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Scrum Master Guide: roles, responsibilities, and challenges
Scrum was created almost 30 years ago but remains one of the most popular ways of working for development teams worldwide. Many people learn Scrum theory, develop new techniques, create and use different tools, and share their knowledge with the community. In other words, the global Scrum expertise is only growing. Scrum attracts more and more adepts from different spheres, and these aspiring professionals are interested in gaining and improving their skills. So let's take a closer look at a Scrum Master's portrait from all angles and learn how to start a career in this field.
The Scrum Guide says that “Scrum is a lightweight framework that helps people, teams, and organizations generate value through adaptive solutions for complex problems.” As a Scrum Master myself, I would put a lot of stress on “framework.” In other words, Scrum is not a methodology as many people think. Instead, it is some kind of a “skeleton” that supports its basic principles. Scrum says what to do but doesn’t say how. The way of working and value delivery represent, so to speak, a sort of “flesh” covering this skeleton. It is being created, continuously improved, and adapted by the Scrum Team, with a Scrum Master playing a vital role in this process. That’s why Scrum may be different in different teams: what works well for one team may not be effective for another.
The Scrum Guide says that a Scrum Master serves:
In his/her turn, a Scrum Master:
Scrum Masters are true leaders (prior to the release of the Scrum Guide version in November 2020, they were defined as servant-leaders). Considering all the points mentioned above, one gets the impression that Scrum Masters help and inspire everyone, make the team’s life happier, and drive exciting events that involve all the participants. With such an image in mind, people are eager to choose the career of a Scrum Master. However, more often than not, non-specialists have no idea what exactly they need to do.
To avoid confusion when we are talking about Scrum Masters, we should understand one thing. The Scrum Master is more about a role than about a person. Depending on a project and the level of Scrum culture within an organization, different people can perform this role. Let’s review some real-world examples:
No matter what your position is, the journey of a Scrum Master starts the same. The first step is to study the Scrum Guide. Scrum authorized courses and certification will be an advantage.
But a Scrum Master is not just a skill or knowledge: I’d say this is the way of being. You should turn your knowledge into practice, improve your skills, try new techniques in various projects and sprints.
There are different levels definitions of a Scrum Master’s maturity, but the main idea that Scrum Masters need to evolve in multi-directions simultaneously:
An experienced Scrum Master is a great addition to every Scrum Team. If you’re thinking of starting a career in this field, make the first move by reading the Scrum Guide. Improve your hard- and soft-skills, learn new techniques, but never forget about real-world restrictions and limitations when applying Scrum. Write your personal Scrum success stories. I wish you luck in starting your journey and Scrum on!
P.S. Here at Akveo, we adapted Scrum to meet our everyday challenges and deal with recurring product development issues. Download the process adaptation doc in PDF format for free. You can use the described flow in your project once you've downloaded the doc.
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