Scrum Guide 2020 vs 2017 Part 3: The Scrum Team (from a hardware perspective)
Introduction
This will be a multiple part article. In this third post we will focus on the Team, Developers, Scrum Master and Product Owner. Coming articles will cover Events and Artifacts.
At MEQIFY we have long experience of applying Scrum and other agile frameworks outside of the pure software industry. We have developed specific expertise and good practices for usage of Scrum in Hardware. We are now co-authoring this series to give you our collective insights on the effect on manufacturing companies and Hardware design companies.
At the bottom of the page you will find links to the full comparison and related articles.
Highlights
The most obvious update is that Development Team is replaced by Developers. It is now only one Scrum Team were everyone is focusing on one objective at a time. Instead of roles there are now defined groups of “accountabilities”: Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developers. It is what you do that matters, not who you are.
There is now an opening for that the same person take several groups of accountabilities. In our opinion this is a dangerous road. We are only humans and when pressured we will react instinctively and focus on what its most convenient for us.
We really like that an increment has changed from “potentially shippable” to “valuable and useful”. When you build highly complex products, it is not that useful to build working stuff every sprint, there must be time for validated learnings as well. We will go deeper into that when we discuss the artifacts of scrum in future articles.
“Servant-leader” has been changed to “leader that serves”. From what we can understand this is just changing of wording to avoid confusion, the way they are supposed to act is the same.
Impact on Hardware companies doing Scrum
There is now mentioned that multiple teams should share the same Product Owner. In complex and integrated product development it is very hard to find one person that can understand all aspects and solely prioritize the common backlog. We recommend a cross-functional program team supporting multiple product owners instead.
Its also stated that multiple teams working on the same product must share the same definition of done. We find that in hardware the work each sprint varies so much that this is impractical. Instead, you can work cross-teams to create a common definition of quality and define good engineering practices that is a part of your everyday tasks.
Impact on Hardware companies about to implement Scrum
Since there are no “roles” defined anymore its easier to keep existing titles when transforming, e.g., you can be a Product Manager AND having accountability as a Product Owner. We will need to see where this ends up. Line managers the combines with product ownership risks mixing up their people managing role with product managing role, leaving the scrum master with unclear mandate.
It is also more open now how big a scrum team can be: “typically 10 or fewer people”. When you develop products that need a lot of competences (in a current example more the 20 competences were needed to deliver a product goal) and this tend to make the team larger. Be careful though if you go over 10 persons. It is a big risk that the team breaks down into sub-teams and that will hinder the team to take full accountability for their outputs, complicate their communication and create hierarchies. Instead, we recommend patterns where you invite guest specialist for a few sprints, having a supporting program team and work with competence development in a structured way to achieve T-shaping.
Changes between 2020 and 2017 version
Noteworthy things added
Noteworthy things removed
Scrum Team
The fundamental unit of Scrum is a small team of people, a Scrum Team. The Scrum Team consists of one Scrum Master, one Product Owner, and Developers. Within a Scrum Team, there are no sub-teams or hierarchies. It is a cohesive unit of professionals focused on one objective at a time, the Product Goal.
Scrum Teams are cross-functional, meaning the members have all the skills necessary to create value each Sprint. They are also self-managing, meaning they internally decide who does what, when, and how.
The Scrum Team is responsible for all product-related activities from stakeholder collaboration, verification, maintenance, operation, experimentation, research and development, and anything else that might be required. They are structured and empowered by the organization to manage their own work. Working in Sprints at a sustainable pace improves the Scrum Team’s focus and consistency.
The entire Scrum Team is accountable for creating a valuable, useful Increment every Sprint. Scrum defines three specific accountabilities within the Scrum Team: the Developers, the Product Owner, and the Scrum Master.
Team Size
The Scrum Team is small enough to remain nimble and large enough to complete significant work within a Sprint, typically 10 or fewer people. In general, we have found that smaller teams communicate better and are more productive.
Multiple teams
If Scrum Teams become too large, they should consider reorganizing into multiple cohesive Scrum Teams, each focused on the same product. Therefore, they should share the same Product Goal, Product Backlog, and Product Owner.
[…]
If there are multiple Scrum Teams working together on a product, they must mutually define and comply with the same Definition of Done.
Developers
Developers are the people in the Scrum Team that are committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint.
The specific skills needed by the Developers are often broad and will vary with the domain of work. However, the Developers are always accountable for:
Creating a plan for the Sprint, the Sprint Backlog;
Instilling quality by adhering to a Definition of Done;
Adapting their plan each day toward the Sprint Goal; and,
Holding each other accountable as professionals.
Product Owner
The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. How this is done may vary widely across organizations, Scrum Teams, and individuals.
The Product Owner is also accountable for effective Product Backlog management, which includes:
Developing and explicitly communicating the Product Goal;
Creating and clearly communicating Product Backlog items;
Ordering Product Backlog items; and,
Ensuring that the Product Backlog is transparent, visible and understood.
The Product Owner may do the above work or may delegate the responsibility to others. Regardless, the Product Owner remains accountable.
For Product Owners to succeed, the entire organization must respect their decisions. These decisions are visible in the content and ordering of the Product Backlog, and through the inspectable Increment at the Sprint Review.
The Product Owner is one person, not a committee. The Product Owner may represent the needs of many stakeholders in the Product Backlog. Those wanting to change the Product Backlog can do so by trying to convince the Product Owner.
Scrum Master
The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide. They do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice, both within the Scrum Team and the organization.
The Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team’s effectiveness. They do this by enabling the Scrum Team to improve its practices, within the Scrum framework.
Scrum Masters are true leaders who serve the Scrum Team and the larger organization.
Service to the Team
The Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team in several ways, including:
Coaching the team members in self-management and cross-functionality;
Helping the Scrum Team focus on creating high-value Increments that meet the Definition of Done;
Causing the removal of impediments to the Scrum Team’s progress; and,
Ensuring that all Scrum events take place and are positive, productive, and kept within the timebox.
Service to the Product Owner
The Scrum Master serves the Product Owner in several ways, including:
Helping find techniques for effective Product Goal definition and Product Backlog management;
Helping the Scrum Team understand the need for clear and concise Product Backlog items;
Helping establish empirical product planning for a complex environment; and,
Facilitating stakeholder collaboration as requested or needed.
Service to the Organization
The Scrum Master serves the organization in several ways, including:
Leading, training, and coaching the organization in its Scrum adoption;
Planning and advising Scrum implementations within the organization;
Helping employees and stakeholders understand and enact an empirical approach for complex work; and,
Removing barriers between stakeholders and Scrum Teams.