Who is a scrum master and how to become one

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The salaries of these specialists start at an average of 100 thousand rubles. This is a good reason to at least get acquainted with the profession.

Scrum is an agile project management system. As a rule, it is used in the IT field. But Scrum is also suitable for setting up workflows in companies from other areas. Especially those whose task is to create an intellectual product: a computer game or accounting program, a selling or news site, an online store or a medical database.

Actually, Scrum allows you to control all stages of a project - from setting a task to finding the necessary solutions and their implementation. A special specialist monitors that the work goes without interruptions and interruptions, and the product is finally ready by a certain date.

Who is a scrum master

A Scrum Master is a professional who uses the Scrum platform and, with its help, trains employees working on a specific project to interact correctly with each other.

The goal of all this is to make collaboration more efficient, predictable, ensuring that the desired result is obtained within the expected time frame. And what is especially important - pleasant and inspiring for all participants in the process.

What a scrum master does

Basically, a scrum master has several different tasks. They are written in the handbook of each such specialist - The 2020 Scrum GuideTM / ScrumGuides, which is a detailed guide to using the platform.

In short, Scrum requires the wizard to create an environment in which these sequential actions take place:

1. The product owner has a big challenge for the development team.
2. The team divides it into stages. They are called sprints. The duration of each sprint is usually 1-4 weeks. However, depending on the project, other intervals can be selected. Each sprint is also a small project, from setting a task to achieving a specific result that can be clearly demonstrated to the customer.
3. The Scrum team, in collaboration with the owner and the scrum master, verifies that the result is working. And, if necessary, corrects the plan for the next sprint.
4. Actions are repeated.

To create such an environment, the scrum master has several important responsibilities. By the way, that is why it is impossible to take on its functions concurrently, in parallel with other work: otherwise, both the main task and the effectiveness of Scrum will suffer.

1. Helps team members hear and understand each other

Typically, a Scrum team includes the product owner and developers in addition to the scrum master. For example, front-end and back-end developers, software testers, designers.

The leader sets a task - a kind of strategic goal. To implement it, all participants in the process must understand what kind of result is expected and what needs to be emphasized.

The Scrum Master is responsible for making the assignments as transparent as possible. That is, it helps the product owner to clearly define the goals of the project in order to convey them to the developers. Those may have their own suggestions or objections, and all the same scrum-master suggests how to formulate them concisely and accessible to the rest of the participants.

The goal of a specialist is to establish a dialogue within the team in such a way that all its members clearly understand each other and the common task as a whole.

2. Organizes the work process

If the owner can be conventionally called the project leader, then the scrum-master is a kind of servant leader. That is, the person who, according to the formulation of the Scrum Guide, serves the process of achieving the goal.

The wizard builds and organizes teamwork by organizing several activities provided by the Scrum Guide.

• Planning … This is an important meeting before the start of each sprint. Team members get together and discuss the goals and objectives that they will work on at a particular stage.
• Daily scrum … He's a stand-up. This is a daily short (no more than 10-15 minutes) meeting in which the participants track the progress of the sprint together. As a rule, at the stand-up, each person tells his colleagues three things: what work on the project he did yesterday, what he planned for today and whether there were any problems that are important to fix. Thanks to this, every day the whole team knows for sure whether everything is going according to plan.
• Sprint overview … It is held after the completion of each stage. On it, the team demonstrates the result obtained. And the stakeholders (persons interested in the product) evaluate it and give feedback to the participants.
• Retrospective … At this meeting, the team looks back, as it were, at the work already done, and notes what worked out especially well and what did not work out and why. There are also suggestions on how to improve the situation in the next sprint.

All these stages make the team more cohesive. Each participant constantly observes how important his role is in the common cause. In addition, short reports improve self-discipline and motivate to look up to the most productive people.

3. Acts as facilitator in discussions

Working meetings are often ineffective. This happens if the participants are distracted, lose the thread of the conversation, and the discussion goes somewhere else. The Scrum Master's Job as a Facilitator A facilitator is the person who ensures successful group communication. - Approx. ed. - to keep the attention of colleagues, to focus it on the original topic.

4. Controls the backlog

A backlog is a list of small tasks that need to be completed within each sprint.

It's like scheduling things for the day. You write on pieces of paper something like "Do exercise", "Feed the cat", "Pay for the travel card", "Buy milk and bread", hang them on the refrigerator and remove as you go. The work is organized in much the same way in Scrum.

The backlog, that is, tasks with the names of the team members responsible for their implementation, are posted as stickers on the information board, in software trackers such as Trello or Jira, or in any other convenient format. It is only important that each team member has access to the backlog, that is, so that everyone can track the progress of the sprint.

The Scrum-master controls how the tasks change: removes the completed ones, adds new ones according to the list specified in the planning, finds out why something was not done on time.

5. Helps employees overcome work problems

If some of the tasks were not completed on time, there is a reason for this. The Scrum Master discovers what has hindered the team member, what can be done to help, and what needs to be changed so that these failures do not recur.

The problem may be internal. Suppose an employee has not coped with the load. Or external - for example, related to a malfunction or low performance of equipment. In any case, the scrum master finds a way to overcome the obstacle, involving the product owner and other team members as needed.

The Scrum concept assumes that participants should not be left with problems one-on-one. Indeed, the effectiveness of the entire team as a whole depends on stable work and mutual support.

6. Trains the self-organizing team

Another function of the scrum master is educational. It helps colleagues understand what Scrum is, why this platform is needed at all, how it helps to speed up and facilitate work on a project. With detailed responses, employees slowly learn to organize themselves.

If after some time the team members begin to meet, briefly and effectively discuss the progress of the sprint and quickly remove obstacles without the participation of the scrum-master, then he did his job perfectly.

What it takes to become a scrum master

In general, this profession is available to almost everyone. But, in order to assess the chances of success, first you should look for some important character traits in yourself.

• Ability and desire to communicate … The work of a scrum master requires constant, day-to-day interaction with people. If endless negotiations, heart-to-heart conversations and meetings tire you, it will be difficult.
• The ability to quickly analyze and communicate the information received to people … The Scrum Master is responsible for ensuring that team members understand each other. This means that he should instantly grasp the essence of what the developer, designer or product owner wants to say, and then succinctly translate it into words that other participants can understand.
• Patience … The Scrum Master explains, convinces, and repeats. Sometimes 10 times. It is important to do this with a benevolent smile.
• Organizational skills … The key task of a scrum master is to build an effective team. Moreover, this specialist is not a boss, which means that he cannot apply administrative pressure to colleagues. All management from the side of the scrum-master is carried out exclusively with a kind word and personal charisma.
• Leadership skills … The Master is the person who must engage the team with Scrum ideas. This is impossible if he is not able to gain people's trust and become an informal leader.
• Ability to create a comfortable working environment … This skill cannot be acquired in any course. But if he is not there, the job as a scrum master is unlikely to be successful.

If you feel the necessary talents and strengths, go for it. According to the “Scrum master” / HeadHunter Vacancy of the HeadHunter recruiting website, salaries of scrum masters in Russia on average start at 100 thousand rubles per month. Including at a distance. Perhaps this is your professional future.

Where scrum masters are trained

Universities do not provide such education. Therefore, do not waste time looking for a suitable university. The most effective way to get a profession in demand is to take an appropriate course at one of the online schools specializing in training for IT and beyond. There are many training programs, among them you can choose an option for any level, pace and wallet.

1. Certified ScrumMaster® by Skillbox

• For whom … The Certified ScrumMaster® course is suitable for everyone from beginners to practicing scrum masters who want to hone their skills in managing complex projects. Also useful for leaders: you will figure out how to increase the productivity of your team and how to make work more consistent, uniform and predictable.
• What is the price … 700 euros. Please note that Skillbox regularly offers discounts and installments.
• How long will it take … The course includes 10 online sessions of 90 minutes each. Plus homework. You can practice at your own pace. Lessons will be available at the end of the course.
• What's on the way out … Scrum master skills and certificate from the international company Scrum Alliance ®.

2. "Agile Fundamentals: A Scrum Method for Web Development" from Netology

• For whom … Agile Fundamentals: Scrum Method for Web Development is a basic course for those who are just looking at the profession. Its purpose is to provide an understanding of the philosophy and fundamentals of Scrum.
• What is the price … 790 rubles.
• How long will it take … 2 hours 10 minutes. Please note that in addition to the theoretical part, the course includes a knowledge test.
• What's on the way out … Basic skills in project planning and working with teams, as well as a certificate of completion from the Netology platform.

3. "Scrum for Product Development" by Laba

• For whom … The Scrum for Product Development course is primarily intended for product or project managers, as well as those who have already had to deal with improving teamwork. For example, for company owners or department heads.
• What is the price … The manager reports the actual price.
• How long will it take … The course is designed for 7 weeks and includes 14 lessons with a total duration of 21 hours. Plus it will take time to complete your homework.
• What's on the way out … A certificate of completed training and a level of knowledge and practical skills, allowing you to start working as a scrum master immediately after the course.

4. Scrum Master: A Brief Survival Course by ScrumTrek

• For whom … The Scrum Master: A Brief Survival Course is aimed at those who already have some experience in managing teams and projects. First of all, these are team leaders, project managers, company leaders, as well as scrum masters who want to improve their professional level.
• What is the price … 25,500 rubles - if you are going to study as a private person; 30,000 rubles - if your training is paid for by the company. Payment by installments at 0% is possible.
• How long will it take … The course lasts 4 weeks, includes 6 hands-on sessions and over 25 videos on scrum topics.
• What's on the way out … In addition to knowledge and skills in working with Scrum, you have the opportunity for an additional fee to receive an international certificate Professional Scrum Master I from the specialized resource Scrum.org.

5. Professional Scrum Master from Luxoft Training

• For whom … The target audience of the Professional Scrum Master course is managers and established scrum masters who want to develop deeper options for solving various practical problems.
• What is the price … 55 thousand rubles.
• How long will it take … 16 hours.
• What's on the way out … After completing the course, participants must take an online test on the Scrum.org website. If successful, the PSM certificate will be emailed and the listener profile will be added to the PSM list on Scrum.org.