer satisfaction.
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How to Be a Great Scrum Master: Best Practices & Tips
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How to Be a Great Scrum Master: Best Practices & T...

So you spent two days on the Certified Scrum Maste... Read More