How to Overcome some of the more Painful Challenges in Scrum
Frederik De Breuck
Driving Customer Success with Breakthrough Innovation | Head of Innovation & Technology at Fujitsu Benelux | AI, Blockchain & Sustainability Expert | Follow for Strategy & Leadership insights
As a scrum enthusiast, I have been using the framework for many years and have seen it work wonders for teams of all sizes and various industries and sometimes massively fail. Despite its challenges, I still believe in the potential of Scrum to improve team dynamics, communication, and overall performance, just as I genuinely believe in Design Thinking, Product Management, and Co-creation. It is not always easy, but it is worth the effort. As complexity grows, I will share some of my experiences and tips on establishing and maintaining a high-performing Scrum team. I will also share some of the best practices, methodologies, and resources I’ve found helpful in my journey. Whether you're new to Scrum or a seasoned practitioner, I hope this provides you with some valuable insights and inspiration to keep improving your Scrum team's performance.
The intro
Scrum is a widely-used methodology for managing complex and international application development journeys. A well-functioning Scrum team is essential for delivering high-quality products and meeting project goals. However, as complexity grows, Scrum teams can face challenges that can degrade their performance over time. I wanted to explore the challenges of maintaining a high-performing Scrum team and provide suggestions for structurally and persistently improving the situation, as we are all confronted with (also in other methodologies).
One of the biggest challenges that Scrum teams face is maintaining good team dynamics and communication. Retrospective meetings and conflict resolution are essential for addressing issues and improving the team's performance. However, conducting these meetings effectively and resolving conflicts efficiently can take time and effort. Additionally, involving stakeholders and line managers in the Scrum process is crucial for aligning the team's efforts with project goals.
Another challenge that Scrum teams face is developing Scrum expertise. Coaching and mentoring are essential for developing team members' Scrum expertise, but strategies for doing so sometimes must be clarified. Additionally, access to Scrum best practices and methodologies can be difficult, and continuously educating the team is essential for staying up to date with the latest Scrum practices.
Measuring and improving performance is also a challenge for Scrum teams. Surveys and feedback can be used to measure team satisfaction and engagement, and using this feedback to improve the Scrum process is essential. Clear and consistent definitions of done and acceptance criteria are also crucial for ensuring that the team delivers high-quality products.
This blog will explore these challenges in more detail and provide suggestions for overcoming them. By implementing these suggestions, Scrum teams can improve their performance and delivery.
Improving Team Dynamics and Communication
Effective communication and team dynamics are critical to maintaining a high-performing Scrum team. One way to improve these areas is through conducting regular retrospective meetings and implementing techniques for effective conflict resolution.
Aligning the team's efforts with project goals: Scrum teams need to have a shared understanding of the product vision, and everyone should be aware of the purposes of the product and the sprints. This can be achieved by sharing the product backlog and sprint backlog with the team, repeatedly explaining, and involving the team in the planning process.
Keeping up with and conducting these regular retrospective meetings, implementing effective conflict resolution techniques, involving stakeholders and line managers in the process, and aligning the team's efforts with project goals are essential for improving team dynamics and communication in Scrum teams.
Developing Scrum Expertise
As a Scrum team progresses through multiple sprints and projects, it is essential to develop its members' expertise continuously. This ensures the team stays current with Scrum best practices and helps improve overall performance.
One effective way to develop Scrum expertise is through coaching and mentoring. A study by the Scrum Alliance found that teams with a dedicated coach or mentor were more likely to implement Scrum successfully, with 85% of teams reporting an improvement in their ability to deliver value.
To implement coaching and mentoring within your team, consider assigning a dedicated coach or mentor to work with the team or provide training and resources for team members to take on coaching roles themselves. Regular check-ins between coaches, mentors, and team members are essential to providing guidance and support.
In addition to coaching and mentoring, it is essential to provide the team with access to education and resources. This can be done by encouraging team members to attend Scrum-related workshops and conferences, providing access to Scrum training materials, or subscribing to Scrum-related publications.
It is important to note that developing Scrum expertise isn't a one-time event; It is a continuous process that requires ongoing effort and commitment from the team. To ensure success, allocate time and resources for team members to continue learning and developing their Scrum skills.
Measuring and Improving Performance
As a Scrum team, it is important to regularly measure and assess your performance to identify areas for improvement and ensure that you are on track to meet your goals. One of the best ways to do this is through surveys and feedback.
According to a study by Scrum Alliance, teams that regularly conduct retrospectives and gather feedback have a satisfaction rate of 80%, compared to teams that do not gather input, with a satisfaction rate of only 60%. This highlights the importance of regularly collecting feedback from team members to gauge their satisfaction and engagement with the Scrum process.
领英推荐
One way to gather feedback is to survey each retrospective (note: I wish we did that knowing what I know now). The survey should include questions about the team's overall satisfaction with the Scrum process and specific questions about communication, conflict resolution, and other areas that may be causing issues. The survey results can then be used to identify areas for improvement and develop action plans to address any identified issues.
Another critical aspect of measuring and improving performance is to have clear and consistent definitions of "Done" and acceptance criteria. According to the Scrum Guide, one of the roles of the Scrum Master is to ensure that the team understands and uses a consistent definition of "Done." This means that everyone on the team should clearly understand what is required for a product increment to be considered complete.
Having a clear definition of "Done" also helps with planning and estimating, allowing the team to assess more accurately how much work is required for a particular task or feature. It also helps to ensure that the team is aligned with the project goals and that everyone is working towards the same end goal.
To ensure that the team's definitions of "Done" and acceptance criteria are clear and consistent, It is essential to review and update them regularly. This can be done during retrospective meetings, where the team can discuss any issues that have arisen and make necessary changes to the definitions.
Overall, measuring and improving performance is an ongoing process that requires regular feedback, precise definitions, and continuous education. By regularly gathering feedback and making improvements, teams can ensure that they are on track to meet their goals and improve their overall Scrum process.
A Conclusion (sort of)
Teams and companies must recognize the importance of a well-functioning Scrum team and the challenges that arise as complexity grows. It requires various strategies and techniques that teams can use to improve their dynamics and communication, develop Scrum expertise, and measure and improve performance.
Every role and stakeholder should understand their part in the importance of retrospective meetings, effective conflict resolution techniques, and the role of stakeholders and line managers in aligning the team's efforts with project goals.
Coaching and mentoring, strategies for developing team members' Scrum expertise, and ways to access Scrum best practices and methodologies to educate the team continuously remain critical in every journey.
Measuring progress means measuring team satisfaction and engagement through surveys and feedback and the importance of clear and consistent definitions of done and acceptance criteria.
Maintaining a high-performing Scrum team requires ongoing effort and attention to team dynamics, communication, expertise, and performance. It is vital to track the results and adjust accordingly. By implementing some of the strategies and techniques mentioned, teams can increase their chances of success and improve their overall performance.
As a takeaway, here is a set of tips.
I. Improving Team Dynamics and Communication
II. Developing Scrum Expertise
III. Measuring and Improving Performance
References: