Core Scrum Role: The Scrum Master (The Servant Leader)

In the Scrum framework, there are three "core roles" which are mandatory for producing the product. They are committed and ultimately responsible for each sprint & the initiative's success. These roles are the Product Owner, the Agile team, and the Scrum Master.

The purpose of this article is to socialize the responsibilities, authorities of the Scrum Master and help those who are either practicing Scrum or are excited to start their Agile transition journey. 

According to the scrum guide, the Scrum Master is accountable for:

1.      Establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide. They do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice, both within the Scrum Team and the organization.

2.      The Scrum Team's effectiveness. They do this by enabling the Scrum Team to improve its practices within the Scrum framework. Scrum Masters are true leaders who serve the Scrum Team and the larger organization.

The Scrum Master fulfills the accountabilities mentioned above by helping other team members understand the Scrum framework, self-organization, and self-management, which will help the team meet their delivery goals. (The Product Owner prioritized the work; the work items are refined, and the Agile Team commits the work during Sprint Planning Session.)

The Scrum Master leads the organization's Scrum adoption and implementation within the organization. They also help employees and stakeholders understand and enact an empirical approach for intricate work. They do it by training and coaching the team members.

The Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team in several ways, including:

–        Coaching the team members in self-management and cross-functionality

–        Helping the Scrum Team focus on creating high-value Increments that meet the Definition of Done

–        Causing the removal of impediments to the Scrum Team's progress

–        Ensuring that all Scrum events take place and are positive, productive, and kept within the timebox

The Scrum Master serves the Product Owner in several ways, including:

–        Helping find techniques for effective Product Goal definition and Product Backlog management

–        Helping the Scrum Team understand the need for clear and concise Product Backlog items

–        Helping establish empirical product planning for a complex environment

–        Facilitating stakeholder collaboration as requested or needed

Scrum Master's responsibilities (not limited to)

1. Facilitates meetings of the Scrum Team to estimate and Create User Stories
2. Facilitates the Scrum Team in creating the Task List for the next Sprint
3. Facilitates selection of the Scrum Team
4. Facilitates creation of the Collaboration Plan and the Team Building Plan
5. Facilitates creation of Epic(s) and Personas
6. Facilitates Prioritized Product Backlog Review Meetings
7. Facilitate Scrum Review Meeting
8. Train the Product Owner and other team members in writing User Stories and Acceptance Criteria
9. Helps Product Owner in the creation of the Prioritized Product Backlog & in the definition of the Done Criteria
10. Assists the Scrum Team in developing the Sprint Backlog
11. Supports the Scrum Team in creating the Deliverables agreed to for the Sprint
12. Ensures that issues affecting the Scrum Team are discussed and resolved
13. Ensures that the Scrum-board and the Impediment Log remain updated
14. Helps PO in identifying Stakeholder(s) for the project

It is equally important to know what a Scrum Master is not.

A Scrum Master is not:

• The master of anybody
• A Project Manager/Coordinator
• Someone with management authority
• Directly responsible for delivering the product
• Accountable for the backlog
• To tell a team what to do
• To schedule the work to do during a sprint
• Someone to make decisions

Scrum Masters are servant leaders and coaches for an Agile Team. They help educate the organization/team(s) in Scrum and other Agile frameworks. They ensure that the agreed Agile process is being followed. They also help remove impediments and foster an environment for high-performing team dynamics and relentless improvement.