In my last projects as a trainer I came to the conclusion, that the implementation of Agile principles might not be fully understood. Otherwise how can it happen, that in a training people cannot log into an application, because there is a design bug? Or that during a user acceptance testing, I as a trainer realize, that the project manager never really spoke to the user, only by using committees or proxies?
Nevertheless, if I must conceptualize a training just minutes before the user acceptance testing, the world might be a little wrong already. Okay, okay – this solution requires no training. I heard that several times already. Or this one: the subject matter expert can do the training. Ok, I am driving away. Just as a reminder – please but the training into your agenda and a necessary skill set for your next sprint. Done should include training material!
The topic is to SCRUM or not to SCRUM. In my journey into Agile and SCRUM especially, there come the word SCRUMBUT. These signals, that SCRUM was not implemented or fully understood, so in fact a derivative of SCRUM was used.
So, are those projects all using a SCRUMBUT? Is it so difficult to stick to the rules? I am currently researching projects (in my mind – what happened in my past projects) and in literature. There seems to be a big history of failed SCRUM initiatives.
Reasons one can research, from wrong management expectations (we will improve performance of 400% – so let’s start to cut) to the misunderstanding what a servant leader is for example (the Scrum Master is neither your servant nor your leader – sHe is a servant leader, more a coach, who helps to get the team to its fully potential on their SCRUM journey).
I will go with my coaching experience into this SCRUM journey. First start with your motivation to use SCRUM. Is it something you and your team can and want to achieve, or is it something which was given from outside? Once you are clear about your motivation, test its ecology. What happens, when you achieve your goal? If it really what you want, is it what your environment can support?
If you are clear with that, the SCRUM coach (hopefully you are having a SCRUM coach to help your new SCRUM Master and team to reach their potential) can accompany you on your change journey.
Marcus, 29.07.2019
on my journey into Agile and SCRUM