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EFFECTIVE DAILY
SCRUM PATTERNS
Charles Bradley
Professional Scrum Trainer, Scrum.org
• Professional Scrum Trainer, Scrum.org
• I teach:
• Professional Scrum Foundations (2 days)
• Professional Scrum Master (2 days)
• Coming Soon! Professional Scrum Developer - Java (3 days)
• Started Scrum in 2008, Scrum Development Team Member(Java) &
Scrum Master  Scrum Coach
• Trained and Coached numerous teams on Scrum
• Short term and long term engagements
• B.S., Computer Science
Charles Bradley
www.synerzip.com
Overview
• Setting the Stage: Daily Scrum Patterns
• Talk Order Patterns
• Q & A
• Obstacle Resolution Patterns
• Facilitation Patterns
• Q & A
• Who Participates? Patterns
• Who Attends? Patterns
• Sprint Backlog at The Daily Scrum Patterns
• Q & A
www.synerzip.com
WHY SHOULD I
CARE ABOUT DAILY
SCRUM PATTERNS?
www.synerzip.com
www.synerzip.com
Warning:
The Scrum Patterns Prime Directive
• Patterns are not a concrete methodology, and using only
documented patterns is a sure fire way to destroy
creativity and innovation. So… use the patterns with care,
and don’t forget to be creative. Mix and match, combine,
tweak, create a new pattern, or don’t ever hesitate to
use your own technique that doesn’t resemble an
already existing pattern.
• The Patterns are simply meant to be ideas to consider
www.synerzip.com
Scrum Guide
Requirements of Daily Scrum
• Purpose: Inspect, forecast, and adapt the plan for the next 24
hrs
• Rules:
• 15 minute time-box
• Same time/place each day
• Each team member explains Yesterday/Today/Obstacles
• Only Dev Team members participate
• SM enforces this
• Not a status meeting
• No Scrum Guide Guidance On:
• Who can attend
• Obstacle Resolution
• Standup vs. Sit Down
www.synerzip.com
Pattern Categories – Daily Scrum
• Talk Order Patterns(3)
• Obstacle Resolution Patterns(5)
• Facilitation Patterns(5)
• Who Participates? Patterns(2)
• Who Attends? Patterns(4)
• Sprint Backlog at The Daily Scrum Patterns(2)
www.synerzip.com
TALK ORDER
PATTERNS
www.synerzip.com
Round Robin
• One person starts, talk order proceeds in some spatial
pattern (clockwise, counter-clockwise, left to right, etc)
• Teams often stand in a circle or semi-circle
www.synerzip.com
Round Robin - Context
• Possibly Good For:
• New Scrum teams
• Experienced Scrum teams
• Works well broadly
• Possibly Bad For:
• Bored Teams. Change it up!
www.synerzip.com
Talking Stick
• The person speaking in a Daily Scrum holds a “talking
stick” or token of some sort.
• Helps Focus Team
• Smooth Speaker Transitions
www.synerzip.com
Talking Stick - Context
• Possibly Good For:
• Bored Teams. Change it up!
• Teams that have trouble focusing
• Possible Strategy: For Distributed Teams: “Toss the
microphone”
• Forces people to pay attention
• Possible Strategy: For Co-located Teams: “Random Order,
Toss the Token”
• Possibly Bad For:
• Bored Teams. Change it up!
• Teams annoyed by the kitchyness.
www.synerzip.com
Controversial Pattern:
Walk the Items
• Rather than going person by person, the meeting is
facilitated to go PBI by PBI
• Someone indicates which PBI is being discussed
• Each person that worked on it yesterday or plans to work on
it today talks about Yesterday/ Today/ Obstacles for only the
currently discussed PBI.
www.synerzip.com
Controversial Pattern:
Walk the Items - Context
• Possibly Good For:
• Non closing teams
• Highly co-located and Highly communicative teams
• Possibly Bad For:
• Teams that share improvement info at the DS
• Teams where this approach <Turns into a Waterfall Status
Meeting>
• Team members who remember better chronologically
(yesterday, today, etc)
www.synerzip.com
OBSTACLE
RESOLUTION
PATTERNS
www.synerzip.com
Defer Obstacle Resolution
• Don’t attempt to solve obstacles and impediments in the
Daily Scrum.
• Possible Strategy: Hand sign or other signal to indicate
someone’s preference for deferring a particular obstacle’s
resolution
www.synerzip.com
Defer Obstacle Resolution -
Context
• Possibly Good For
• Teams that have trouble keeping the DS time-box
• Teams that prefer short Daily Scrums
• Possibly Bad For
• Teams that are smaller, or can quickly discuss their obstacles
and impediments within the 15 minute time-box.
www.synerzip.com
Allow Obstacle Resolution
• Allow some obstacle resolution in Daily Scrum
• Can include discussion
• Must be able to consistently conform to the 15 minute
time-box
www.synerzip.com
Allow Obstacle Resolution -
Context
• Possibly Good For
• Teams that are smaller, or can quickly discuss their obstacles
and impediments within the 15 minute time-box.
• Possibly Bad For
• Teams that are time-box busters
• Teams that want short Daily Scrums
www.synerzip.com
Anti-Pattern: Save All Obstacles
For The Daily Scrum
• Team defers discussing and resolving nearly all obstacles
until the Daily Scrum
• Common anti-pattern with new Scrum teams
• Increases obstacle delays
• Instead, report and/or resolve all possible obstacles as
soon as they are identified.
www.synerzip.com
Anti-Pattern: Save All Obstacles
For The Daily Scrum - Context
• Possibly Good For
• Obstacles that appear shortly before the Daily Scrum.
• Possibly Bad For
• Just about any situation that does not meet the “Possibly
Good For” context above. Attempt to report/resolve all
possible obstacles as soon as they are identified.
www.synerzip.com
The After Party
• The Dev Team meets just after the Daily Scrum to handle
things that are inappropriate for the Daily Scrum.
• Non Dev Team members can also attend
• Can be a sit down.
• Beware the <Save All Obstacles For The Daily Scrum>
anti-pattern.
www.synerzip.com
The After Party – Part 2
• Possible Strategy: Largest audience to smallest.
• Possible Strategy: Vote with your feet.
www.synerzip.com
The After Party - Context
• Possibly Good For:
• Discussions with those not on the Development team
• Obstacle resolution if you’re following the <Defer Obstacle
Resolution> pattern.
• Discussions where only a small subset is needed
• Possibly Bad For
• Any team that might succumb to the <After Party Defeats
the Daily Scrum> pattern.
www.synerzip.com
But be careful. This…
…can turn into this!
www.synerzip.com
Anti-Pattern: After Party Defeats
the Daily Scrum
• One or more non Scrum Team members “takes over”
<The After Party> and harms the self organization of the
Scrum Team.
• Related: See <Authority Figure Attends> anti-pattern.
• Often renders Daily Scrum moot
www.synerzip.com
Anti-Pattern: After Party Defeats
the Daily Scrum
• Possibly Good For:
• No known context where this pattern is good for a Scrum
implementation.
• Possibly Bad For
• Pretty much all teams
www.synerzip.com
FACILITATION
PATTERNS
www.synerzip.com
Standup Meeting
• Participants stand up
• Popular, Proven Practice
www.synerzip.com
Standup Meeting - Context
• Possibly Good For
• Teams that are time-box busters
• Good, quick communication
• Possibly Bad For
• Distributed teams that attend the DS via audio or video
conferencing at their desks or at home.
www.synerzip.com
Sit Down Meeting
• Participants in the Daily Scrum sit down for the meeting
• There is no Scrum Guide requirement that the Daily
Scrum be a standup meeting
• Should be used with caution
www.synerzip.com
Sit Down Meeting - Context
• Possibly Good For
• Distributed teams that attend the DS via audio or video
conferencing at their desks or at home.
• Possibly Bad For
• Teams that are Time-Box Busters
• Low Energy Situations – Stand Up!
www.synerzip.com
Close Facilitator
• A facilitator (often the Scrum Master) facilitates the
meeting very closely
• Might give hints to team members to mention something
• Might coach members closely on what to do, say, or that they
need to let the next person talk
• Might simply just ask insightful questions to the team or its
members to “expose the system to itself”
• Subtle difference between <Close Facilitator> and
<Controlling Facilitator> anti-pattern
www.synerzip.com
Close Facilitator - Context
• Possibly Good For
• New Scrum Teams
• Distributed Scrum Teams to keep it moving
• See <Talking Stick> pattern (“Toss the Microphone Strategy”) as an
alternative.
• Possibly Bad For
• Most Scrum Teams, so long as they have good Daily
Scrums, and no longer need the close facilitation and
teaching.
www.synerzip.com
Anti-Pattern: Controlling
Facilitator
• A facilitator controls the meeting very tightly
• Might call out the name of each person before
they talk
• Might quiz the person several levels deep to go
further on “what is holding them up”
• Controlling Facilitator can be a Scrum Team
member OR a Non Scrum Team member.
• Consider <Close Facilitator> pattern instead
• Often happens when <Authority Figure
Attends>
www.synerzip.com
Anti-Pattern:
Controlling Facilitator - Context
• Possibly Good For
• No contexts are currently documented for when this anti-
pattern might be possibly good for a Scrum implementation.
• Possibly Bad For
• This is an anti-pattern for any Scrum team because it harms self-
organization.
• See Also:
• Anti-Pattern: <Turns into a Waterfall Status Meeting>
• Anti-Pattern: <Authority Figure Attends>
www.synerzip.com
Anti-Pattern: Turns into a
Waterfall Status Meeting
• Focus on time (% complete, actual hours, etc) instead of
inspecting and adapting the plan.
• PO or Non Scrum Team member facilitates
• A <Controlling Facilitator> is present,
• Polling each person for their status, and/or
• Interrogating people about obstacles or things that take
longer than expected
• Constantly reminding team members about deadlines
• People dread going to the meeting
• People appear to be “reporting” to a particular person,
rather than fellow Dev Team members
• See <Authority Figure Attends> anti-pattern.
www.synerzip.com
Anti-Pattern: Turns into a Waterfall
Status Meeting - Context
• Possibly Good For
• No contexts are currently documented for when this anti-
pattern might be possibly good for a Scrum implementation.
• Possibly Bad For
• This is an anti-pattern for any Scrum team because it harms self-
organization, and the ability of the team to inspect and adapt.
• See Also:
• Anti-Pattern: <Controlling Facilitator>
• Anti-Pattern: <Authority Figure Attends>
www.synerzip.com
Q&A
www.synerzip.com
WHO
PARTICIPATES?
PATTERNS
Note the difference between “attend” and
“participate.”
www.synerzip.com
Controversial Pattern: Product
Owner Participates
• Product Owner Participates in the Daily Scrum
• Scrum Guide(Scrum.org) says No.
• Agile Atlas(Scrum Alliance) says Maybe.
www.synerzip.com
Controversial Pattern: Product
Owner Participates - Context
• Possibly Good For
• Teams that have a good working relationship with their PO
• Possibly Bad For
• Teams where the PO might harm Dev Team self organization
or exhibit one of the following anti-patterns:
• Anti-Pattern: <Authority Figure Attends>
• Anti-Pattern: <Controlling Facilitator>
www.synerzip.com
Anti-Pattern: Non Scrum Team
Member Participates
• A person who is not on the Scrum Team participates by
speaking or doing the “yesterday/ today/ obstacles”
• This is a direct violation of the Scrum Guide which says
that only the Dev Team participates.
www.synerzip.com
Anti-Pattern: Non Scrum Team
Member Participates - Context
• Possibly Good For
• No contexts are currently documented for when this anti-
pattern might be possibly good for a Scrum implementation.
• Possibly Bad For
• Any Scrum Team. This violates a very specific Scrum rule,
and harms self-organization, transparency, and the purpose
of the Daily Scrum itself.
• Outsiders can participate in the <The After Party>
www.synerzip.com
WHO ATTENDS?
PATTERNS
Note the difference between “attend” and
“participate.”
www.synerzip.com
Only Dev Team Attends
• Only the Dev Team attends the Daily Scrum
• Caveat: The Dev Team should make sure that they are still
serving/communicating with the Scrum Master, Product
Owner, and wider organization well, through any other
needed communication mechanisms besides the Daily
Scrum.
www.synerzip.com
Only Dev Team Attends - Context
• Possibly Good For:
• Experienced Scrum Teams
• Possibly Bad For:
• New Scrum Teams
• Need Scrum Master as Shield
• See <Authority Figure Attends> anti-pattern
• Teams where a Scrum Master’s extended absence has
allowed slow degradation of the quality of the Daily Scrum
www.synerzip.com
Scrum Master Attends
• The Scrum Master Attends the Daily Scrum
www.synerzip.com
Scrum Master Attends - Context
• Possibly Good For:
• New Scrum Teams
• Need Scrum Master as shield
• See <Authority Figure Attends> anti-pattern
• Teams That Need a Refresher on Effective Daily Scrums
• Possibly Bad For:
• Scrum Master who exhibits <Authorify Figure Attends> anti-
pattern
• Teams that grow dependent on the Scrum Master
www.synerzip.com
Product Owner Attends
• The Product Owner Attends the Daily Scrum
www.synerzip.com
Product Owner Attends - Context
• Possibly Good For:
• Dev Teams who often need to speak to the Product Owner at
<The After Party>
• Product Owners who are “team players”
• Possibly Bad For:
• Scrum Teams that forget that the Product Owner should be
highly available throughout the sprint, not just at the Daily
Scrum.
• Product Owners who exhibit the <Authority Figure
Attends> or <Controlling Facilitator> anti-pattern.
www.synerzip.com
Anti-Pattern: Authority Figure
Attends
• Someone of authority attends
• Team Lead
• Manager
• Executive
• Powerful Stakeholder
www.synerzip.com
Anti-Pattern: Authority Figure
Attends
• Possibly Good For:
• Rare visits so the authority figure learns about Scrum.
• Teams who have an authority figure on the Scrum Team.
• SM should coach that member to not act as their authority role in the
Daily Scrum
• Possibly Bad For:
• Pretty much any situation not described in the “Possibly
Good For” section
• Authority figures who don’t realize the effect they have on the
team – somewhat akin to the “lab coat effect”
www.synerzip.com
SPRINT BACKLOG
AT THE DAILY
SCRUM PATTERNS
www.synerzip.com
View Sprint Backlog at Daily
Scrum
• The Sprint Backlog is viewed or displayed at the Daily
Scrum.
• Examples:
• Physical Scrum board(Most popular by far)
• Photograph of the Physical Scrum board
• Webcam pointed at the Physical Scrum board
• ALM tool screen
www.synerzip.com
www.synerzip.com
View Sprint Backlog at Daily
Scrum - Context
• Possibly Good For
• Pretty much any Scrum Team, so long as they are not
exhibiting some other anti-pattern (<Authority Figure
Attends> , <Controlling Facilitator>, <Turns into a
Waterfall Status Meeting>, etc)
• Possibly Bad For
• No contexts are currently documented for when this pattern
might be possibly bad for a Scrum implementation.
www.synerzip.com
Controversial Pattern: Update Sprint
Backlog During Daily Scrum
• The Scrum team updates the Sprint Backlog and/or
Burndown during the Daily Scrum
www.synerzip.com
Controversial Pattern: Update Sprint
Backlog During Daily Scrum - Context
• Possibly Good For
• Very advanced/experienced Scrum Teams who will not let
the updating get in the way of the purpose of the Daily
Scrum.
• Possibly Bad For
• New Scrum Teams
• Teams where the “updating” will distract and take time away
• Teams where the updater is influenced by attendees.
• See <Authority Figure Attends> anti-pattern
• Transparency – Sprint Backlog could be 24hrs out of date
www.synerzip.com
CREATE YOUR OWN
PATTERN!
www.synerzip.com
Create Your Own Pattern!
• <Your Pattern Description Here>
www.synerzip.com
Create Your Own Pattern! -
Context
• Possibly Good For:
• <Possibly Good For these situations…>
• Possibly Bad For:
• <Possibly Bad For these situations…>
www.synerzip.com
Warning:
The Scrum Patterns Prime Directive
• Patterns are not a concrete methodology, and using only
documented patterns is a sure fire way to destroy
creativity and innovation. So… use the patterns with care,
and don’t forget to be creative. Mix and match, combine,
tweak, create a new pattern, or don’t ever hesitate to
use your own technique that doesn’t resemble an
already existing pattern.
• The Patterns are simply meant to be ideas to consider
www.synerzip.com
Wrapup
• Consider the Patterns as Ideas
• Not an official part of Scrum in any way
• Pay Attention to the Applicable Context
• You can find a pdf summarizing the patterns here:
• http://www.ScrumCrazy.com/DSPatterns
• Be published! Contribute your own patterns! See the link
above for details on how to submit your own Scrum
Patterns.
www.synerzip.com
6666
66
Questions?
www.synerzip.com
Hemant Elhence
hemant@synerzip.com
469.322.0349
Synerzip in a Nut-shell
1. Software product development partner for small/mid-sized technology
companies
• Exclusive focus on small/mid-sized technology companies, typically
venture-backed companies in growth phase
• By definition, all Synerzip work is the IP of its respective clients
• Deep experience in full SDLC – design, dev, QA/testing, deployment
2. Dedicated team of high caliber software professionals for each client
• Seamlessly extends client’s local team, offering full transparency
• Stable teams with very low turn-over
• NOT just “staff augmentation”, but provide full mgmt support
3. Actually reduces risk of development/delivery
• Experienced team - uses appropriate level of engineering discipline
• Practices Agile development – responsive, yet disciplined
4. Reduces cost – dual-shore team, 50% cost advantage
5. Offers long term flexibility – allows (facilitates) taking offshore team captive
– aka “BOT” option
www.synerzip.com
Our Clients
www.synerzip.com
6969
69
Call Us for a Free Consultation!
Thanks!
www.synerzip.com
Hemant Elhence
hemant@synerzip.com
469.322.0349

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Effective Daily Scrum Patterns

  • 1. EFFECTIVE DAILY SCRUM PATTERNS Charles Bradley Professional Scrum Trainer, Scrum.org
  • 2. • Professional Scrum Trainer, Scrum.org • I teach: • Professional Scrum Foundations (2 days) • Professional Scrum Master (2 days) • Coming Soon! Professional Scrum Developer - Java (3 days) • Started Scrum in 2008, Scrum Development Team Member(Java) & Scrum Master  Scrum Coach • Trained and Coached numerous teams on Scrum • Short term and long term engagements • B.S., Computer Science Charles Bradley www.synerzip.com
  • 3. Overview • Setting the Stage: Daily Scrum Patterns • Talk Order Patterns • Q & A • Obstacle Resolution Patterns • Facilitation Patterns • Q & A • Who Participates? Patterns • Who Attends? Patterns • Sprint Backlog at The Daily Scrum Patterns • Q & A www.synerzip.com
  • 4. WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT DAILY SCRUM PATTERNS? www.synerzip.com
  • 6. Warning: The Scrum Patterns Prime Directive • Patterns are not a concrete methodology, and using only documented patterns is a sure fire way to destroy creativity and innovation. So… use the patterns with care, and don’t forget to be creative. Mix and match, combine, tweak, create a new pattern, or don’t ever hesitate to use your own technique that doesn’t resemble an already existing pattern. • The Patterns are simply meant to be ideas to consider www.synerzip.com
  • 7. Scrum Guide Requirements of Daily Scrum • Purpose: Inspect, forecast, and adapt the plan for the next 24 hrs • Rules: • 15 minute time-box • Same time/place each day • Each team member explains Yesterday/Today/Obstacles • Only Dev Team members participate • SM enforces this • Not a status meeting • No Scrum Guide Guidance On: • Who can attend • Obstacle Resolution • Standup vs. Sit Down www.synerzip.com
  • 8. Pattern Categories – Daily Scrum • Talk Order Patterns(3) • Obstacle Resolution Patterns(5) • Facilitation Patterns(5) • Who Participates? Patterns(2) • Who Attends? Patterns(4) • Sprint Backlog at The Daily Scrum Patterns(2) www.synerzip.com
  • 10. Round Robin • One person starts, talk order proceeds in some spatial pattern (clockwise, counter-clockwise, left to right, etc) • Teams often stand in a circle or semi-circle www.synerzip.com
  • 11. Round Robin - Context • Possibly Good For: • New Scrum teams • Experienced Scrum teams • Works well broadly • Possibly Bad For: • Bored Teams. Change it up! www.synerzip.com
  • 12. Talking Stick • The person speaking in a Daily Scrum holds a “talking stick” or token of some sort. • Helps Focus Team • Smooth Speaker Transitions www.synerzip.com
  • 13. Talking Stick - Context • Possibly Good For: • Bored Teams. Change it up! • Teams that have trouble focusing • Possible Strategy: For Distributed Teams: “Toss the microphone” • Forces people to pay attention • Possible Strategy: For Co-located Teams: “Random Order, Toss the Token” • Possibly Bad For: • Bored Teams. Change it up! • Teams annoyed by the kitchyness. www.synerzip.com
  • 14. Controversial Pattern: Walk the Items • Rather than going person by person, the meeting is facilitated to go PBI by PBI • Someone indicates which PBI is being discussed • Each person that worked on it yesterday or plans to work on it today talks about Yesterday/ Today/ Obstacles for only the currently discussed PBI. www.synerzip.com
  • 15. Controversial Pattern: Walk the Items - Context • Possibly Good For: • Non closing teams • Highly co-located and Highly communicative teams • Possibly Bad For: • Teams that share improvement info at the DS • Teams where this approach <Turns into a Waterfall Status Meeting> • Team members who remember better chronologically (yesterday, today, etc) www.synerzip.com
  • 17. Defer Obstacle Resolution • Don’t attempt to solve obstacles and impediments in the Daily Scrum. • Possible Strategy: Hand sign or other signal to indicate someone’s preference for deferring a particular obstacle’s resolution www.synerzip.com
  • 18. Defer Obstacle Resolution - Context • Possibly Good For • Teams that have trouble keeping the DS time-box • Teams that prefer short Daily Scrums • Possibly Bad For • Teams that are smaller, or can quickly discuss their obstacles and impediments within the 15 minute time-box. www.synerzip.com
  • 19. Allow Obstacle Resolution • Allow some obstacle resolution in Daily Scrum • Can include discussion • Must be able to consistently conform to the 15 minute time-box www.synerzip.com
  • 20. Allow Obstacle Resolution - Context • Possibly Good For • Teams that are smaller, or can quickly discuss their obstacles and impediments within the 15 minute time-box. • Possibly Bad For • Teams that are time-box busters • Teams that want short Daily Scrums www.synerzip.com
  • 21. Anti-Pattern: Save All Obstacles For The Daily Scrum • Team defers discussing and resolving nearly all obstacles until the Daily Scrum • Common anti-pattern with new Scrum teams • Increases obstacle delays • Instead, report and/or resolve all possible obstacles as soon as they are identified. www.synerzip.com
  • 22. Anti-Pattern: Save All Obstacles For The Daily Scrum - Context • Possibly Good For • Obstacles that appear shortly before the Daily Scrum. • Possibly Bad For • Just about any situation that does not meet the “Possibly Good For” context above. Attempt to report/resolve all possible obstacles as soon as they are identified. www.synerzip.com
  • 23. The After Party • The Dev Team meets just after the Daily Scrum to handle things that are inappropriate for the Daily Scrum. • Non Dev Team members can also attend • Can be a sit down. • Beware the <Save All Obstacles For The Daily Scrum> anti-pattern. www.synerzip.com
  • 24. The After Party – Part 2 • Possible Strategy: Largest audience to smallest. • Possible Strategy: Vote with your feet. www.synerzip.com
  • 25. The After Party - Context • Possibly Good For: • Discussions with those not on the Development team • Obstacle resolution if you’re following the <Defer Obstacle Resolution> pattern. • Discussions where only a small subset is needed • Possibly Bad For • Any team that might succumb to the <After Party Defeats the Daily Scrum> pattern. www.synerzip.com
  • 26. But be careful. This… …can turn into this! www.synerzip.com
  • 27. Anti-Pattern: After Party Defeats the Daily Scrum • One or more non Scrum Team members “takes over” <The After Party> and harms the self organization of the Scrum Team. • Related: See <Authority Figure Attends> anti-pattern. • Often renders Daily Scrum moot www.synerzip.com
  • 28. Anti-Pattern: After Party Defeats the Daily Scrum • Possibly Good For: • No known context where this pattern is good for a Scrum implementation. • Possibly Bad For • Pretty much all teams www.synerzip.com
  • 30. Standup Meeting • Participants stand up • Popular, Proven Practice www.synerzip.com
  • 31. Standup Meeting - Context • Possibly Good For • Teams that are time-box busters • Good, quick communication • Possibly Bad For • Distributed teams that attend the DS via audio or video conferencing at their desks or at home. www.synerzip.com
  • 32. Sit Down Meeting • Participants in the Daily Scrum sit down for the meeting • There is no Scrum Guide requirement that the Daily Scrum be a standup meeting • Should be used with caution www.synerzip.com
  • 33. Sit Down Meeting - Context • Possibly Good For • Distributed teams that attend the DS via audio or video conferencing at their desks or at home. • Possibly Bad For • Teams that are Time-Box Busters • Low Energy Situations – Stand Up! www.synerzip.com
  • 34. Close Facilitator • A facilitator (often the Scrum Master) facilitates the meeting very closely • Might give hints to team members to mention something • Might coach members closely on what to do, say, or that they need to let the next person talk • Might simply just ask insightful questions to the team or its members to “expose the system to itself” • Subtle difference between <Close Facilitator> and <Controlling Facilitator> anti-pattern www.synerzip.com
  • 35. Close Facilitator - Context • Possibly Good For • New Scrum Teams • Distributed Scrum Teams to keep it moving • See <Talking Stick> pattern (“Toss the Microphone Strategy”) as an alternative. • Possibly Bad For • Most Scrum Teams, so long as they have good Daily Scrums, and no longer need the close facilitation and teaching. www.synerzip.com
  • 36. Anti-Pattern: Controlling Facilitator • A facilitator controls the meeting very tightly • Might call out the name of each person before they talk • Might quiz the person several levels deep to go further on “what is holding them up” • Controlling Facilitator can be a Scrum Team member OR a Non Scrum Team member. • Consider <Close Facilitator> pattern instead • Often happens when <Authority Figure Attends> www.synerzip.com
  • 37. Anti-Pattern: Controlling Facilitator - Context • Possibly Good For • No contexts are currently documented for when this anti- pattern might be possibly good for a Scrum implementation. • Possibly Bad For • This is an anti-pattern for any Scrum team because it harms self- organization. • See Also: • Anti-Pattern: <Turns into a Waterfall Status Meeting> • Anti-Pattern: <Authority Figure Attends> www.synerzip.com
  • 38. Anti-Pattern: Turns into a Waterfall Status Meeting • Focus on time (% complete, actual hours, etc) instead of inspecting and adapting the plan. • PO or Non Scrum Team member facilitates • A <Controlling Facilitator> is present, • Polling each person for their status, and/or • Interrogating people about obstacles or things that take longer than expected • Constantly reminding team members about deadlines • People dread going to the meeting • People appear to be “reporting” to a particular person, rather than fellow Dev Team members • See <Authority Figure Attends> anti-pattern. www.synerzip.com
  • 39. Anti-Pattern: Turns into a Waterfall Status Meeting - Context • Possibly Good For • No contexts are currently documented for when this anti- pattern might be possibly good for a Scrum implementation. • Possibly Bad For • This is an anti-pattern for any Scrum team because it harms self- organization, and the ability of the team to inspect and adapt. • See Also: • Anti-Pattern: <Controlling Facilitator> • Anti-Pattern: <Authority Figure Attends> www.synerzip.com
  • 41. WHO PARTICIPATES? PATTERNS Note the difference between “attend” and “participate.” www.synerzip.com
  • 42. Controversial Pattern: Product Owner Participates • Product Owner Participates in the Daily Scrum • Scrum Guide(Scrum.org) says No. • Agile Atlas(Scrum Alliance) says Maybe. www.synerzip.com
  • 43. Controversial Pattern: Product Owner Participates - Context • Possibly Good For • Teams that have a good working relationship with their PO • Possibly Bad For • Teams where the PO might harm Dev Team self organization or exhibit one of the following anti-patterns: • Anti-Pattern: <Authority Figure Attends> • Anti-Pattern: <Controlling Facilitator> www.synerzip.com
  • 44. Anti-Pattern: Non Scrum Team Member Participates • A person who is not on the Scrum Team participates by speaking or doing the “yesterday/ today/ obstacles” • This is a direct violation of the Scrum Guide which says that only the Dev Team participates. www.synerzip.com
  • 45. Anti-Pattern: Non Scrum Team Member Participates - Context • Possibly Good For • No contexts are currently documented for when this anti- pattern might be possibly good for a Scrum implementation. • Possibly Bad For • Any Scrum Team. This violates a very specific Scrum rule, and harms self-organization, transparency, and the purpose of the Daily Scrum itself. • Outsiders can participate in the <The After Party> www.synerzip.com
  • 46. WHO ATTENDS? PATTERNS Note the difference between “attend” and “participate.” www.synerzip.com
  • 47. Only Dev Team Attends • Only the Dev Team attends the Daily Scrum • Caveat: The Dev Team should make sure that they are still serving/communicating with the Scrum Master, Product Owner, and wider organization well, through any other needed communication mechanisms besides the Daily Scrum. www.synerzip.com
  • 48. Only Dev Team Attends - Context • Possibly Good For: • Experienced Scrum Teams • Possibly Bad For: • New Scrum Teams • Need Scrum Master as Shield • See <Authority Figure Attends> anti-pattern • Teams where a Scrum Master’s extended absence has allowed slow degradation of the quality of the Daily Scrum www.synerzip.com
  • 49. Scrum Master Attends • The Scrum Master Attends the Daily Scrum www.synerzip.com
  • 50. Scrum Master Attends - Context • Possibly Good For: • New Scrum Teams • Need Scrum Master as shield • See <Authority Figure Attends> anti-pattern • Teams That Need a Refresher on Effective Daily Scrums • Possibly Bad For: • Scrum Master who exhibits <Authorify Figure Attends> anti- pattern • Teams that grow dependent on the Scrum Master www.synerzip.com
  • 51. Product Owner Attends • The Product Owner Attends the Daily Scrum www.synerzip.com
  • 52. Product Owner Attends - Context • Possibly Good For: • Dev Teams who often need to speak to the Product Owner at <The After Party> • Product Owners who are “team players” • Possibly Bad For: • Scrum Teams that forget that the Product Owner should be highly available throughout the sprint, not just at the Daily Scrum. • Product Owners who exhibit the <Authority Figure Attends> or <Controlling Facilitator> anti-pattern. www.synerzip.com
  • 53. Anti-Pattern: Authority Figure Attends • Someone of authority attends • Team Lead • Manager • Executive • Powerful Stakeholder www.synerzip.com
  • 54. Anti-Pattern: Authority Figure Attends • Possibly Good For: • Rare visits so the authority figure learns about Scrum. • Teams who have an authority figure on the Scrum Team. • SM should coach that member to not act as their authority role in the Daily Scrum • Possibly Bad For: • Pretty much any situation not described in the “Possibly Good For” section • Authority figures who don’t realize the effect they have on the team – somewhat akin to the “lab coat effect” www.synerzip.com
  • 55. SPRINT BACKLOG AT THE DAILY SCRUM PATTERNS www.synerzip.com
  • 56. View Sprint Backlog at Daily Scrum • The Sprint Backlog is viewed or displayed at the Daily Scrum. • Examples: • Physical Scrum board(Most popular by far) • Photograph of the Physical Scrum board • Webcam pointed at the Physical Scrum board • ALM tool screen www.synerzip.com
  • 58. View Sprint Backlog at Daily Scrum - Context • Possibly Good For • Pretty much any Scrum Team, so long as they are not exhibiting some other anti-pattern (<Authority Figure Attends> , <Controlling Facilitator>, <Turns into a Waterfall Status Meeting>, etc) • Possibly Bad For • No contexts are currently documented for when this pattern might be possibly bad for a Scrum implementation. www.synerzip.com
  • 59. Controversial Pattern: Update Sprint Backlog During Daily Scrum • The Scrum team updates the Sprint Backlog and/or Burndown during the Daily Scrum www.synerzip.com
  • 60. Controversial Pattern: Update Sprint Backlog During Daily Scrum - Context • Possibly Good For • Very advanced/experienced Scrum Teams who will not let the updating get in the way of the purpose of the Daily Scrum. • Possibly Bad For • New Scrum Teams • Teams where the “updating” will distract and take time away • Teams where the updater is influenced by attendees. • See <Authority Figure Attends> anti-pattern • Transparency – Sprint Backlog could be 24hrs out of date www.synerzip.com
  • 62. Create Your Own Pattern! • <Your Pattern Description Here> www.synerzip.com
  • 63. Create Your Own Pattern! - Context • Possibly Good For: • <Possibly Good For these situations…> • Possibly Bad For: • <Possibly Bad For these situations…> www.synerzip.com
  • 64. Warning: The Scrum Patterns Prime Directive • Patterns are not a concrete methodology, and using only documented patterns is a sure fire way to destroy creativity and innovation. So… use the patterns with care, and don’t forget to be creative. Mix and match, combine, tweak, create a new pattern, or don’t ever hesitate to use your own technique that doesn’t resemble an already existing pattern. • The Patterns are simply meant to be ideas to consider www.synerzip.com
  • 65. Wrapup • Consider the Patterns as Ideas • Not an official part of Scrum in any way • Pay Attention to the Applicable Context • You can find a pdf summarizing the patterns here: • http://www.ScrumCrazy.com/DSPatterns • Be published! Contribute your own patterns! See the link above for details on how to submit your own Scrum Patterns. www.synerzip.com
  • 67. Synerzip in a Nut-shell 1. Software product development partner for small/mid-sized technology companies • Exclusive focus on small/mid-sized technology companies, typically venture-backed companies in growth phase • By definition, all Synerzip work is the IP of its respective clients • Deep experience in full SDLC – design, dev, QA/testing, deployment 2. Dedicated team of high caliber software professionals for each client • Seamlessly extends client’s local team, offering full transparency • Stable teams with very low turn-over • NOT just “staff augmentation”, but provide full mgmt support 3. Actually reduces risk of development/delivery • Experienced team - uses appropriate level of engineering discipline • Practices Agile development – responsive, yet disciplined 4. Reduces cost – dual-shore team, 50% cost advantage 5. Offers long term flexibility – allows (facilitates) taking offshore team captive – aka “BOT” option www.synerzip.com
  • 69. 6969 69 Call Us for a Free Consultation! Thanks! www.synerzip.com Hemant Elhence hemant@synerzip.com 469.322.0349