I have a PM in my team. Good in Project Management / Prog. Management skills. However, not doing a great job in Scrum. Though adhering to the Agile Principles and adjusting the Project Plan according to the agile schedule, very reluctant to hold the scrum ceremonies - retrospective / grooming etc. The PM thinks the scrum master is a totally different job role. The PM may be right, but the team is very dependent on scrum practices. How do I deal with this situation.
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Deepesh RammoorthyICT Project Manager ( PMP®AgilePM®Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®))| Australian Red Cross Blood ServiceTarneit, Vic, Australia
This is what a Scrum Master does :- Clearing obstacles Establishing an environment where the team can be effective Addressing team dynamics Ensuring a good relationship between the team and product owner as well as others outside the team Protecting the team from outside interruptions and distractions.
Is your Project Manager trained on Scrum ? If not , it's time to get them trained.
If the project is big enough and strategic enough , you can let the PM manage the overall Project including the PMBoK knowledge areas and hire a separate Scrum Master to facilitate the Agile Ceremonies. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
You need to help her/him in performing the needed role in Scrum (as you know PM do not exists in Scrum). If not, you have to move her/him to other type of projects or you have to move her/him outside to manage projects. Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Dear Sampath
Interesting your question
Thanks for sharing
If you are a team member, what can you do? (In addition to convincing the Project Manager to introduce some practices used in Scrum)
If you are a product owner or scrum master, what can you do?
If you are a manager, what can you do? Saving Changes...
Why not have a Scrum Master also? I've worked with many companies where a project's scale or complexity requires both roles to be staffed by separate individuals.
Kiron Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
I find it interesting that an experienced project manager would not appreciate the value of the Scrum ceremonies. I would think reviewing early/often and continuous improvement would be welcomed by project managers. Saving Changes...
I don't know if this will help, but I explain Retrospectives as mini-lessons learned events where the team identifies areas to change, you track the changes and the outcome of the changes, and then regroup with the team to determine if it was the right change or if something else needs to be done. I've found that this is an explanation that project managers who are new to agile can get behind.
I have yet to be convinced that every scrum project needs a formal backlog grooming meeting, involving developers, between sprints. Backlog grooming might shorten sprint planning, but to a developer it's just another distraction from developing. From a project manager's perspective, I can see these meetings being a way to make sure that product owners are better prepared for sprint planning, but if that is the only reason you need this meeting, you have other problems. I'm not saying backlog grooming is unnecessary, I just don't think it's necessary on every project.
I think the most important perspective that a scrum master or agile project manager should have is that their job is to support the team and make sure they can work effectively. You are facilitating a self-guided team, clearing the path so they can "sprint" (sorry for the pun). Use the retrospective/lessons learned as a way for the team to have a voice in what they feel they need to be successful. Saving Changes...
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