Scrum is the most popular follow-up to agile project management — it's used by more than 60% of professional developers, according to the Stack Overflow 2018 Developer Survey. All of its principles are aligned with the ones of agile, but Scrum makes agile ideas feel less vague, more specific.
The work of a Scrum team is based on the so-called sprints, regular iterations (usually 1-4 week long) in which specific features or products must be delivered. Sprints are accompanied by sprint reviews (showcasing work of the team to a broader public, e.g. the whole company) and sprint retrospectives (internal team discussions on what was achieved in the last sprint). Additionally, every day of a Scrum team starts with a standup, during which each team member answers usually the 3 basic questions:
- What I did yesterday?
- What I will do today?
- What stands in my way?
All this creates a system that guarantees an adaptable, feedback-based, and clear development process.
Scrum team always consists of one bigger group of people and two individuals: developers, Product Owner, and Scrum Master. Today, we’ll talk about the last one — how and actually why should one hire a Scrum Master? We answer these questions below.
Scrum Master job responsibilities
What does a professional Scrum Master actually do in a team?
- Make sure that Scrum principles are followed by the team.
- Clear obstacles standing in the way of developers and Product Owner.
- Ensure good relations and communication within the team and between the team and the other people at the company.
- Protect the team from outside interference (no one from other teams should interrupt in the sprint).
- Establish the best possible working environment for the Scrum team.
- Help the team and individuals within it by making them understand their goals and needs better.
- Organize daily standups, sprint reviews, retrospectives, and other relevant events.
- Assist Product Owner with backlog management.
- Plan sprints (their length, schedule, etc.)
- If Kanban is used — make sure the board is being updated.
According to a report by Scrum.org, 45% of Scrum Masters were the people responsible for kicking off the agile transition in their organizations. This highlights the crucial value of a professional Scrum Master and the answer to the question of why should one hire a Scrum Master — they are simply the necessary people in conducting a company’s transition to modern standards of tech project management.
Agile Coach vs Scrum Master — what is the difference?
Differentiation between an Agile Coach and a Scrum Master is sometimes problematic, especially for people who have not experienced working with both of these specialists. It is quite understandable, as, at first sight, Agile Coach and Scrum Master indeed seem to have a lot in common: they both make sure that specific agile methodologies are implemented in the development process, they both serve as coaches and trainers, they both provide feedback and review the feedback given to them.
There is, however, a crucial difference to consider when thinking of the Agile Coach vs Scrum Master — the level they are operating on. Agile Coach operates on the level of the whole company, providing training for all teams and individuals. Scrum Master, on the other hand, is bound with one specific development team. They are an integral part of the Scrum team triangle which, besides a professional Scrum Master, includes also a Product Owner and developers.
Why should one hire a Scrum Master with technical experience?
Deep technical knowledge isn’t necessary for a Scrum Master — the person in this role, in the end, has to focus on the people, not on the tech. However, there are great advantages coming from hiring a technical Scrum Master.
Such an SM is able to understand better the scope of the project as well as the difficulties standing in the way of developers. A technical Scrum Master has also more possibilities of helping out both the Product Owner as well as the dev team, for example by running additional tests, locating bugs, pointing developers in the right direction.
Finally, a technical Scrum Master provides another layer for discussion during sprint reviews and retrospectives. Their knowledge powers the emergence of new ideas in the team as well as allows them to provide an alternative perspective on the steps recommended by the Product Owner.
What can be included in such a recommended technical skillset of a Scrum Master?
- Some understanding of the programming language(s), framework(s), CMS, and other relevant tools used by the Scrum team.
- Some knowledge and experience with software testing and QA.
- Understanding of best design practices, including the importance of good UX and UI.
- Experience with Git.
- Experience with an issue-tracking system, such as Jira.
The most important Scrum Master soft skills
What’s even more important than hard skills? Scrum Master’s ability to communicate well with others in order to train them on the principles of Scrum. Because of this, the SM should possess a specific set of soft skills, including:
- Teaching and coaching skill
Scrum Master is a teacher and coach in one. They need to be able to pass their knowledge in a clear, entertaining way, as well as be able to motivate their teammates during one-on-ones and other meetings.
- Conflict resolution skills
Scrum Master often ends up between two (or more!) opposing sides of the discussion. Product Owner’s decisions are not always welcomed well by the dev team and conflicts may arise. As the guardian of Scrum rules and principles, professional Scrum Master is bound to help resolve the conflict and help find the best solution for both sides.
- Good listener attitude
There is a lot of talking involved in Scrum Master’s role, but the listening part should not be overlooked. Scrum Master’s whole job is actually based on what others say and how they feel in the team.
Professional Scrum Master certifications
There are multiple certifications you should remember about when hiring Scrum Master. If your candidate owns at least one of them, it most likely means they possess a good knowledge both of the methodology itself as well as the best ways to promote it throughout the team and the company.
Some of the most popular Scrum Master certificates are:
- Professional Scrum Master
Issued by Scrum.org with three proficiency levels available. PSM I covers all the fundamentals and is the base for all Scrum Masters, PSM II can be considered an assessment for semi-advanced, while PSM III is held by the best of the best on the market.
- Certified ScrumMaster®
A special course run all over the world by Certified Scrum Trainers. The course ends with a test — passing it earns you the certificate. Obtaining this certification opens a way to follow-up courses for more experience Scrum Masters, Advanced Certified ScrumMaster and Certified Scrum Professional®-ScrumMaster.
The importance of company fit in hiring Scrum Master
The more tailored to your company your new Scrum Master is, the easier it will be for them to blend in and the bigger positive impact they will have on your whole Scrum team.
When hiring Scrum Master, you should especially consider the three following areas of company fit:
- Industry fit
Look for professional Scrum Master with previous experience in your specific industry. Such a fit will mean your new hire has a great understanding of what your typical customers are and how best to answer their needs.
- Product fit
Think of the exact product you are developing — is it a web app, a mobile app, or maybe a physical product? Look for as many similarities as possible between your offer and the offers of your candidate’s previous employers. A product fit guarantees you have a person in your team that knows all the ins and outs of solutions and features that already proved to be successful on your specific market.
- Company culture fit
Shared values of your business and your new Scrum Master can create a bond of understanding that fuels the creation of great products. Think of areas like experience with diverse and inclusive work environments, focus on local/global, approach to remote work, work pace at your office, as well as the candidate’s overall adaptability skills.
How to find the perfect Scrum team?
Are you having trouble with assembling your Scrum team? We can help.
At Ideamotive, we run a network of top IT professionals, including Scrum developers, Product Owners, and Scrum Masters. Whatever role you are currently hiring for, we will connect you only with the experts that fit your company profile, product specification, and any other requirements you might have.
Get in touch with us today and start building your dream Scrum team.
