In this vlog, PST Joshua Partogi continues the first video on What the Scrum Master does all day and how the Scrum Master uses the 8 Scrum Master hats.

Why a good strategy is still needed with a good product.

As a minimalist framework, Scrum contains only what is needed. Every piece of the Scrum framework is there for a reason. When teams modify any part, they won’t get the full benefits of Scrum. In this article, we will discuss three of the worst Scrum “customizations.” Warning: don’t try these in...

Agile micromanagement: A pseudo-commitment to agile principles only to be overridden whenever it seems beneficial from a stakeholder’s or manager’s perspective.

Can Scrum be used outside software development? Absolutely.

I hear the word “commitment” used in problematic and misleading ways all the time. This is true when I am teaching Professional Scrum classes and even when I am coaching good Scrum Masters. It often sounds like one of these statements: How do we know how much work to commit to? How do we make sure w...

As a project manager, I have delivered many complex initiatives, from re-platforming a consumer products website to doubling the size of a line of business.  My most successful projects have one thing in common; I used an agile approach to deliver them.

There is a significant difference between “Mechanical Scrum” and "Professional Scrum". "Mechanical Scrum" consists of going through the motions of using Scrum. “Professional Scrum” goes beyond that, changing the way that you work, think and act. In this video learn about the ideas behind Professiona...

What science tells us about how work agreements create high-performing teams. And five practical areas to focus on.

When will Scrum die? Some people would say it's already dying. There's so much inauthentic, Scrum being done, unprofessional, Scrum being done in the world. Whereas Scrum is part of what I call water Scrum fall, where it's put within a predictive deterministic system. We're predicting when work will...

The diversity of a group of people offers a great opportunity to tap into a wider range of creativity and innovation, but it can also lead to misunderstandings and clashes. I have experienced how the journey from exploring a group’s different perspectives and ideas (divergent thinking) to a shared u...

What are things that Scrum Teams can actually commit to? What are things that Scrums Teams cannot and should not commit to?

In this vlog, PST Joshua Partogi breaks down the metrics to measure the Scrum team's effectiveness and what effective means in Scrum.

What is the difference? By analyzing what should a Scrum Master be doing and what would a leader do, we can understand that there is not much difference. Why do I think leaders make great Scrum Masters? Read on.

Scrum and Kanban are two different frameworks.  But did you know that your Scrum Team can use some of Kanban’s crucial elements to optimize workflow and deliver value sooner?   Combining Kanban with your Scrum practice doesn’t involve replacing events, accountabilities or artifacts.  It’s about inte...

Trust is the Beginning of Agility. Learn how distrust manifests and what we can do to earn the trust of our stakeholders.

Are Scrum Masters here set up for success? Are they “leaders who serve”? Which of the Professional Scrum Master choices/stances can they choose from? Are they a core aspect of our organization's approach to leadership/management? Are they an afterthought to get a higher score on an agile maturity as...

I confess that the first time someone told me that Scrum is based upon empiricism, I thought they were a little pretentious.  After all, it’s a five-syllable word for a framework with only five events.  Why make it so complicated?  But as I’ve coached more and more Scrum Teams over the years, I have...

How many times have you heard statements such as, “This is not in my area of expertise”, “I don't know anything about it”, “That’s not my job”, “Ask another department” or “This is not what I studied for”? One might say that this is just their approach to gaining knowledge. It’s their style; to limi...

A recent question received via TheScrumMaster.co.uk was – “How can I get my first Scrum Master role and gain experience if the available jobs require 2+ years of experience? What do you advise?”

In tis blog post, Professional Scrum Trainer Venkatesh Rajamani walks through challenges Scrum Masters face and how to resolve them.

During the first year of the pandemic, Scrum adoption more than doubled for software development teams. According to the 15th Annual State of Agile Report, the use of agile approaches for software development grew from 37% in 2020 to 86% in 2021. This means that agile adoption for software develop...

Is it the Product Owner? The Developers? The Scrum Master?

Super smart people get stuck and insist on finding solutions all by themselves. Ego paired with stubbornness are the usual culprits that can hinder better solutions. Admit you don’t know. Ask for help. Create a learning culture by using modern tools to collaborate. Get some fresh air, grab a pop-tar...

In this episode, host Dave West interviews Tyson Bertmaring, Head of Partner Success at Dyno Therapeutics, where they discuss Tyson's experiences with Scrum and dive into the use of Scrum in BioTech. (23:09 Minutes)

In this webinar moderated by Patricia Kong, Professional Scrum Trainer Ravi Verma, Nagesh Sharma, Tony Lee share some common real-world challenges their clients and students have faced in their Sprint Reviews and ten adjustments that have helped them overcome these challenges.

As a new Scrum Master what are some of the things you might want to consider to help you on the amazing journey ahead.

Would Wayne be a good Scrum Master? If you're familiar with the Hulu show "Letterkenny", then you most likely already have an opinion. You be the judge on if Wayne's catchphrases set him up for success in his interview for a Scrum Master role.

The latest chapter of the Scrum Master interview guide addresses the Sprint Review. So far, the interview guide has been downloaded more than 23,000 times.

While many people are practicing Scrum, practicing it effectively requires something more than just following the mechanics and fundamentals of the framework. Professional Scrum helps teams get out of that mechanical, going through the motions habit when it comes to Scrum. In this Scrum Pulse webina...

When Scrum Teams constantly push back on changing priorities, stakeholders begin to blame Scrum for the rigidity. Teams with large investments of time and energy are resistant to change. Break up this rigidity by delivering the smallest possible value. Get feedback quicker. Start anticipating change...

In this Ask a PST session moderated by Leslie Morse, you will get answers from Professional Scrum Trainers Stephanie Ockerman and Steve Trapps who frequently leverage the coaching stance when working with their clients. 

In this vlog, PST Joshua Partogi breaks down the 8 hats the Scrum Master wears as a true leader who serves. This topic is discussed in the Professional Scrum Master course with case studies.

Building a product sometimes feels like an endless race, head down, pedal to the metal, let's build it! We all run after something and as a team incrementing our product to be the best possible set of functionalities our users ever wanted, at some point we get out of breath Sprinting. As Scrum Maste...

Liberate your Sprint Review from being just a demo. There is much more to it than that! I'm sharing eight things you should do in the Sprint Review

7 Do-it-yourself workshops and experiments to discover new valuable features through experiments, field testing, and research.

In my last article, I explained why we need to stop talking about "carryover" and how it's not actually a thing in Scrum. "Carryover" is really just partially done work at the end of a Sprint. Now I will take you deeper and share the 4 common misunderstandings often associated with this concept, and...

In this short video, PST Joshua Partogi explains why Scrum Master cannot be compared to Agile Coach

As the demand for Scrum continues to grow, more people are considering a switch to being a Scrum Master. Changing jobs and careers is a big step. How can you know if it will be the right move for you?

In this episode of Ask a Professional Scrum Trainer, PSTs Alex Gbaguidi, Romuald Franck Kenmeugne Tchuinkam and Samuel Adesoga, all of whom primarily focus on work in Africa, answer your burning questions about Scrum and the challenges you or your teams may be facing. They also will be available to ...

In this vlog, PST Joshua Partogi visualises what the Scrum Master do all day using the 8 Scrum Master hats.

How can the Scrum Master become that True Agile Leader, helping the organization to become more Agile?

One of the things I struggled with at the start of my Scrum Master journey was building consensus in the team. Wanting to stay objective, give everyone space and time whilst still craving for a decision was a challenge for me. My own indecisiveness with regards to how to handle this ultimately did n...

One of the primary purposes of a retrospective is to create action items, but it’s not uncommon to come up with action items that aren’t actionable.  They’re aspirational.  This blog gives you some ways to ensure your retrospectives have actionable items.

A critical, evidence-based reflection on a hunch that Scrum Masters may often be more concerned with the quality of the process than the value of its outcomes.

In this Scrum Pulse Webinar, Professional Scrum Trainer Mary Iqbal outlines each Scrum Value and provide examples of how these can help your team practice Professional Scrum. In doing so she explores Professional Scrum and how it differs from mechanical Scrum.

What’s the problem with working without purpose? Can you do it? Sure. You can do it, but I mean...

Some time ago, whilst discussing this topic with my fellow Professional Scrum.org Trainer Todd Miller, he shared his experience with using White Elephant principles to enable a participative facilitation environment (thanks Todd!). It inspired me to use it and write this blog. 

In this blog series, we’ll share the gaps that many Scrum Masters face as they work to become better agile leaders and Scrum professionals. We’ll call out biases and misperceptions and also offer suggestions on how to overcome these challenges in order to influence change.

Powerful Product Owner. It sounds like a threat, isn’t it?  Anyone overpowering affects the whole team’s activity and outcome. No wonder this affects retrospectives as well.