What is "the Scrum Team"?
The success of any Scrum project hangs on the Scrum Team. They are the key to making each element of Scrum work.
In this article, we look at why the team is so important, the roles within a Scrum Team, and how the team works.
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Covered in this Article:
Why is the Scrum Team so Important?
The Scrum approach to managing projects was inspired by the self-organising nature of rugby teams. This means that Scrum thrives on a tightly-knit team working well together.
Every team member must understand their role and follow the 5 Scrum Values (see below) to make the everything flow smoothly.
Respect:
The Scrum Team members must respect each other.
Focus:
The team focuses on the work to achieve the goals of the Sprint.
Openness:
Clear and open communication throughout the Sprint, between the team members and other stakeholders.
Commitment:
Each person within the team commits to the goals of the Sprint.
Courage:
Team members have the courage to face up to tricky problems and to do what is right in any given situation.
What are the roles of a Scrum team?
In a Scrum Team, the roles and responsibilities are very clearly outlined so that everyone knows what is expected from their work.
Scrum Product Owner
You’ll often hear this role referred to as “the key stakeholder”. This is because a Scrum Product Owner communicates with and advocates for the customer throughout a Sprint.
They define the Sprint’s criteria and will work with the Scrum Master to reframe priorities as the Sprint progresses.
Scrum Product Owners stay focused on the end result at all time. They are “big picture” people, helping the rest of the team and the customer moving towards the goals.
Scrum Master
The role of Scrum Master is the
most popular of all Scrum Team roles. It’s so much in demand, that we run a public
Scrum Master Certified course all year round.
Why is this? Perhaps it's because the Scrum Master the main facilitator for
implementing Scrum successfully, protecting the Scrum Developers.
They also work closely with the Scrum Product Owner, and
trouble-shooting any distractions or obstacles that arise.
Scrum Developers (the Scrum Team)
Scrum Developers, often simply called the “scrum team members”. They work on the project to create the deliverables.
They also communicate regularly with the Scrum Master and Scrum Product Owner.
Scrum Developers must have a good understanding of how Scrum works so that they can be actively contribute to the Sprint.
How does the Team Work?
There’s a lot going on in every Scrum Sprint. Keeping track of everything requires the team to work in harmony, adhering to Scrum Values. Here’s how they do it:
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Communicate and Collaborate Regularly
The Daily Stand-Up is a well-known part of the Scrum architecture. Every morning, the Scrum Team have a short meeting (usually 15 minutes). Everyone discusses what they did yesterday, what they plan to do today, and any obstacles in their way.
This is a super platform for creating visibility, avoiding confusion, and sharing both ideas and solutions.
Understand Scrum
Everyone on the Scrum team must be familiar with and understand the Principles of Scrum. This ensures everyone is using common terminology, and a shared approach to work.Stay Within Your Role…
Roles on a Scrum Team are clearly defined for a very good reason. Each member must focus on ensuring the responsibilities within their role are covered.… Trust Your Team
It follows that you need to trust your fellow team members to do the same.
Where do you fit in within the Scrum Team?
This is an interesting question. Many project managers are choosing to train in
more than one role, so that they can slot into whichever they suit best in a particular Sprint.
The most popular place to begin your journey with Scrum is by learning about and getting certified in the
Scrum Master role.
If you feel ready to get started with
Scrum Master training, you can learn more about our course below.
Scrum Team Training
If you would like to organise training for your team, we can create a tailored solution to fit your precise needs.
Our in-company Scrum training is extremely flexible – perfect for organisations that need a mix of Scrum Product Owners, Scrum Masters and Scrum Developers.
