beyond the scrummastermydlc.com/pmi-mn/pdd/2012_2.s2_beyond the scrummaster... · 2014-05-25 ·...

Beyond the ScrumMaster:Evolving the Agile Project Manager

Angela Johnson, PMP, ACP, CSTCertified Scrum Trainer & Agile Coachhttp://www.scrumalliance.org/profiles/32158-angela-d-johnson

Copyright 2012 AequitasConsulting Ltd

Angela Johnson, PMP, ACP, CST

•17+ years Information Technology - traditional SDLCand Scrum/Agile

•Certified ScrumMaster since 2008

•Facilitator PMI-MN Agile Local Interest Group

•Based in Minneapolis, MN

•New mom to Chase born on 4/25/2012

Certified Scrum Trainer & Agile CoachAequitas Consulting [email protected]

http://www.scrumalliance.org/profiles/32158-angela-d-johnson


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Agile Foundation: Empirical Process

• Learn as we go• Embrace change• The 3 legs of the stool:

▫ Inspect▫ Adapt▫ Transparency

As opposed to…


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Traditional Process“I believe in this conceptbut the implementation isrisky and invitesfailure”…Dr. Winston Royce

“Managing theDevelopment of LargeSoftware Systems”


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This Thing Called Agile

• A Group got together 11 years ago and agreedthat there is a different, better way to approachcreating Products and developing software

• They called this approach Agile and articulatedthe Values and Principles that make thisapproach different from Traditional approaches

• These Values and Principles are captured in theAgile Manifesto


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The Agile Manifesto


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http://agilemanifesto.org/

What is Scrum?


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What is Scrum?

• Scrum is an innovative approach to getting workdone

• Scrum is an agile framework for completingcomplex projects

• Scrum is about people• Scrum is NOT a software development

methodology• Scrum is NOT magic or a silver bullet


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Basic Scrum Flow


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ProductBacklog

SprintBacklog

CompleteWork Product

Analysis andPlanning

Sprint

Day

What is Agile?

• More of a philosophy• An approach to product development• Adaptive – there is no “THE AGILE METHOD”• To “be agile” put the values and principles into

practice• Processes such as Scrum, eXtreme Programming

and Kanban support Agile values and practices


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Project Management Perspective

Source: DSDM


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Why not Agile Project Manager?

“I wanted to highlight the extent towhich the responsibilities of theScrumMaster are different from

those of a traditional projectManager”

Ken SchwaberAgile Project Management with Scrum


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No PM Role in Scrum

• Product Owner

• ScrumMaster

• Team


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What about other AgileApproaches


“Agile”

• Scrum• XP• Feature Driven

Development• Lean Software

Development• Kanban• Others?

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Is There Such a Thing as an “Agile”Project Manager?• Most of the Agile approaches do not define a

“Project Manager”• Industry has produced roles to support Waterfall

and is slow to relinquish old roles and titles• Many try to equate a Project Manager with a

ScrumMaster• Yet others try to enforce the traditional Project

Manager role and adopt agile at the same time –which can be contradictory


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Agile Requires a ChangeAgile methods:• Are different and require adifferent approach•Are Product focused - notProject focused•Push the accountability,management, tracking etc. tothe Team and to the ProductOwner – not to one person•Agile approaches are not“command and control” but arehighly collaborative


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Scrum: Product Owner

• Responsible for Product Vision• Voice of the Customer

• Empowered to make decisions,is decisive, is willing to say no

• Financially responsible for theProduct

• Leader and facilitator

• Focus is successful Product


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Scrum: Team• Self-organizing comprised

of 7 +/- 2 members• Members accountable to self

and Team• Deliver working product

increments• Manage Sprint Backlog &

Burndown• Demonstrate working

software to Product Owner• Dedicated


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ScrumMaster• Servant Leader to Product

Owner and Team; nobodyreports to the ScrumMaster

• Change Agent• Facilitates removal of

impediments or barriers• Full time role• Enables cooperation• Facilitator• Focus is successful Team


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Isn’t the ScrumMaster an Agile PM?• It may seem like a PM responsibility to Facilitate

the removal of barriers that impede the Team’sability to deliver Sprint goals

• A good ScrumMaster ensures that the Team haswhat they need to resolve the impediment ontheir own first

• The ScrumMaster escalates those impedimentsthat are outside of the Team’s influence that areprohibiting the Team from meeting their Sprintgoal


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Isn’t the ScrumMaster an Agile PM?• It may seem like the

ScrumMaster is responsible forQuality, Scope, Budget andTime since they facilitatePlanning sessions

• These fall to the Team and tothe Product Owner

• The ScrumMaster ensures thatthe process is followed andkeeps everything moving – butthey are not responsible for theProduct or Project


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Other ScrumMaster Differences• Teach the Product Owner how to maximize ROI

and meet his or her objectives through Scrum• Improve the lives of the Team by facilitating

creativity and empowerment• Improve the productivity of the Team in any way

possible• Improve the engineering practices and tools so

that each increment of functionality ispotentially shippable

Agile Project Management with Scrum: Ken Schwaber


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More Differences• Committed to the project

• Responsible for teaching others about Scrum

• Providing the leadership, guidance and coachingnecessary for the paradigm shift from control toempowerment to occur

Agile Project Management with Scrum: Ken Schwaber


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Waterfall to Agile• Although Agile has been around for

11 years, it is considered by many tobe “new”

• Waterfall has been in place longerwith organizational structure,business units, roles, etc. created tosupport it

• Organizations cannot transform toAgile overnight – change takes time

• Organization size and culture willaffect the speed at which Agile can beadopted


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Where do We Go From Here?


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• Clarify the role that you are asked tofill if it is “Agile Project Manager”

• Is it really a Waterfall job descriptionwith an Agile title?

• Is the organization committed toadopting Agile?

• Will you be allowed to truly fill theScrumMaster or Coach role asintended but also need to take ontraditional PM responsibilities for theorganization?

• Or is the organization attempting to fitthe Agile approach into Waterfallboxes?

Evolving the Agile Project Manager• Start with a Pilot project• Educate yourself, your team and

leadership• Become the Agile Champion in your

organization to help select the bestapproach for the Product

• Become a Change Agent to help leadthe paradigm shifts that need tooccur in adopting Agile

• Don’t overlook the differencesbetween traditional process and theAgile approach you’ve chosen toadopt


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Evolving the Agile Project Manager• Give the Agile approach an honest trial – don’t

try to put the Agile label on Waterfallceremonies, practices, etc.

• If there are Organizational Constraints that arerooted in traditional process as you conduct thepilot, identify areas that make sense totransform in an Agile way

• Create a Backlog to capture those items thatcannot change easily for escalation to theappropriate levels in the organization


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Evolving the Agile Project Manager• Don’t give up!• Change is hard and takes

time• Talk with others who are

going through an Agileadoption to share ideas,what’s working, what’snot working etc.

• Participate in UserGroups

• Work with a Coach


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Questions?


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beyond the scrummastermydlc.com/pmi-mn/pdd/2012_2.s2_beyond the scrummaster... · 2014-05-25 ·...

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