What Is one Accountability Of A Scrum Master?

Scrum Master plays an important role in this dynamic Agile project management world. There are different responsibilities of a Scrum Master that lead to successful deliveries. With my experience as a Scrum Master, let’s delve into what a Scrum Master is and what is one accountability of a Scrum Master, and explore the real-world experience to showcase the impact on the team.  

Who is a Scrum Master?

In basic terms we can say, a Scrum Master is a leader who guides and supports a team in implementing project management methods to achieve project outcomes. The role involves steering the team through the process while upholding Scrum principles to deliver high quality product outputs. Their key role involves fostering collaboration and facilitating communication between team members and leadership.

My journey as a Scrum Master taught me that it is essential to address the challenging obstacles that may hinder the team's progress. What I learnt from my experience is it is salient to identify the challenges and resolve them by taking the inputs from the stakeholders. You have to ensure that you provide a good environment for the team to reach their Sprint goals. I was there to shield my team from distractions and guide them on improving their Scrum methods for delivering value.

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Multiple Accountabilities of a Scrum Master

Becoming a Scrum Master comes with a lot of accountabilities. Now working with various teams throughout my career, I realised that the position requires a set of skills and tasks to not just know what is one accountability of a Scrum Master but the multiple accountabilities of a Scrum Master. Here are some of them that I learnt through my experience while working with different Scrum Teams: 

A. Facilitating Scrum Events

One of my responsibilities involved arranging and supervising Scrum meetings. Attending these meetings is essential to keep our progress going in Scrum and to ensure that the team is on the same page with the project objectives. This involves coordinating and guiding gatherings like Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Reviews and Sprint Retrospectives. 

1. Sprint Planning: This occasion prepares for the upcoming Sprint. In this, you have to assist the Product Owner and development team to establish a Sprint Goal and choose actionable Product Backlog Items (PBIs). When I used to plan sprints, I  ensured that these PBIs are well-refined and estimated accurately. I often employed techniques like Planning Poker for estimation and to ensure that the team had a shared understanding of the work involved.

2. Daily Stand-ups: Remember in any Scrum team, these quick catch-ups are the key to keep everyone on the same page. I used to talk with my team about what we were working on, our daily goals, and any challenges we're dealing with. Well it is important to make sure the meetings stay short and to the point usually wrapping up in around 15 minutes. I was keen on spotting any issues that came up and jumping in to sort them out within that time period.

3. Sprint Reviews: This task requires to showcase the assignment at the conclusion of the sprint to the Product Owner and other involved parties. I took charge of guiding the meeting and ensuring that our conversations were in sync with the objectives set for the Sprint. Well these meetings are important as they provide insights to enhance your upcoming sprints by working as a feedback mechanism. 

4. Sprint Retrospectives: This is the part where you look back on how the Sprint went. I employed methods like the "Start, Stop, Continue" activity to assist the team in pinpointing areas that could be enhanced. I always aimed to promote a culture of enhancement by acknowledging successes, failures and planning measures for the upcoming Sprint.

B. Coaching the Team on Scrum Practices

In my opinion, every Scrum Master should help and train the team on scrum practices. As an important part of my job, I used to teach the team about Scrum practices. This included explaining the Scrum framework to them, making sure they knew their responsibilities, and showing them how to collaborate within the Scrum framework.

I led training sessions to help them better grasp the roles, events, and items in Scrum. These sessions delve into the details of crafting user stories, setting acceptance criteria, and estimating work. My coaching was personalised to suit each person: for example, newcomers might require support in deconstructing user stories and tasks, whereas experienced team members could gain insights into advanced techniques such as test-driven development (TDD) or continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD).

I also led workshops to provide coaching sessions to tackle the team's specific obstacles, ensuring they are prepared to manage their tasks and make valuable contributions towards the team's objectives.

Also Read: What is Scrum Project Management 

C. Removing Impediments to the Team's Progress

Removing impediments is a major responsibility for any Scrum Master. I used to address any obstacles that could slow down my team's advancement. These obstacles may come in the form of challenges like reliance on systems, infrastructure issues, or complex bugs. Remember, obstacles can also involve issues such as team conflicts or misunderstandings with stakeholders. 

Drawing on my knowledge of how I tackle coding issues, troubleshoot infrastructure problems, and collaborate with teams to resolve dependencies. I used to tackle obstacles by utilising my communication skills and conflict resolution expertise to promote comprehension and reach solutions. This involves stepping in to resolve conflicts, clarifying misunderstandings and making sure each team member feels valued and listened to.

The main objective is to ensure a workflow for development. I used to keep an eye on the team's progress, spot bottlenecks early on, and take proactive steps to eliminate them. This guarantees that the team can concentrate on their tasks without disruptions and maintain a pace of advancement.

D. Ensuring Adherence to Scrum Principles

Lastly, a Scrum Master serves as the team's guiding light, making sure everyone adheres to Scrum's values. These values encompass openness, evaluation, and adjustment of all elements of the Scrum methodology. I always believe that a scrum master should adhere to principles by:

1. Transparency: During my job, I supported transparency by promoting communication and sharing information throughout all Scrum meetings. This helped me to keep everyone informed about the team's advancements, obstacles, and strategies, creating an environment of openness and confidence.

2. Inspection: Consistent evaluation plays a role in enhancement. I utilised methods like refining the Sprint Backlog and conducting Daily Stand ups as a part of my responsibility to consistently assess advancement and pinpoint areas for enhancement. Inspection is important as it empowers teams to make modifications and remain focused on their goals.

3. Adaptation: The Sprint Retrospective focuses on adaptation, enabling the team to make changes to their methods and procedures using lessons learned from the Sprint. By focusing on these core principles, I empowered the team to provide value, embrace change and improve our Scrum methodology over time.

If I say honestly, being a Scrum Master is a challenging role as it involves tasks like guiding, mentoring, troubleshooting and supervising to ensure that the Scrum team delivers high quality results. Although the joy I felt after completing a Sprint with my team, working harmoniously to provide value and enhance their performance continuously was always incredibly fulfilling.

Also Read: Cross Functional Agile Team

Facilitating Collaboration and Communication

I think, to understand what is one accountability of a Scrum Master is by experiencing the role directly. I learned that facilitating collaboration and communication between the team members is the pivotal accountability of a Scrum Master. This duty is essential as it directly influences how effectively the team collaborates. 

Effective communication is vital for ensuring clarity, reducing confusion and aligning everyone towards objectives. Moreover, it promotes an environment for team members to freely share their ideas, address conflicts and provide feedback. Conversely, I would say collaboration plays a pivotal role to create innovative solutions and improve problem-solving skills.

Well I used to create a culture of mutual respect and transparency by arranging meetings, utilising tools and promoting discussions. This not only enhances efficiency but also builds a tightly knit team that consistently achieves excellent outcomes as a part of scrum master accountability.

Also Read: Common Mistakes to Avoid as a Scrum Master

Real-World Example 

During my journey, I once encountered a situation that illustrates my point. While I was working as a Scrum Master in a software development project, I collaborated with team members situated in different places. At the beginning, the team encountered difficulties in communication due to differences in time zones and cultural backgrounds. Lack of communication generated frustration among the team members because of misunderstandings and missed deadlines. 

Now, I took steps to address the situation. Firstly, I organised a workshop on communication and collaboration, highlighting the significance of listening and clear, concise communication. The workshop included role-playing activities and group discussions that helped team members grasp each other's communication preferences and styles. This worked in my favour and promoted empathy and understanding among team members.

I also introduced tools and practices to enhance collaboration across distances. We switched some communications with video conferences for real time discussions and immediate feedback. Implementing shared documentation practices ensured everyone had access to up-to-date project information, reducing confusion and duplication of efforts. Additionally, I used this technique of setting up a channel for challenging matters which enabled my team to resolve critical issues promptly. To strengthen team unity further, I established a buddy system where team members could assist and exchange knowledge with each other.

I’m certain this program promoted learning from colleagues and offered support for individuals who may feel disconnected because of the team's dispersed setup. It also nurtured a feeling of unity and shared admiration, which is essential for any team to work effectively.

The results were remarkable. My team became more cohesive, and the quality of our interactions improved significantly. We managed to spot and solve the problems faster, improve decision-making, and successfully delivered a top-notch product on schedule. I learnt the value of the accountabilities of a Scrum Master in a team, especially what is one accountability of a Scrum Master as facilitating collaboration and communication from this situation. 

Also Read: Difference Between Agile And Scrum

Conclusion

Ultimately I guess we learnt that a Scrum Master bears various accountabilities. The answer to what is one accountability of a scrum master lies in fostering collaboration and communication as a key accountability. When the team communicates well and works together harmoniously, the Scrum Master plays a role in helping them tackle obstacles, boost efficiency and achieve outcomes. To achieve success as a scrum master, there are CSM certification available which provides training as well as hands-on experience for people looking to become scrum master and understand the accountabilities. 

FAQ

1. What is accountability in Scrum?

It refers to the duties and responsibilities of the members of the Scrum. Each member has their specific duties. 

2. Is the Scrum Master accountable for delivery?

No, Scrum Master is not accountable for delivery. It is a development team’s responsibility.

3. What is the importance of accountability?

Accountability is essential for everyone to know their responsibilities and work accordingly to maintain the trust, transparency and collaborative environment.