Categories
Agile

Mapping Scrum roles to Strategy and Execution

I like the way how Scrum can be mapped onto the Agility Loop and you see the value behind each role in the Scrum Team.

“Make sense – Develop a shared understanding of an ambiguous situation”

While the Scrum Master plays a facilitating role in promoting effective communication and removing impediments, and the Product Owner focuses on defining and prioritizing requirements, the actual sense-making process involves the collective intelligence and collaboration of the Developers. This ensures that the team benefits from the diverse skills, perspectives, and expertise of its members.

“Make choices – Choose what to do, not do and stop doing”

In Scrum, the responsibility of “making choices” and deciding what to do, not do, and stop doing is a collaborative effort led by the Product Owner. The Product Owner is responsible for prioritizing the backlog and making decisions about what features or items should be included in the product. They work closely with stakeholders to understand business needs and align the development efforts with organizational goals.

“Make it happen – Ensure people make good promises and deliver on their commitments”

In Scrum, the responsibility of “making it happen” and ensuring that people make good promises and deliver on their commitments primarily falls under the purview of the Scrum Master. The Scrum Master serves as a servant-leader, coaching and guiding the Scrum Team and the organization in adopting and implementing Scrum practices effectively.

“Make revisions – Compare initial assumptions with experience, explore gaps and correct mid-course”

In Scrum, the responsibility of “making revisions” by comparing initial assumptions with experience, exploring gaps, and correcting mid-course is a shared responsibility within the entire Scrum Team, with a focus on continuous improvement.

Links:

Closing the Gap Between Strategy and Execution (mit.edu)

Scrum Guide | Scrum Guides

The Scrum Framework Poster | Scrum.org

Categories
Agile

Coin flip game

I like the simplicity of the Coin flip game to explain the advantages of Batch size reduction in Agile projects.

You can play it in person and online. I came across the game in the “Agile Spiele und Simulationen” book.

We played it like this. We got 10 coins. We had 4 glasses placed on a table. We had the players flip the coins, move it to the second glass opposite, walk over, and start again till they reached the fourth glass. By the end of the game, people had gone around the table multiple times. The discussion after moving around 10, 5 and 1 batches were interesting.

We noticed three advantages namely:

  • Faster feedback loop
  • Improved risk management
  • Flexibility and Adaptability

What is your batch size on your Agile projects?


Here are some links about the Coin flip game and Batch size reduction:

Batch, Agile and Value: Aglie games – the coin game | Blog | johnLeighton.me.uk | Agile, Delivery Lead, Scrum Master

Online variant with Agile Coach: Principles-Coin-Flip-Game.jpg (1065×938) (wp.com)

Interesting article with nice illustrations: Understanding Lean product development: Batch Size, Work in Process (WIP) & Risk | by William Belk | The Agile Weekly | Medium