Just Another Typical Work Week of a ScrumMaster
It looks like two teams per ScrumMaster is a new industry standard thanks to Spotify. However, in many companies, it gets even worse. I heard about three, five and even eight (sic!) teams per ScrumMaster. So, I decided to describe in detail a typical week of a ScrumMaster to give an understanding of how much and what kind of work is done by this person.
As an input for this article, I took my calendar from different periods of my professional life, some memories, and my knowledge. Let's agree that this hypothetical ScrumMaster will work with two teams.
And last but not least, please don't treat this article as a direct instruction for a ScrumMaster. Use it instead as information and inspiration.
As an input for this article, I took my calendar from different periods of my professional life, some memories, and my knowledge. Let's agree that this hypothetical ScrumMaster will work with two teams.
And last but not least, please don't treat this article as a direct instruction for a ScrumMaster. Use it instead as information and inspiration.
Monday
Morning coffee outside, since the office coffee sucks, and reading new Agile community blog-posts or a book. Thinking and reflecting on how my new knowledge could be applied in my company. (~30 minutes)
Standup (for one of the teams). (~30 minutes)
• preparation: observe a Sprint Backlog, and other informational radiators, and think about needs/opportunities to teach/mentor/coach.
• participating in and facilitating this session if needed (keep an eye out for needs/opportunities to teach/mentor/coach).
• formal and informal follow-ups.
Product Backlog Refinement (due to this, I had to skip the other team standup). (~2 hours)
• facilitate through a facilitation script created beforehand. I did it together with a Product Owner.
• ad-hoc facilitation to enrich communication if needed.
• ad-hoc teaching/coaching to assist a team to become even more awesome.
Lunch with good people. It helps to build heartfelt connections.
Meditation to maintain the needed level of awareness.
Coffee with a Product Owner outside (because... ;)) to enhance the deepness of the communication. Pair reflection on how things are going regarding team/product/stakeholders. Mentor Product Owner if there is a demand. (~1 hour)
Team offsite final preparation. (~2 hours)
• facilitation script review and final polishing.
• organizing pre-offsite workshop materials to bring to offsite.
• drawing flipcharts.
• gathering all the needed stationary.
Personal Sprint Planning. (~30 minutes)
ScrumMasters Community of Practices Quick Sync and a follow-up chit-chatting. (~30 minutes)
• keep each other up to date with what is happening around us that is important to share.
• ask for help or look for opportunities to pair-up.
Emailing, IMing and, most important, emerging conversations/collaboration. It's important to stay connected with people because of individuals and interactions over processes and tools. (Remaining time)
Standup (for one of the teams). (~30 minutes)
• preparation: observe a Sprint Backlog, and other informational radiators, and think about needs/opportunities to teach/mentor/coach.
• participating in and facilitating this session if needed (keep an eye out for needs/opportunities to teach/mentor/coach).
• formal and informal follow-ups.
Product Backlog Refinement (due to this, I had to skip the other team standup). (~2 hours)
• facilitate through a facilitation script created beforehand. I did it together with a Product Owner.
• ad-hoc facilitation to enrich communication if needed.
• ad-hoc teaching/coaching to assist a team to become even more awesome.
Lunch with good people. It helps to build heartfelt connections.
Meditation to maintain the needed level of awareness.
Coffee with a Product Owner outside (because... ;)) to enhance the deepness of the communication. Pair reflection on how things are going regarding team/product/stakeholders. Mentor Product Owner if there is a demand. (~1 hour)
Team offsite final preparation. (~2 hours)
• facilitation script review and final polishing.
• organizing pre-offsite workshop materials to bring to offsite.
• drawing flipcharts.
• gathering all the needed stationary.
Personal Sprint Planning. (~30 minutes)
ScrumMasters Community of Practices Quick Sync and a follow-up chit-chatting. (~30 minutes)
• keep each other up to date with what is happening around us that is important to share.
• ask for help or look for opportunities to pair-up.
Emailing, IMing and, most important, emerging conversations/collaboration. It's important to stay connected with people because of individuals and interactions over processes and tools. (Remaining time)
Tuesday
Arrive at an offsite venue 1 hour before the offsite starts.
• buy all the things needed for breakfast and organize.
• prepare the venue for the offsite.
Run the whole day offsite and make sure participants get the maximum out of that session.
Get drunk together because we did a great job!
P.S. I'm sorry to my other lovely team, but you'll have to be on your own today.
• buy all the things needed for breakfast and organize.
• prepare the venue for the offsite.
Run the whole day offsite and make sure participants get the maximum out of that session.
Get drunk together because we did a great job!
P.S. I'm sorry to my other lovely team, but you'll have to be on your own today.
Wednesday
Morning coffee outside again while reading new Agile community blog-posts or a book. Thinking and reflecting on how new knowledge could be applied in the company. (~30 minutes)
The Three Amigos session (Line Manager, Product Owner, ScrumMaster). While the Line Manager is not described in Scrum Guide, this role exists in most companies. We talk about current team/organization reality to be on the same page and to not step on each other toes. We also discuss what we need from an organization to support us. (~1 hour)
Sprint Review. (~2 hours)
• facilitate through a facilitation script created beforehand with the Product Owner and some other team members.
• ad-hoc facilitation to enrich communication if needed.
• ad-hoc teaching/coaching to assist a team to become even more awesome.
Long lunch with a team to celebrate the end of the Sprint.
Meditation.
Sprint Retrospective. (~1 hour 30 minutes)
• facilitate through a facilitation script created beforehand.
• ad-hoc facilitation to enrich communication if needed.
• ad-hoc teaching/coaching to assist a team to become even more awesome.
Sprint Planning. (~1 hour)
• facilitate through a facilitation script created beforehand with the Product Owner.
• ad-hoc facilitation to enrich communication if needed.
• ad-hoc teaching/coaching to assist a team to become even more awesome.
Emailing, IMing and, most important, emerging conversations/collaboration. (Remaining time)
P.S. I'm sorry to my other team, but you'll have to be on your own today
The Three Amigos session (Line Manager, Product Owner, ScrumMaster). While the Line Manager is not described in Scrum Guide, this role exists in most companies. We talk about current team/organization reality to be on the same page and to not step on each other toes. We also discuss what we need from an organization to support us. (~1 hour)
Sprint Review. (~2 hours)
• facilitate through a facilitation script created beforehand with the Product Owner and some other team members.
• ad-hoc facilitation to enrich communication if needed.
• ad-hoc teaching/coaching to assist a team to become even more awesome.
Long lunch with a team to celebrate the end of the Sprint.
Meditation.
Sprint Retrospective. (~1 hour 30 minutes)
• facilitate through a facilitation script created beforehand.
• ad-hoc facilitation to enrich communication if needed.
• ad-hoc teaching/coaching to assist a team to become even more awesome.
Sprint Planning. (~1 hour)
• facilitate through a facilitation script created beforehand with the Product Owner.
• ad-hoc facilitation to enrich communication if needed.
• ad-hoc teaching/coaching to assist a team to become even more awesome.
Emailing, IMing and, most important, emerging conversations/collaboration. (Remaining time)
P.S. I'm sorry to my other team, but you'll have to be on your own today
Thursday
Morning coffee outside while reading new Agile community blog-posts or a book. Thinking and reflecting on how new knowledge could be applied in the company. (~30 minutes)
Standups (finally for both teams!). (~1 hour)
A ScrumMaster candidate interview. (~1 hour)
Lunch. (this time alone to prepare for the next session)
Personal mentoring+coaching session. You can't mentor/coach others if you don't experience this personally. (~1 hour)
After session reflection. (~30 minutes)
Reflect and prepare the next retrospective facilitation script, taking into account the current situation. (~1 hour)
Coffee with a team member outside. Discuss current reality and mentor/coach if there is a demand. (~1 hour)
Reflect and prepare for the ScrumMasters Community of Practices Weekly Sync. (~30 minutes).
Emailing, IMing and, most important, emerging conversations/collaboration. (Remaining time)
Standups (finally for both teams!). (~1 hour)
A ScrumMaster candidate interview. (~1 hour)
Lunch. (this time alone to prepare for the next session)
Personal mentoring+coaching session. You can't mentor/coach others if you don't experience this personally. (~1 hour)
After session reflection. (~30 minutes)
Reflect and prepare the next retrospective facilitation script, taking into account the current situation. (~1 hour)
Coffee with a team member outside. Discuss current reality and mentor/coach if there is a demand. (~1 hour)
Reflect and prepare for the ScrumMasters Community of Practices Weekly Sync. (~30 minutes).
Emailing, IMing and, most important, emerging conversations/collaboration. (Remaining time)
Friday
ScrumMasters Community of Practices Weekly Sync. (~1 hour)
• discuss the overall organizational situation.
• look for opportunities to help the company become better.
After sync reflection. (~30 minutes)
Standups for both teams. (~60 minutes)
Personal Sprint Review and personal Backlog Refinement. (~1 hour)
Lunch with good people.
Personal Retrospective outside spiced up with a long walk to make reflections deeper. (~1 hour)
Prepare facilitation scripts for upcoming sessions. (~2 hours)
1 on 1 with a top-manager. (~1 hour)
• sharing organizational system observations.
• collaborative reflection.
• sharing knowledge.
• mentoring/coaching if there is a demand.
Emailing, IMing and, most important, emerging conversations/collaboration. (Remaining time)
Team Day party because one of the teams created a tradition to celebrate a team day once a month.
Do more with less and may the force be with you!
#agileism
• discuss the overall organizational situation.
• look for opportunities to help the company become better.
After sync reflection. (~30 minutes)
Standups for both teams. (~60 minutes)
Personal Sprint Review and personal Backlog Refinement. (~1 hour)
Lunch with good people.
Personal Retrospective outside spiced up with a long walk to make reflections deeper. (~1 hour)
Prepare facilitation scripts for upcoming sessions. (~2 hours)
1 on 1 with a top-manager. (~1 hour)
• sharing organizational system observations.
• collaborative reflection.
• sharing knowledge.
• mentoring/coaching if there is a demand.
Emailing, IMing and, most important, emerging conversations/collaboration. (Remaining time)
Team Day party because one of the teams created a tradition to celebrate a team day once a month.
Do more with less and may the force be with you!
#agileism
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