Not able to cope up with a team
Hi All,
It seems I am failing as an SM. I am in a fix. As much I am trying to streamline things, I am unable to do so. Our PO has a small and fair ask, please provide the t-shirt size estimation of a requirement that helps them to prioritize the requirement. However, my delivery manager fails to provide one. For example, we create a piece in 2 months, they came up with a similar requirement after 2 months, however, my delivery manager keeps lingering on and fails to provide me neither a break down of the story nor the t-shirt estimates. Not sure how to go about it. he says I can't give the estimates without getting the team on board. Then he needs 3-4 refinement session on a piece of requirement that was already touched upon 2 months back.
The delivery manager clearly shows why it is so important that these things happen within the Scrum Team itself. Have the PO and Dev Team discuss during refinement what the estimation would be (whether it t-shirt size, animals or the Fibonacci sequence) and discuss what details/knowledge/expertise they need to get that item "ready" to work on.
As in most cases; take it to the team. Hope this helps.
Indeed, ask how the team feels about this, and where the imrpovement can be found in this
I pulled this from the Scrum Guide's section that describes the Product Backlog (emphasis by me).
The Development Team is responsible for all estimates. The Product Owner may influence the Development Team by helping it understand and select trade-offs, but the people who will perform the work make the final estimate.
So as both @Sander Dur and @Xander Ladage have said, the delivery manager shouldn't be involved in the estimation activity.
This is also from the same section of the Scrum Guide
Product Backlog items have the attributes of a description, order, estimate, and value.
Refinement is the activity undertaken to solidify the team's knowledge and understanding of each Product Backlog Item. So as the team refines the items, they should be including an estimate based upon their current knowledge.
I'm sorry if this offends you but where you are failing as a Scrum Master is in not helping the organization understand the Scrum framework. The Delivery Manager role is not present in the framework and it appears that the organization is not fully understanding the benefits of refinement.
Don't doubt your skills as a Scrum Master because of temporary team dynamics. You will work with a variety of people and personalities over your career so do the best you can.
In this case, if the Delivery Manager cannot help, meet with them and the Development Team lead (i.e. somebody who is respected and is knowledgeable). It's possible that your Delivery Manager is not sure what to do.
I find that I can resolve most issues in one on one meetings than I can in team meetings. You should get advanced training in coaching to help strengthen your skills on having people help themselves.
@Mark Adams, I'm curious why you'd involve the DM in refinement..
my DM is part of my scrum team. he leads my development team. that's how it is. they work as a team
Hi Rhea,
as stated above, the Scrum Framework does not know about a Delivery Manager role. If he is part of your Scrum Team (why?), he has to be considered a Developer or the Product Owner. Since you already have a PO and he is obviously more of the former, he is on the same level as the other developers. The Developmentment Team does not have a leader. The team is self-organizing and always held accountable as a whole.
I am afraid your company is breaking Scrum in multiple ways. I strongly suggest to make yourself familiar with the Scrum Guide and strictly stick to it. It is your responsibility as a Scrum Master to promote Scrum and coach the company regarding the Framework. If the company constantly refuses to adopt important aspects of Scrum, it might not be ready for it.
Good luck!
Claus
my DM is part of my scrum team. he leads my development team. that's how it is. they work as a team
I'd suggest that perhaps this DM role evidences how they aren't working as a team.
I'd suggest that perhaps this DM role evidences how they aren't working as a team.
+1. The company is not reaping the benefits the framework can provide. I don't doubt the DM is doing his work with the best intentions. A common antipatern that I often identify myself is that Dev Teams, Scrum Masters, POs and management are getting trained (which is good), but then after the course the guidance of actually embracing the framework and the mindset is limited to the Scrum Team. Maybe the Scrum Master has experience already, or there is an Agile Coach (Scrum Coach, if you will) to help Scrum Teams develop. But then management is neglected and basically just expected to change overnight. While these guys are usually people with a lot of experience, a little older. Now, I by no means mean this in a degrading way, BUT often more experienced/older people are having problems changing their behavior. So if your DM would get an equal amount of coaching (if he'd/she'd be open for that), the issue might get resolved..