Scrum Master: What is it? How to become one?

Scrum is a powerful framework for implementing agile processes in software development and other projects. This widely adopted framework uses short work iterations and daily meetings to address distinct parts of a project in succession until the project is completed. The Scrum Master is responsible for the effectiveness of the Scrum Team. 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 organization as a whole. In today's article, we will explain the duties and responsibilities of a Scrum Master and how you can become one. Keep reading and learn all about the role of the Scrum Master!

Definition of Scrum Master

The Scrum Master is the leader of a Scrum team and is responsible for championing a project, providing guidance to the team and the Product Owner, and ensuring that all agile practices are followed by team members. The Scrum Master not only addresses all facets of the agile development process but also serves the business, product, team, and individuals, and facilitates communication and collaboration among all these elements.  

What are its functions?

The Scrum Master role was created as part of the Scrum framework. The name was initially intended to indicate someone who is an expert in Scrum and can therefore train others. The Scrum Master is also responsible for improving interactions between the Scrum team and the organization in order to maximize the productivity of the Scrum team. Finally, the Scrum Master is responsible for organizing and facilitating team meetings such as the Daily Meeting, Sprint Planning, and Sprint Retrospective.

Role of the Scrum Master

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

• Training team members in self-management.
• Helping the team focus on creating high-value increments that meet the DoD (Definition of Done).
• Causing the removal of impediments to the team's progress.
• Ensuring that all Scrum events occur and are positive, productive, and kept within the allotted time.

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

• Helping to find techniques for defining product goals and managing the product backlog.
• Helping the team understand the need for product backlog items in a clear way.
• Helping to establish empirical product planning for complex and uncertain market environments.
• Facilitating stakeholder collaboration as requested or needed.

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

• Leading, training and guiding the organization in adopting Scrum best practices.
• Planning and advising on Scrum implementations within the organization.
• Helping employees and stakeholders understand and implement an empirical approach to complex and indeterminate work.
• Removing barriers between stakeholders and Scrum teams.

The Scrum Master is not a Project Manager

Scrum can be difficult to understand for those accustomed to more traditional software development processes. The lack of hierarchies, the possibility of the team having to self-manage, and estimating with story points are novelties that go against the way many are used to working. Perhaps one of the most complicated things to understand is that it proposes breaking down hierarchies. Without a Project Manager acting as a "boss," there are no intermediate positions, nor anyone telling anyone how to work. Many people tend to imagine the roles of Product Owner and Scrum Master in a hierarchy that places them as superior to the team, with the power to make irrefutable decisions and the authority to punish team members who are not working "properly." When trying to understand the purpose of the Scrum Master, their role is often imagined as one that is responsible for much more than what they actually do. It's a role unlike anything we're used to, and the best way to understand it is simply by sharing best practices in the market.   

How to Become a Scrum Master

Two well-recognized organizations, the Scrum Alliance and Scrum.org, offer Scrum training and certifications. The Scrum Alliance, founded in 2001, is one of the most influential organizations in the agile community. It is a non-profit association with over 500,000 certified professionals worldwide. The Scrum Alliance offers the following Scrum certifications:

• Certified Scrum Master (CSM): CSMs act as servant leaders, helping the rest of the Scrum team to work together and learn the Scrum framework.
• Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO): CSPOs are individuals who are closest to the business side of the project. They are tasked by the organization with launching the product and are expected to do their best job to satisfy all stakeholders. 
• Certified Scrum Developer (CSD): The CSD certification exposes students to the most important tools and techniques that need to be applied to build good software in the iterative and incremental way that Scrum suggests.
• Certified Scrum Professional (CSP): A CSP challenges Scrum teams to improve how Scrum and other Agile methods are implemented for each project.

Meanwhile, Scrum.org was founded in 2009 by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland, the creators of Scrum. They define themselves as a global organization dedicated to improving the software delivery profession by reducing gaps, so that work and work products are reliable. Scrum.org offers Professional Scrum Master (PSM) certifications at three levels:

• PSM I: Holders of the PSM I certificate demonstrate that they understand Scrum as described in the Scrum Guide and the concepts of applying Scrum.
• PSM II: Holders of the PSMII certificate demonstrate that they have an understanding of the basic principles of Scrum and can effectively apply Scrum in complex, real-world situations.
• PSM III: Holders of the PSMIII certificate have a deep understanding of the application and practices of Scrum and Scrum values ​​in a variety of complex team and organizational situations.

Final Words

Adopting responsible metrics from a Scrum Master facilitates the flow of projects, teams, and deliverables. This is especially true in the IT field, where processes become simpler and more efficient. Want to learn more about training a Scrum Master in your company? ProMove can help you, contact us!