3 Signs that your Scrum Team needs a Tune-Up

 

At the heart of every great Agile project that uses Scrum, is the Scrum Team. These are small but competent groups of individuals packed with all the skills and experience necessary to produce valuable products and services.

The Development Team is the nucleus of the Scrum Team; anywhere from 3 to 9 people who are collectively responsible for each feature and increment they produce. Unlike almost any other kind of team we are familiar with, the individuals that make up the Development Team have no title, no rank, and no specialization exclusivity.

Revolving around the Development Team is the Product Owner and Scrum Master. These three entities form the Scrum Team as a whole. It is the expectation of most projects that the Scrum Team will work productively, consistently and harmoniously. However, this is not always the case.

Let's take a look at 3 warning signs that the Scrum Team needs a tune-up, and some questions that may be asked to help identify the cause.

1. Reduced Velocity / Increased Lead Time
   Velocity is the amount of work capacity the team can produce every iteration or Sprint. Lead time is the amount of time it takes for an entire process between two defined points, say from Backlog entry to acceptance by the Product Owner. Both velocity and lead time are separate measurements, but closely related. For example, a reduced velocity is likely to accompany increased lead time. When measuring the team's past performance, a sudden reduction in velocity or increase in lead time should be a cause for concern.
   
   Are there any blockers preventing the team from working at their previous work rate? Does the team have all the tools and knowledge to convert user stories into features? Is the Product Owner giving clear information regarding the items in the Backlog, and prioritizing them in such a way as to optimize the Development Team's work? Is the Scrum Master ensuring that the team is not distracted by external factors, including stakeholder requests?
    
2. Bad Apple
   Sometimes a member of the team doesn't fall into line with Scrum's 5 values, especially regarding commitment, focus and respect. In order for any team to function effectively, all members need to commit to their shared goals, focus on the work at hand, and respect each other throughout the project. When one team member becomes the black sheep of the family, it's time to start examining some possible reasons for the behavior.
   
   Does the team member fully support Scrum? Can the Scrum Master provide any assistance to the team member if the latter does not fully support or understand the Scrum framework with its rules, roles, values, principles, artifacts and events? Did the team member have more authority in their previous role and now finding it difficult to be an equal team member? Is there some kind of conflict between the team member and others within the team? Do they feel appreciated and included at the same level as other team members? Are there any private issues that require attention? Remember stress, fear and depression can be serious conditions that should not be taken lightly. These and many other possible causes need to be investigated before the bad apple infects the rest of the apple tree.
    
3. No Show
   The no show Product Owner or Scrum Master is someone who doesn't show up either physically in person, or via other communication methods such as email or phone call. Sometimes the Development Team need input such as Backlog item clarification from the Product Owner, or obstacles removed by the Scrum Master. These issues can manifest themselves several times a day, and a no-show member of the Scrum Team can delay incremental delivery.
   
   Is the Product Owner and Scrum Master spread too thinly between teams or other responsibilities? Are they committed to the Scrum Team? Did they sign off on the Sprint Goal? Does the Product Owner have true authority over the Product Backlog and is he/she in sync with what the stakeholders need? Is the Scrum Master following Scrum strictly or haphazardly? Is the organization truly adopting Agile/Scrum?

I have only listed 3 signs that a Scrum Team needs close attention, but there are many others. Can you think of any? I would love to hear about your experiences with a Scrum or any Agile team that started to go astray, and was in dire need of a Scrum Mechanic to step in and give the engine a tune up.

References
Schwaber, K. and Sutherland, J. (2017) The Scrum Guide. Available from: www.scrumguides.org
Griffiths, M. (2015) PMI-ACP Exam Prep. RMC Publications, Inc.

Thank you for your interest in the Scrumptious blog. If you have any ideas for Scrum topics, please message me here. Until next time, remember, projects can also be Scrumptious!