First Week as a Scrum Master

This depends on a lot of factors. Can you add some additional context? How many teams will you be working with? How long have these teams been together? How long have they been using Scrum (or, more generally, agile methods)?

I'd also start to think about your plan in terms of Sprints rather than weeks, especially if you will be working with existing teams who have been using Scrum for a while already. I've found it is easier to synchronize with a team if everyone's milestones are aligned.

Hi Thomas,

Thank you for your comments. I am not aware of how many teams but I was told that the team is struggling with Scrum adoption and needs a Scrum Master who can straighten and strengthen scrum ceremonies. 

 

I am sure the information is not enough but as a new Scrum Master in a new organisation, is there a best approach that one can follow that is affective? 

 

Regards,

Vagesh

I was told that the team is struggling with Scrum adoption and needs a Scrum Master who can straighten and strengthen scrum ceremonies. 

There's something for you right there. Do they implement the actual inspect-and-adapt events the Scrum Guide describes, or are they performing "ceremonies" of some kind?

Hi Mike,

you asked for a plan to bring yourself up to speed within the first week. Maybe Stefan Wolpers collections of "Questions New Scrum Masters Should Ask Their Teams" and "Questions from New Scrum Master to Product Owner" can provide you with a few ideas.

Cheers,

Andreas

[1] Understanding the organization

[2] Understanding the project, domain, having a discussion with Product Owner and having what is the project vision, goals (Short Term and Long Term goals)

[3] Discussing with development team and understand their pain points

[4] Do a check on what is the scrum knowledge off the each development team member [May be having 1 to 1 discussion (formal or in-formal)

[5] Understanding what is followed as per scrum and what is not

[6] Going through the backlog in high level and check the previous sprints (if any) and understand the quality to identify the gaps

etc.

Thanks.

Does the organization expect you to be the developers "manager" and direct their work?

Are they expecting you to be a "tool admin" who will ensure that all work in captured in a tool so that management can track performance?

Are they expecting you to be a Project Manager?

Have you attended any workshops or certification classes to understand the ins and out of Product, Agile, Scrum, and other practices?

A true Scrum Master is expected to be a facilitator, trainer, mentor and sometimes a coach. Most Scrum Masters I've worked with didn't have the experience, training or credentials to be a coach (NOT "Agile Coach") so if you can work on all of these, you should be able to help the team.

Meet with everybody one-on-one on video. Insist that people turn their video on while remote. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people have chosen not to be on video while they're on company time and in meetings.