Agile Scrum is being in practice with many software development teams as well as teams in non-software development. How the Agile Scrum is implemented is dependent on each organization and how they adapt the Scrum principles. However, getting certification from a Certified Scrum Trainer will guide the teams in the Scrum principles and roles.
Often, we come across Scrum teams where the Scrum Master is writing user stories or the Product Owner is conducting the Scrum events. In some teams, Product Owner is also part of the development team. This may be customized according to the organization. But, certified professionals can clearly see the improper implementation of Scrum. Scrum teams are cross-functional and self-organizing. The three important roles in the Scrum teams are the Development team, Product Owner, and Scrum Master. Each has their own responsibilities.
Product Owner
In Agile Scrum teams, Product Owner becomes the business representative for the Scrum teams. Here are the responsibilities of a Product Owner:
- Always available for the team, knowledgeable in technical and business domain, and is agile
- Communicates the product vision and product roadmap
- Manages the product backlog
- Writes user stories and acceptance criteria/tests
- Prioritize the product backlog and sprint backlog
- Responsible for backlog grooming
- Determines the sprint duration and estimating the user stories
- Communicates with the business team and the development team
- Works closely with the business to know actually what they want from the product
- Quickly adapts to the change requests from the business
- Partners with the Scrum Master for the overall performance of the Scrum team
- Works only for one Scrum team
- Attends daily scrum (optional)
- Does not speak until spoken to 🙂
- Lets the development team figure out how they are going to develop the product
- Responsible for the business outcomes
- Prepare the release plan
- Maintains continuous feedback from the business
- Seeks questions and answers from internal and external stakeholders
- Uses tools to maintain the backlog, calculate sprint velocity, and maintain burndown charts
Scrum Master
Scrum Master is responsible for removing any impediments to the development team and oversees end-to-end implementation of the Scrum principles and events.
- Monitor the Sprint events and gatherings including Sprint planning, Sprint review, Sprint retrospective, and daily scrum meetings
- Facilitates the Scrum by being a mentor and coach
- May monitor one or more Scrum teams
- Approaches business to remove impediments
- Partners with the Product Owner for Scrum implementation
Development team
- Decides how to develop the product increment
- Picks the user stories for the Sprint
- Participate in all the Scrum events
- Perform code reviews
- Performs many functions and self-organizes to meet the Sprint goals
- Complete the user stories vertically so the customer can start using the increment
- Ensure the committed user stories for the Sprint are complete in all aspects
- Works for only one Scrum team even if reporting to Project Manager from another team
- Cannot take up any work from outside the team
- Being agile to implement changes in future sprints
- Looks out for each other for the success of the Scrum team
- Complete all stages of development including testing
- Communicate with Scrum Master and Product Owner
Self-organizing and cross-functional Scrum teams are the latest way of getting things done efficiently. Collaboration and communication are key to the success. Managing complex projects can be simplified using the Scrum principles and events. Lots of discussion and consensus is required before actually starting the work so the teams can deliver what the customer actually wants.
The Scrum has changed in 2018 and here is the 2017 Scrum guide for your reference. Getting the Scrum certification from a Certified Trainer will help the Scrum teams to know what they are doing right and what is the ideal way Scrum teams are supposed to work.
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