Scrum Master Certification - Delegate Pack

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Scrum Master
Certification
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© The Knowledge Academy Ltd.

Course Syllabus • Module 1: Introduction
Obtaining a Scrum Master certification, also

known as a Scrum certification, acknowledges • Module 2: The Scrum Cycle
your proficiency in the principles of Scrum
project management. This credential can enable
individuals to pursue Scrum Master positions,
which involve utilising Scrum methodology to • Module 3: Scrum Values and
oversee project completion.
Principles
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The Exam
 60 mins duration
 35 questions
 Pass mark: 60% (21 correct answers)
 Open Book
NOTE: The exam questions are based on the TKA Scrum Handbook™, your course covers more than the handbook and includes practical tips about how Scrum
works in the real world. For this reason basing your answers on the slide content is not advised – in the exam stick to the TKA Scrum Handbook™!

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Introductions
• Who you are:
o Your name
o Your current role and
responsibilities
• What is the first thing that comes to

mind when you hear the term
“Scrum”

theknowledgeacademy 1 Agility
Module 2 Differences Between Agile and Scrum
01 3
4
Agile Software Development Manifesto
Project Management Breakdown
5 Differentiation of Scrum Practices from Principles and Values

Introduction
6 Origins of Scrum
7 Uncertainty and Volatility

Agility
 Agile management was developed as a contrasting
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approach to predictive project management, a model

that will be frequently mentioned in this guide.
 Each model has its own benefits and is more applicable

in certain industries.
 Predictive management places emphasis on planning,

budgeting, and establishing deadlines.
 If the end product is delivered within the allotted time

frame, without surpassing the budget, and includes all
the features specified in the initial plan, it is deemed a
triumph.

Agility
(Continued)
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 Predictive management originated from the Industrial Revolution and was primarily utilised in
industries such as construction, automobile manufacturing, and factories.
 For instance, if a client desires a house, it must be constructed to be sturdy, secure, and cater
to the needs of its occupants.
 Ideally, the project should be completed within the set timeline and budget. However,
numerous contemporary products bear no resemblance to those from the Industrial
Revolution, and this approach may not be suitable.
 For example, abstract items like movies or mobile apps cannot be produced using the same
methodology.

Agility
(Continued)
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 The concept of agility begins with a feasible starting point and progresses through the project
by adjusting to changing circumstances as they arise.

Agility
Origins and Why Agility is Often Linked to IT
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 The progression of knowledge follows a dialectic pattern of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis.
Each thesis is countered by an antithesis, which exposes its issues and inconsistencies.
 The antithesis is also flawed in some aspects, and through the clash of these two opposing
views, a third stage called synthesis emerges. This synthesis provides a resolution and a fresh
comprehension of the problem at hand.
“During this phase, the prior thesis and antithesis are united and surpassed.
Nonetheless, with the passage of time, even the synthesis can exhibit one-
sidedness in some other aspect. This will subsequently serve as the foundation for
a new dialectical movement, perpetuating the process in a spiral and zigzagging
manner”.

Agility
Processes and Predictive Management
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 In the midst of the software crisis, NATO conducted its

inaugural conference with the objective of examining issues
pertaining to programming.
 The necessity of constructing a scientific discipline that

would facilitate a methodical and quantifiable methodology
for designing, implementing, and maintaining computer
systems became evident.
 This prompted an endeavour to utilise process engineering

in software development, leading to the inception of
“software engineering”.

Agility
(Continued)
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 The initial approach, which served as a thesis, was built upon two fundamental principles.
Process
01 Engineering
Predictive
Management 02

Agility
(Continued)
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 Process Engineering is a quality principle that has

been successfully tested in industrial production
settings. It stipulates that the quality of the outcome
is directly correlated to the quality of the processes
employed, implying that highly qualified or skilled
personnel may not be necessary if they adhere to
quality guidelines.
 Predictive Management is a comprehensive term

used to describe management styles that prioritise
meeting schedules and budgets, in contrast to
reactive management.

Differences Between Agile and Scrum
• Scrum is an Agile methodology, and it is a specific implementation of the Agile framework
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• This means that Scrum follows the Agile Manifesto and interprets its principles into specific
processes, which will be explained later
• There are many different Agile methodologies—Scrum is one of the most popular

 Our discovery of improved software development
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methodologies has been made possible through hands-on

experience and supporting others in the same pursuit.
 Throughout this process, we have developed a preference

for:
 Prioritising individuals and interactions over processes and

tools.
 Focusing on working software over extensive

documentation.
 Emphasising customer collaboration over contract

negotiation.
 Valuing the ability to adapt and respond to change over

strictly adhering to a predetermined plan.
Individuals and Interactions Over Processes and Tools
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 Undoubtedly, processes play a crucial role in enhancing efficiency as they serve as a guide to
operations and having the appropriate tools further aids in the process.
And this is our project

department. Hannah
.Projects. will help you with
whatever you need..

(Continued)
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 The primary objective of process-based production is to ensure that the quality of the outcome
is a direct result of the processes involved.
 On the other hand, in agile development, processes are merely auxiliary.
 Insisting on the implementation of processes at any cost can lead to the misconception that
ordinary individuals can achieve exceptional results.
 However, this is not applicable when it comes to tasks that demand creativity and innovation,
as these require talented and motivated individuals to achieve success.

Working Software Over Comprehensive Documentation
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 The Agile Manifesto acknowledges that documentation can be valuable for projects, but only if
it is necessary and relevant.

(Continued)
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 Unnecessary documentation is discouraged. Documents can be useful for recording and

communicating important information, and in some cases, may be mandatory due to legal or
regulatory requirements.
 However, the focus should be on the product, and the relevance of the documentation should
be secondary to that.
 Observing prototypes and finished parts can provide constructive feedback and help anticipate
how the final product will function, leading to new and innovative ideas.
 Therefore, investing a lot of time in preparing an overly-detailed document of requirements

before beginning a project is often an inefficient use of resources.

Responding to Change Over Following a Plan
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 Agile management places high importance on

anticipation and adaptation, which differs from the
values of traditional project management that focus
on planning and control to ensure adherence to the
plan.
 For developing products with volatile requirements,

responsiveness is more valuable than monitoring
and guaranteeing plans. If the original concept is no
longer feasible, it should be possible to modify it
accordingly.

Customer Collaboration Over Contract Negotiation
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 Unnecessary documentation is discouraged. Documents can be useful for recording and

communicating important information, and in some cases, may be mandatory due to legal or
regulatory requirements.
And that is my idea. But in the
following months, we’ll keep
Here are my terms.
working together to find the
best way to develop it. What
See you in 6 months!!
do you think?

The 12 Principles Behind the Agile Manifesto
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1. The foremost objective of agile development is to satisfy the

customer by delivering valuable software early and continuously.
2. Agile processes welcome changes in requirements, even if they

arise late in development, as they can benefit the customer's
competitive advantage.
3. The agile approach prioritises delivering working software

frequently, preferably within shorter timescales ranging from a
few weeks to a couple of months.
4. To achieve success, business professionals and developers must

collaborate daily throughout the project.

5. Agile development revolves around motivated individuals, who are
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provided with the necessary support and environment to complete

their work and are trusted to do so.
6. The most effective way of exchanging information within a

development team is through face-to-face communication.
7. The primary metric for measuring progress in agile development is

the delivery of working software.
8. Agile processes promote sustainable development, where

sponsors, developers, and users can maintain a constant pace
indefinitely.

9. Consistent attention to technical excellence and good
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design is crucial for enhancing agility in agile

development.
10.Simplicity is an essential aspect of agile development that

maximises the amount of work not done.
11.Self-organising teams in agile development produce the

best architectures, requirements, and designs.
12.Regular reflection on team performance to improve

effectiveness and adjusting behaviour accordingly is a key
aspect of agile development.

 Over the years, numerous models and practices have been created by companies to enhance
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project quality and efficiency, making it difficult to comprehend them all.
 We will move past mere labels and instead provide an overview of the underlying principles
behind various frameworks, in order to gain a deeper understanding of different management
strategies.

Predictive Management: Sequential
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Engineering
 Sequential engineering, also referred to as
traditional engineering, aims to deliver consistent
outcomes.
 The primary goal of this approach is to develop

the intended product within the agreed-upon
timeline and allocated resources.
 This type of development is considered

"complete" and relies on conventional planning
methodologies to achieve success.

Evolutionary Management: Concurrent Engineering and Agility
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 The objective of evolutionary management is to deliver a functional product as early as

possible and continuously enhance its value.
 This is accomplished by overlapping work phases and employing incremental development

through short, iterative cycles or a continuous flow of development.
 Knowledge plays a significant role in this approach, and it can be implemented using either
process-based production (concurrent engineering) or people-based production (agility).
 It is important to understand this distinction to avoid confusion, such as assuming that

implementing standard Scrum rules, which involve iterative cycles and defined roles and
artefacts, or visual Kanban techniques for task flow, is equivalent to practicing agility.

(Continued)
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Concurrent Engineering Agility

• It uses strategies that are typical of agile • It reduces or eliminates administrative
management: overlapping development and bureaucratic tasks that do not add
phases, multidisciplinary teams, and value to the product or the development
frequent improvement iterations. system.
•
• It focuses on the quality of processes. It’s typical of knowledge enterprises.
• It focuses on the tacit knowledge of

people, culture, and talent.

Scrum
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 Scrum employs an incremental development

approach that can take the form of iterative
cycles through timeboxing or continuous
development.
 It also features overlapping work phases and

places a strong emphasis on the creative abilities
and tacit knowledge of individuals to ensure
high-quality results.
 Additionally, Scrum is characterised by self-

managed teams that collaborate and share
knowledge, hence the name and analogy of
moving forward as a scrum.

Differentiation of Scrum Practices from Principles
and Values
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 When beginning to utilise Scrum, it is recommended to read the manual and adhere to the
established guidelines, just as with any other tool.
 We must be honest with ourselves and acknowledge that if we prioritise process over the creative
abilities and tacit knowledge of individuals, we will not be practicing agility but rather concurrent
engineering.
 Once we have established an iterative workflow, we can strive to surpass it.
 At this point, it becomes necessary to unlearn certain practices and instead rely on the underlying
principles and values of Scrum, adapting it, along with other techniques and frameworks, to best suit
the unique characteristics of the project or team. In many agile organisations, these adaptations are
not only possible but commonplace.
© The Knowledge Academy Ltd

(Continued)
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 Our approach will be based on three fundamental concepts - development, work, and
knowledge - and two management models: predictive and evolutive.
Development Work Knowledge
Strategy Tactic
Cascading Processes
Complete PMBOK practices
project plan
Agile practices Overlapped phases

Iterative increments
People
Continuous increments

Origins of Scrum
 Scrum is an agile development methodology that
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emphasises the following key aspects:
 Teams are autonomous and self-organising, and they

collaborate openly and learn from each other.
 The focus is on incremental development rather than

detailed upfront planning of the final product.
 Quality is primarily based on the creative abilities and

tacit knowledge of individuals, rather than solely on the
quality of processes.
 The different phases of development are overlapped,

rather than being carried out sequentially in a rigid
waterfall model.

Uncertainty and Volatility
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Far from Empirical/ Iterative

Agreement processes work well
here
Anarchy
Complex
Requirements
BDUF processes
work well here
Close to
Simple
Agreement
Close to Technology Far from
Certainty Certainty
Source: Strategic Management and Organisational Dynamics by Ralph Stacey in Agile Software Development with
Scrum by Ken Schwaber and Mike Beedle.

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1 How Scrum Works
Module
02
2 Scum Cycle and Theory
3 Roles
4 Artefacts
The Scrum Cycle 5 Events
6 Agile Measurement and Estimation
7 Servant Leadership

How Scrum Works (1)
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See next 4 slides

for an overview of
how Scrum works

How Scrum Works (1)
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Daily
Sprint
Goal Scrum
Potentially
Shippable
Product Product
Sprint Sprint
Backlog Plan
Backlog
Retrospective
Build + Test + Control
Review
Sprint Planning Review (4 hrs)

(1 day) Development Work Retrospective (3 hrs)
Sprint (Max 1 month)
Times refer to a 1 month (4 week) Sprint
Product Owner: Business Owner

Development Team: Build & Test the product
Scrum Master: Process Expert

How Scrum Works (2)
• The Product Owner (the business representative) identifies the Vision and creates the Product
Backlog (a list of features that together will deliver the Vision)
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• The PO creates the Roadmap, which is a train of sprints showing which Backlog feature is planned to
be delivered in each sprint
o Only the first few sprints may be filled in

How Scrum Works (3)
• The PO and the Development Team (DT) meet and agree on the work to be finished in the next Sprint
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• The DT works with the PO to plan the work, breaking down the high-level features from the Product
Backlog into smaller blocks placed in the Sprint Backlog
• The DT estimates the work & time required to complete the Sprint Backlog
• The DT then commences work on the Sprint Backlog, delivering the items
• Each day the DT has a short meeting – the Daily Scrum
o This is used to make sure that everyone in the DT knows what is happening and who is doing what
piece of work
o The PO attends to answer questions

How Scrum Works (4)
• At the end of the sprint, the PO and Stakeholders attend the Sprint Review, where the DT
demonstrates their work and answers questions
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• The DT and the PO also hold a Retrospective to discuss how well they managed the sprint and learn
lessons for next time
• The Stakeholders have seen the output from Sprint (Potentially Shippable Product) and now have a
clearer idea of what they want
o This allows them to adjust or firm up the vision
o Which causes the PO to amend the Product Backlog
• If the Stakeholders are happy for the work to continue, the PO and the DT plan the next sprint

Scrum Cycle
 At the time of this manual's publication, the fundamental elements of the standard Scrum
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cycle are as follows:
 Scrum team, composed of the following roles:

 Developers
 Product owner.
 Scrum master.
 Artefacts:
 Product backlog.
 Sprint backlog.
 Increment.
 Events:
 Sprint.
 Sprint planning meeting.
 Daily scrum.
 Sprint review.
 Sprint retrospective. © 2023 The Knowledge Academy Ltd
Scrum Cycle
(Continued)
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 Scrum is a development methodology where each iteration, called a sprint, concludes with a
functional portion of the product, referred to as an increment.
 The sprint duration typically ranges from one to six weeks, with a maximum preferred duration
of one month.
 The team holds brief daily meetings, known as stand-up meetings, daily scrums, or morning
roll calls, to review progress and plan tasks for the current day.
 These meetings usually last between 5 to 15 minutes and occur near a task board displaying
sprint tasks.

Scrum Cycle
(Continued)
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 Scrum manages project development empirically using various tactic:
Review of Incremental
Phase Overlap
Iterations Development
Self-
Collaboration
management

Scrum Cycle
1. Review of Iterations
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 After each sprint, all project stakeholders evaluate the delivered functionalities.
 Thus, the sprint duration represents the maximum time available to identify any incorrect,
suboptimal, or misunderstood approaches.

Scrum Cycle
2. Incremental Development
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 Incremental development methodology provides a functional product component at the end of

each iteration, which can be utilised for testing, inspections, and evaluations.
 There is no work done on designs or abstractions.

Scrum Cycle
3. Phase Overlap
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 In Scrum methodology, the team continually

refines the design and architecture during
development instead of establishing them
firmly at the start of the project.
 This approach differs from the Waterfall

development method, where the various
phases are completed consecutively.
 Instead, Scrum overlaps the phases, allowing

them to progress simultaneously.

Scrum Cycle
4. Self-management
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 In Predictive management, the project manager

bears the responsibility for managing the project
and achieving its outcomes.
 Conversely, in Scrum, teams are self-managed and

possess the authority to make decisions they deem
necessary and suitable.
 This approach accelerates the decision-making

process and facilitates rapid responses to
unforeseen circumstances.

Scrum Theory
• An iterative, incremental approach
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o Incremental: deliver a solution in stages (Increments)
o Iterative: Assess what has been achieved at the end of an Increment, then decide what to do next
• Empirical (Experimental)
o Knowledge comes from both experience and making decisions on what is known
o So, practitioners prefer performing an experiment rather than discussing the merits of a theory, for
example

Scrum Theory
Pillar What it is Examples
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Transparency There must be common understanding that is A common language shared by all
clear to all involved participants (“Sprint”, “Backlog” etc.)
Everyone is clear about the
assumptions underlying an estimate
Inspection Progress towards the Sprint Goal, and the The Development Team examine the
artifacts which can demonstrate progress are progress of the sprint each day during
frequently inspected to check for undesirable the Daily Scrum
variance
Adaptation If unacceptable variance is identified then this An item of work has been held up
needs to be corrected as soon as possible waiting for compliance sign off – the PO
chases this up with the people
concerned
NOTE: Inspection & Adaptation takes place during the four formal Scrum events
(discussed later)

Scrum Cycle
5. Collaboration
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 In Scrum, team members work collaboratively, leveraging their individual abilities rather than
their roles or positions.
 This open collaboration and self-management allow the team to handle tasks that a project
manager would typically perform, resulting in increased efficiency.

Committed and Involved
 Throughout a project's development, various individuals
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become involved and contribute value at different levels of

commitment and responsibility.
 This leads to a differentiation between individuals who are

'committed' versus those who are 'involved’.
 Committed: They make direct contributions by

constructing the product or developing the service.
 Involved: They fulfil roles that do not directly involve

constructing the product, such as managerial positions,
marketing, or customer support.

Roles
Product Owner
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 One person
 May represent a committee
 The representative of the Business/Customer in the Scrum
Team
 Provides the Vision

 The reasons for the project, its pursuit, and the desired
end state
 Is responsible for the accomplishment of functionality and

deliverables at each stage of the project (for example, during
the demonstration at the end of each Sprint), as well as at
the overall project level, external communication and
business value

Roles
(Continued)
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 The Product Owner is responsible for:
Defining the Features of the Product
Deciding upon the Release Date and Content
Profitability of the Product (ROI - Return On Investment )
Prioritising Features according to Market Value
Adjusting Features and Priorities every Iteration

Roles
(Continued)
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Developing and Maintaining the Product Backlog
Making Decisions on Behalf of Customers and Users
Attending Sprint Planning/Review Meetings
Communicating Product Backlog to the Team
Accepting/Rejecting Work Results

Roles
(Continued)
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 In terms of authority, the Product Owner should

make all final decisions.
 They alone can direct the Development Team.
 They must have the authority to make the necessary

decisions for achieving ROI.
 Those wanting to change the Product Backlog (e.g.

the Scrum Master) must convince the Product Owner
prior.

Roles
(Continued)
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 What to look for in a PO:
 The PO must have the trust and empowerment of their superiors to enable them to
function
 Decisions they take about the work must not be overruled by Senior Stakeholders
 They must have the time to perform their duties
 They must be committed to the work and keen for it to succeed
 A good PO is:
 A “people person”
 Effective at time management
 Can communicate with all types
 A decision-maker
 A planner
Roles
Developers
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 The group of professionals responsible for developing each sprint's increment (referred to as
Artefacts) typically consists of three to nine members.
 Beyond this number, direct communication becomes challenging, and group dynamics issues
tend to arise (often seen in groups of six or more).
 These professionals are multifunctional and work collaboratively, with shared responsibilities
for the final product.
 Although some may have specialised knowledge, the team's success relies on their collective
efforts.

Roles
(Continued)
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 Self-management and proficiency in agile techniques,

specifically Scrum, are essential responsibilities that
distinguish a workgroup from a high-functioning team:
 In Scrum, there is no designated manager to assign and

coordinate tasks. Instead, team members take on this
responsibility themselves. Everyone on the team is
knowledgeable about and committed to achieving the
client's vision.
 Each member contributes to the development of the

product backlog, participates in decision-making, and
respects the input of others. They all share the same goal
for each sprint and are equally responsible for achieving
it.

Roles
Scum Master
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 Promoting and supporting Scrum, helping others understand Scrum theory, practices, rules,
and its values. The Scrum Master acts as the Scrum Team's Servant Leader, coaching and
facilitating their peers.
 The Organisation, the Development Team, and the Product Owner are all served by the Scrum
Master.
 Key responsibilities:
 Facilitating Scrum events as requested or needed.

 Making sure the Product Owner understands how to arrange the Product Backlog to
maximise value.
 Coaching the Development Team in self-organisation and cross-functionality.
 Removing obstacles to the team's progression.

Roles
(Continued)
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 The Scrum Master assists the Product Owner by:
 Ensure that the Scrum Team understands the goals,

scope, and product domain.
 Effective Product Backlog management.
 Making sure the Scrum Team understand the

requirement for clear/concise Product Backlog items.
 Understanding product planning in an empirical (i.e.

iterative, adaptive and experimental) environment.
 Facilitating Scrum events when requested/needed.

Roles
(Continued)
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 The Scrum Master aids the Development Team by:
 Coaching self-organisation and cross-functionality.
 Coaching on Scrum practice, values, and

implementation.
 Helping to create high-value products.
 Removing barriers to the team’s progress.
 Facilitating Scrum events when requested/needed.

Roles
(Continued)
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 The Scrum Master aids the organisation by:
 Leading/coaching the organisation in Scrum adoption

and implementation.
 Planning implementation within the organisation.
 Helping stakeholders understand and implement

Scrum.
 Causing change to increase the productivity of the

Scrum Team.
 Collaborating with other Scrum Masters to increase

Scrum effectiveness within the organisation.

Artefacts
 The fundamental building blocks of the Scrum framework are known as ‘artefacts’. These tools
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support the various 'roles' throughout the ‘events.’
Priority
Daily work
cycle
Product Backlog
Scrum’s Iteration Cycle
Sprint
(x days)
Sprint Backlog Increment

Artefacts
Most Widespread Artefacts
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 The scrum framework utilises three primary artefacts in a typical cycle:
1. Product Backlog: This serves as a record and prioritisation of customer requirements. It is

initially based on the product vision and continuously evolves throughout development. The
requirements are referred to as "user stories" and are further broken down into smaller
“tasks”, which can typically be completed within a workday.
2. Sprint Backlog: This represents the developers' perspective of the requirements and comprises
a list of necessary tasks for a sprint to produce the anticipated increment.
3. Increment: This refers to the outcome of each sprint.

Artefacts
Other Artefacts
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 Additional tools commonly used in Scrum include:
1. Burn Down Chart: This chart tracks the amount of remaining work and the pace of task
completion to determine if all tasks will be completed within the estimated time. Developers
update it daily.
2. Burn-up Chart: In contrast to the burn-down chart, the burn-up chart tracks the amount of
work completed.
3. Definition Of Ready (DOR): An agreement that outlines when a user story is ready to be
broken down into tasks, estimated, and included in a sprint.
4. Definition Of Done (DOD): An agreement that specifies the criteria for considering a user story
complete.

Artefacts
Other Artefacts
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 Additional tools commonly used in Scrum include:
1. Burn Down Chart: This chart tracks the amount of remaining work and the pace of task
completion to determine if all tasks will be completed within the estimated time. Developers
update it daily.
2. Burn-up Chart: In contrast to the burn-down chart, the burn-up chart tracks the amount of
work completed.
3. Definition Of Ready (DOR): An agreement that outlines when a user story is ready to be
broken down into tasks, estimated, and included in a sprint.
4. Definition Of Done (DOD): An agreement that specifies the criteria for considering a user story
complete.

Artefacts
Product Backlog: The Client’s Requirements
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 The product backlog contains a list of features,

enhancements, bug fixes, and technology upgrades
that need to be implemented in the product over
time, through a series of sprints.
 It encompasses all the requirements and

expectations of customers, users, and other
stakeholders.
 It includes all the tasks that the team needs to

accomplish. The items in the product backlog are
commonly known as ‘user stories’.

Artefacts
(Continued)
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 Typically, the team and the client collaborate to create the product backlog during an initial
meeting where they discuss the project's business objective.
 Once the backlog contains enough user stories for the first sprint, the team can begin work.
 The product owner is responsible for maintaining the backlog, ensuring that user stories are
prioritised based on their urgency and value.
 User stories with higher priority should be more specific to enable the team to break them
down into tasks and incorporate them into the next sprint.

Artefacts
(Continued)
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 When a user story from the product backlog can be

included in a sprint, it is considered “ready”. This
means that the product owner and development team
have agreed that the story is clearly defined, properly
assessed, and has a size and level of detail that makes
it feasible to complete within a single sprint.
 They have also agreed on the criteria for considering

the story "done" and assigned the responsible person
or team for verifying the completion of these criteria.
 To create and maintain the product backlog, it is

recommended to use simple and easily accessible
tools that can be shared and understood by the entire
team.

Artefacts
Sprint Backlog: The Team’s Tasks
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 The sprint backlog is a comprehensive inventory of all the necessary tasks to develop the user
stories during a sprint.
 This list breaks down the user stories into smaller units, enabling the team to monitor their
progress daily and identify risks and issues without complicated management procedures.
 During the sprint planning meeting, the entire team collaborates in creating this list, estimating
the required effort for each task.
 The team measures the "effort" in a relative unit, such as "points" or "ideal time," and
commonly use techniques like poker estimation. Larger tasks are divided into smaller ones to
ensure they can be completed within a day's work.

Artefacts
(Continued)
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 To ensure convenience for everyone involved, it is suitable to use the most appropriate format
based on the following guidelines:
 The format should contain only relevant information, such as a list of tasks, their assigned
owners, the current status of each task, and the amount of effort required to complete
them.
 It should function as a tool to document the remaining effort for each task during the daily
scrum meeting.
 The format should enable effective communication and information exchange among team
members.

Artefacts
Increment
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 In Scrum methodology, an 'increment' refers to a

completed and functional part of the product that is
delivered at the end of each sprint.
 It should be fully tested and operational, and not just a

prototype, module, or any part that is yet to be tested.
 Ideally, each item in the product backlog should

represent a deliverable functionality rather than internal
tasks like database design.
 The team must strive to produce an increment for every

sprint, ensuring that a usable part of the product is
delivered at the end of each iteration.

Events
 This section details the practices and activities that make up the scrum work routine:
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01 Sprint
02 Sprint Planning
03 Daily Scrum
04 Sprint Review
(See page 9 of TKA Scrum
Handbook for reference)
05 Sprint Retrospective

Events
Sprint
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 When beginning to use scrum methodology, it is recommended to

view the sprint as the pivotal event that encompasses all other
activities:
 This is because the sprint serves as a marker for daily progress

and enables visualisation and sharing of updates during the daily
scrum meetings.
 Additionally, the sprint sets a consistent pace for monitoring the

product's development at both the sprint planning and review
meetings.
 Moreover, the sprint cycle facilitates the introduction of

retrospective meetings, which encourage reflection and
continuous improvement of working methods at regular
intervals.
Events
Sprint Planning Meeting
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 The sprint planning meeting is the starting point for each sprint cycle. During this session, the
product owner and development team collaborate to identify the client's business priorities
and requirements.
 The goal is to determine which functionalities should be included in the product by the end of
the sprint and how they will be implemented.
 The meeting is moderated by the scrum master, or by a team member in their absence. It is
mandatory for the product owner and developers to attend, while others involved in the
project are welcome to join.
 Depending on the number and complexity of user stories, the meeting may last for a full day.

Events
Sprint Planning Meeting
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 The sprint planning meeting is the starting point for each sprint cycle. During this session, the
product owner and development team collaborate to identify the client's business priorities
and requirements.
 The goal is to determine which functionalities should be included in the product by the end of
the sprint and how they will be implemented.
 The meeting is moderated by the scrum master, or by a team member in their absence. It is
mandatory for the product owner and developers to attend, while others involved in the
project are welcome to join.

Events
(Continued)
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 The meeting should answer the following questions:
Why is this sprint valuable?
What can be done in a sprint?
How is the selected work going to be done?

Events
(Continued)
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Preconditions
The sprint is backed by the organisation with sufficient resources allocated. The user stories with the highest priority
are deemed 'ready,' having reached an adequate level of clarity and an initial estimate of the effort required. The
development team possesses the necessary technological knowledge and business acumen to provide accurate
estimations and comprehend the product owner's concepts.
Input Output
Product Backlog Sprint backlog.
During sprint planning, several factors are taken into Sprint duration.
account, including the current state of the product Date for the review meeting.
(excluding sprint 0), the pace of the previous sprint to Sprint goal.
assess the potential workload, and the customer's
business circumstances and technological environment.
Additionally, the product owner's expected value from the
project is considered.

Events
(Continued)
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 Functions of the Scrum Master During the Sprint Planning Meeting
 As the scrum master, your responsibilities during the sprint planning meeting are crucial.
 You must ensure that this meeting takes place before every sprint and that the product
owner prepares the product backlog beforehand.
 Your role also includes facilitating open communication between the product owner and
development team and ensuring that they agree on the sprint's goals and objectives. It is
vital to ensure that the team comprehends the client's vision and business needs.
 By the end of the meeting, the following key items should be determined objectively: the
product backlog items that will be included in the sprint, the sprint goal, the sprint backlog
(with all tasks estimated), the sprint duration, the date of the review meeting, and the
definition of done to signal that the increment is complete.

Events
Daily Scrum
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 The daily scrum, also known as the stand-up meeting, should be brief, lasting no more than 15
minutes. During this time, the team synchronises their efforts and sets plans for the upcoming
24 hours.
Input Output
During the sprint, the team updates both the

sprint backlog and burn-down graph using
information obtained during the previous
Updated sprint backlog and burn-down graph.
meeting. Additionally, progress reports from each
developer are taken into account.

Events
Sprint Retrospective
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 During the sprint retrospective meeting, the scrum master,

developers, and product owner convene to reflect on the
sprint's successes and areas for improvement.
 It is essential that the product owner is considered a

member of the team rather than solely a customer and
understands the values and principles of the scrum.
 If necessary, the scrum master can act as a facilitator to

ensure the product owner's participation and
commitment.
 As the individual responsible for meeting the client's

needs, the product owner's perspective can provide
valuable insights during these meetings.

Agile Measurement and Estimation
 The primary objective of estimation tools is to enable realistic sprint planning and deadline
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setting. In teams new to agile methodologies, these tools can also aid in establishing a
development pace and synchronising team efforts.
 Two fundamental principles of estimation are:
 measuring the remaining work rather than work completed, and
 utilising relative units for measurement.

Are We There Yet?
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 We may need to measure our work for two reasons: to keep

a record of what has been accomplished or to estimate what
is yet to be done. In both cases, we require an objective unit
and quantification criterion.
 Measuring completed work is a straightforward task and can

be achieved using units related to the product or resources
such as costs or time spent.
 However, in agile project management, progress is not

evaluated based on completed work.
 For instance, if a task was expected to take a week and three

days have already elapsed, it does not necessarily mean that
the work will be completed in four days.

Relative Units: Story Points
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 It is challenging to make precise predictions about the amount of work required for a
requirement or user story since they usually have multiple solutions, making it difficult to
determine the optimal approach.
 Furthermore, even if such predictions were feasible, they would likely be too cumbersome for
agile management due to their complexity.

(Continued)
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 Accurately estimating the amount of work involved

in a user story is challenging, which makes it
difficult to determine the required time accurately.
 The uncertainty of time estimation exacerbates the

uncertainty of work or effort estimation.
 Besides, the significant differences in the quantity

and quality of work performed by different
individuals make it impossible to estimate how
much work an "average person" can complete in a
given time.

(Continued)
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 Additionally, the same task performed by the same individual may take different amounts of
time depending on the situation.
 To address these challenges, agile methodologies prefer the use of relative units such as 'story
points' or simply 'points' for estimation.
 Every organisation adopts its own work metric, known as a 'point,' based on its unique
circumstances and criteria.
 This metric represents an abstraction of a familiar and easily estimable task that is well-known
to everyone.
 For example, in a programming team, a 'point' might be equivalent to developing a login

screen, while in a graphic design team, it could be creating the layout of a leaflet. Once
established, this metric should be comprehensible and shared among all team members.

Real and Ideal Time
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 While determining the duration of a sprint, we typically estimate the effort required in "ideal
time," which represents the time spent working in optimal conditions.
 This refers to the time required to complete tasks while in a state of flow, focused, and free
from distractions or impediments.

(Continued)
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 It is crucial to acknowledge the distinction between

"ideal time" and “real-time" when making estimates.
 Incorporating the concepts of "ideal time" and "real-

time" can assist us in arranging our work in a more
impartial manner and prevent the anxiety that comes
with unachievable objectives.

Servant Leadership
• Servant Leadership is a philosophy, practice, and term defined by Robert K. Greenleaf
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• His writing suggests a holistic view of people, work, and community
• A servant leader is a person who looks to the requirements of the individuals around them and
attempts to fix or solve their problems, promoting personal development
Imp Note – (topic is only for reference)

Servant Leadership
• The qualities of a Servant Leader can be seen as:
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Foresight Vision Transformation Awareness
Empathy Persuasion Listening Team Growth
Building
Stewardship
Continuity

Servant Leadership
• There is resistance to leadership or management, particularly in software development, where many
people are “knowledge workers” who require creative space to interact with knowledge and data to
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generate value
• The specific work may not be clearly defined, and these workers require autonomy to perform these
tasks and find solutions
• A leader may often be ill-acquainted with the specifics of tasks that require certain expertise or
knowledge
• Thus, the Scrum Master’s task is to help motivate and guide members of the team rather than manage

Servant Leadership
(Continued)
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• The role is there to organise, facilitate, motivate, inspire, and develop the best qualities of the
members of the team
• “Anyone can lead perfect people, if there were any. The trick is to lift people up and to grow taller than
they would otherwise be.”
- Robert K. Greenleaf

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Module 1 Principles
03
2 Values
3 Practices to Make Scrum more Flexible
4 Scrum Case Study
Scrum Values and Principle

5 Activities and Exercise

Introduction
 Scrum is built upon the implicit knowledge and
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values of individuals within an organisation.
 Its practices are like branches of a tree that Product Backlog
require strong roots to bear fruit. It is important Scrum Master

Increment
to remember that focusing solely on tools can Product Owner

Daily Scrum
lead to mistakes. Sprint Retrospective

Burn Down Chart
 Management models should aim to foster Respect

certain values and principles within an Self-discipline
Responsibility
organisation. Compromise
Value for the Client
Self-organisation
Transparency
Shared Information
 In some companies, these principles are deeply Frequent Self Analysis
ingrained, resulting in the development of their Adaptation
own unique agility model with innovative and

high-quality products.

Introduction
(Continued)
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 However, there are also companies that strictly follow the standard practices of Scrum but end
up with disengaged employees, stress, and mediocre outcomes.
 It is crucial to incorporate flexibility in order to tailor the learned practices to the unique
context of each company and project.
 The goal is to foster organisational agility, allowing for innovation and adaptability in dynamic
Scrum environments.
 Effective management should stay current with the latest tools and techniques, and then
customise them to suit their team's needs, leveraging what works and modifying or discarding
what does not.
 It is futile to force people to conform to methods that do not align with their needs or yield
favourable results.

Principles
 The purpose of artifacts, events, and other agile techniques is to establish work practices
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that align with the following guiding principles:
Continuous Sustainable
Improvement Working Pace
01 02 03 04
Delivering Value Incremental and

Iterative
Development

Principles
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Operations Visibility People over

Processes
05 06 07 08
Constant Global Timing and

Attention to Synchronisation
Excellence

Principles
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1. Delivering Value
• The client and the team work together to establish a shared understanding of
the product's vision, which serves as a guiding principle throughout the
development process.
• This shared vision guides all efforts towards delivering tangible value to the
client.

Principles
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2. Continuous Improvement
• The team engages in continuous reflection on their work methods, evaluating

their effectiveness, and adapting them as needed.
• This same self-critical approach is also applied to the continuous improvement

of products and services.

Principles
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3. Incremental and Iterative Development
• Instead of adhering to a comprehensive and detailed initial plan, the approach

is to build a “Minimum Viable Product" (MVP) and then incrementally add to it
during the development process.

Principles
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4. Sustainable Working Pace
• The pace of work should be designed to proactively mitigate the effects of

Parkinson's Law and avoid the stress of discovering problems that could
potentially cause delays too late in the development process.

Principles
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5. Constant Attention to Excellence
• Employing techniques that promote the quality of products and services,

while also enabling timely error detection either in advance or as they occur.

Principles
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6. Operations Visibility
• Information is effectively communicated to facilitate collaboration, proactively

identify impediments, and enable the entire team to stay informed about the
product's status and contribute innovative ideas.

Principles
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7. Global Timing and Synchronisation
• This principle is particularly applicable when coordinating multiple teams

working on interrelated products or services.
• The objective is to anticipate the frequency of meetings and delivery dates to

ensure effective synchronisation among the teams.

Principles
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8. People over Processes
• The team's collective intelligence, encompassing their tacit knowledge, plays a

vital role in determining the quality of the product.

Values
 The company culture encompasses various organisational and governance traits that can either
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accelerate or impede the development of agility.
 In organisations where the culture is rooted in traditional industrial work values and processes,
the implementation of agile principles may yield modest results.

Values
(Continued)
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 On the other hand, organisations that embrace values that foster collective intelligence and
innovative value, such as assertiveness, talent appreciation, clarity, confidence, non-
hierarchical structure, and a common purpose, tend to thrive in agility.

Practices to Make Scrum more Flexible
 The professional community is continuously evolving and creating new practices to shape
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product backlogs, user stories, visually communicate the product's goals, conduct events and
meetings, and estimate tasks.
 Among these practices, the two most commonly used in conjunction with the standard Scrum
framework are the burn down graph and poker estimation.
 We will elaborate on how these practices work alongside other techniques.
Estimation without
Burn Down Graph Poker Estimation #Noestimates Kanban
Story Points
Diagrams for
Error Prevention
Pair Work Wall Estimation Burn up Graph Retrospective
Techniques
Meetings

Burn Down Graph
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• The developers update the burn down graph during the sprint, ideally on a daily basis, to
monitor progress and identify any deviations that could impact the delivery date.
• The graph typically has the remaining work points on the Y-axis and the duration of the sprint
in days on the X-axis.
• Each developer estimates the remaining effort for their tasks every day, and this information is
used to update the graph, reflecting the total effort remaining to complete the increment.
• In an ideal scenario, the graph would show a straight diagonal line that gradually reduces the
pending effort until the delivery date.

(Continued)
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• However, this is rarely the case, and a sustainable pace can still be achieved without a perfect
diagonal line. If the line stays well above the diagonal for several days, it indicates that the
sprint has been underestimated and may require more time.
• Conversely, if the line descends faster than the diagonal, it suggests that the work may be
completed earlier than expected.

(Continued)
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Remaining Efforts
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Poker Estimation
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• Jane Grenning created a planning game for conducting meetings, specifically for estimating the
effort and duration of tasks during sprint planning meetings. The original model includes 8
cards with values such as ½, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and an "infinite" card.
0 ½ 1 2 3 5
0 1/2 1 2 3 5
0 ½ 1 2 3 5
8 13 21 ∞ ?
8 13 21 ∞ ?
8 13 21 ∞ ?

(Continued)
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• During the planning game, each participant has a set of cards and can reveal one or several
cards to indicate their estimation for a task, with the sum of the revealed cards representing
the estimated points.
• The most commonly used model for this game involves a deck of cards with the Fibonacci
sequence, where participants show the card with the closest figure to their estimate.
• This variant is based on the idea that as task size increases, the margin of error also increases.
A question mark card can be included to indicate that an estimate cannot be made, and
another card with an allusive image can suggest a break.
• The infinity symbol indicates that a task exceeds the maximum effort value and needs to be
broken down into smaller units.
• When estimates are significantly different, the person leading the meeting can decide on the
next steps.
(Continued)
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• Team members with extreme estimates may explain their reasoning and the process may be
repeated to see if others change their minds.
• Other options include setting aside the task for later re-estimation, asking the product owner
to break down the task into smaller sub-tasks, or choosing the most optimistic, pessimistic, or
average estimate.
• The decision will depend on the task and the team's management style.
• Using poker estimation in meetings can add an element of fun and dynamism. It helps to avoid
circular discussions about different implementation options, as participants can use the cards
to indicate their estimates instead of engaging in lengthy debates.
• This method allows for participation from all attendees, facilitates consensus building without
prolonged discussions, and ultimately reduces the time needed to estimate each functionality.

Estimation without Story Points
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• Story points have faced criticism for their potential to be misinterpreted, especially when used
to measure the speed of multiple teams within a company, which can lead to tensions.
• Story points are not an ideal measure of productivity, as they are relative and dependent on
each team's context.
• Simply having a higher number of story points does not necessarily indicate more effort or
better quality, although this may not be immediately intuitive.
• In some cases, teams may inflate their estimations or prioritise stories based on points rather
than actual priority, leading to issues that can hinder collaboration and project success.

(Continued)
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• As alternatives to estimate tasks while avoiding these challenges, some options include using
"shirt sizes" which involves assigning stories a size label such as XS, S, M, L, or XL, or using the
"Goldilocks" approach, which categorises stories as too big, too small, or adequate.
• While these methods still require finding ways to synchronise teams and identify potential
bottlenecks or issues in advance, they allow for more intuitive prioritisation of tasks and quick
identification of large stories that may require further analysis.

#Noestimates
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• In response to the misuse of estimation techniques in agile methodologies, some teams may
choose to stop using them altogether.
• This approach may be relevant in high-performance teams that are accustomed to working in
an agile manner and can maintain a continuous workflow.
• By avoiding the potential effects of Parkinson's Law, which states that tasks tend to expand to
fill the time allotted to them, teams may opt to work without estimations.
• However, this approach would require finding alternative means to synchronise deliveries with
other teams, as estimations are often used as a basis for planning and coordination.
• It may involve implementing different communication channels, establishing clear

expectations, and maintaining close collaboration among team members to ensure smooth
workflow and coordination without relying on formal estimation techniques.

Kanban
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• Kanban is a widely used visual technique for managing

continuous delivery flows, where work is not divided into
sprints of fixed duration.
• Instead, tasks or user stories are written down and placed on a

board, with their position indicating their current state in the
workflow.
• Typically, kanban boards have columns that represent different

progress stages, such as "pending," "in progress," and
"finished," arranged from left to right.
• The specific format of the board may vary depending on the

product and team's circumstances, and can include additional
states like "tested" or "validated" to suit their needs.

(Continued)
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• The Kanban board not only provides a visual and clear way to manage the team's workflow, but
it also serves as a powerful tool for sharing information among team members.
• It allows for immediate updates on the status of tasks, helping to identify potential bottlenecks
as they arise. Unlike temporary milestones like sprints, Kanban's continuous flow approach
avoids falling victim to Parkinson's Law.
• However, the absence of fixed timeboxes can also lead to delays due to perfectionism or
procrastination.
• Nevertheless, Kanban's focus on limiting work in process (WIP) and providing clear visibility
helps mitigate this risk.

(Continued)
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• For example, setting a "WIP=3" indicator in the "in progress" stage means that the team cannot
work on more than three tasks simultaneously.
• The visibility provided by the Kanban board allows the entire team to proactively identify
bottlenecks and downtime, enabling them to adjust priorities and allocate team members
efficiently to optimise their flow.

Pair Work
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• Pair programming is a well-known concept in IT teams, where two individuals work together on
the same task simultaneously.
• They typically alternate between the roles of "driver" (the one actively performing the task)
and "observer" (the one watching and providing feedback).
• This approach is particularly effective when the quality of the outcome depends heavily on the
expertise of the individual performing the task.
• For example, in industries such as transportation where human errors cannot be completely
eliminated by technology, we often see trains operating with both a driver and an assistant, or
airplanes with two pilots in the cockpit to ensure safety.

Error Prevention Techniques
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• In the context of IT, an example of a technique that follows a similar approach is Test-Driven
Development (TDD), where tests are developed first to define the expected behavior of the
code, and then the code is written to pass those tests.
• In a broader sense, agility draws on concepts from lean manufacturing production frameworks,
such as poka-yoke techniques and andon control devices.
• Poka-yoke techniques are designed to make human error impossible or to highlight errors in an
obvious way when they occur.
• For instance, using plugs that are designed to fit only in the correct orientation to prevent
incorrect coupling, or employing spell checkers or syntactic programming checkers in text
editors to catch mistakes.

(Continued)
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• Andon control systems, on the other hand, are specific to the production process and typically
involve indicators with colored lights or graphical representations that reflect the normal
operation of the system or indicate failures.
• These systems are usually placed in visible locations in the workplace to immediately alert the
team to any issues.

Wall Estimation
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• A common technique used to estimate and prioritise lists of user stories, typically in the
product backlog, involves placing sticky notes with the stories on a wall.
• The smaller stories are placed on the left side, while the larger ones are positioned towards the
right.
• The product owner then sets the vertical position of each sticky note based on their priority,
with higher placement indicating higher urgency.

Burn up Graph
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• This planning tool is commonly used by the product owner in agile development and typically
displays three estimates: pessimistic, realistic, and optimistic.
• These estimates are plotted on a Cartesian diagram, with the estimated effort to build the
different stories of the product backlog represented on the vertical axis, and time measured in
sprints on the horizontal axis.
• As new increments are added, they are positioned on the vertical axis based on the estimated
effort required to build all the stories they include.
• It is important to note that this tool is meant to be a living document and not a static or stable
plan, serving as an estimation of the product's future progress.

Diagrams for Retrospective Meetings
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• These diagrams can be valuable tools used during retrospective meetings, particularly when
the team is reflecting on the last sprint and seeking to improve their working methods.
• They are also commonly used in quality management. One such diagram is the Ishikawa
diagram, which is also known as the "spine diagram," "fishtail diagram," or "cause-effect
diagram."
• This diagram visually represents the causal relationships that contribute to a problem that
requires analysis.
• The problem is identified and depicted as the central axis of the diagram, represented by a
horizontal line.
• The team then generates a list of possible causes, which may have sub-causes, to explain the
problem.

(Continued)
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(Continued)
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• Tree diagrams are commonly employed as a tool to arrive at constructive solutions through the
analysis of problematic situations.
• These diagrams utilise the elements of a tree, such as roots, trunk, branches, and fruits, to
visually represent the available means or resources for solving the problem and the potential
outcomes.
• There is no singular or standard way to create such diagrams, but one example worth exploring
is the approach used by Khurram Bhatti.

(Continued)
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Effects and
Consequences
Main Problem
Causes and Origin of

the Problem

Case Study
Scenario
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 ABC Inc. is a software development company that recently adopted the Scrum framework to
improve their product development process. As part of this transition, they hired a Scrum
Master, Sarah, to facilitate the implementation of Scrum practices and ensure smooth and
efficient teamwork.

Case Study
Challenges
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1. Lack of Understanding: Many team members have limited understanding of Scrum practices
and are unfamiliar with their roles and responsibilities.
2. Ineffective Meetings: Daily Scrum meetings are not productive, with team members
frequently going off-topic and losing focus.
3. Impediments: Several impediments, such as external dependencies and technical debt, are
hindering the team's progress.
4. Resistance to Change: Some team members are resistant to change and are reluctant to adopt
Scrum practices fully.
5. Low Visibility: The team lacks visibility into the progress of work and struggles with managing
the product backlog effectively.

Case Study - A
Challenges
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 Actions taken by Scrum Master: Training and Education: Sarah conducts training sessions and
workshops to educate team members on Scrum practices, roles, and responsibilities. She also
provides coaching and mentoring to team members to help them understand and adopt Scrum
principles effectively.
 Facilitating Meetings: Sarah takes the lead in facilitating Daily Scrum meetings, ensuring that
they are time-boxed, focused, and productive. She encourages open communication and
provides guidance on how to effectively update progress and identify and address
impediments.
 Impediment Resolution: Sarah works closely with the team and stakeholders to identify and
address impediments. She facilitates discussions and helps the team come up with creative
solutions to overcome obstacles, such as involving relevant stakeholders or creating cross-
functional teams to address dependencies.

Case Study - A
(Continued)
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 Change Management: Sarah understands that change can be challenging, so she works
patiently with team members who are resistant to change. She listens to their concerns,
provides clear explanations of the benefits of Scrum, and encourages small incremental
changes to gradually ease into the new framework.
 Visibility and Transparency: Sarah introduces visual management tools, such as a Kanban
board, to provide visibility into the progress of work. She helps the team in effectively
managing the product backlog by prioritising and refining user stories, estimating effort, and
setting realistic sprint goals.

Case Study - A
Results
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 Improved Understanding: Team members gain a better understanding of Scrum practices and
their roles and responsibilities, leading to increased collaboration and accountability.
 Productive Meetings: Daily Scrum meetings become more focused and productive, with team
members actively participating and addressing impediments.
 Reduced Impediments: The team successfully addresses several impediments, resulting in

improved workflow and faster delivery of work.
 Increased Adoption: Team members who were initially resistant to change start embracing
Scrum practices and actively contributing to the team's success.
 Enhanced Visibility: The team gains better visibility into the progress of work, leading to
improved decision-making and effective backlog management.

Case Study - A
Conclusion
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 Sarah, the Scrum Master, plays a crucial role in facilitating the successful adoption of Scrum
practices at ABC Inc.
 Through her coaching, mentoring, and facilitation skills, she helps the team overcome
challenges, improve their understanding of Scrum, and drive positive changes in their product
development process.
 The team benefits from increased collaboration, productivity, and transparency, resulting in
improved delivery of high-quality products to customers.

Case Study - B
Scenario
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 XYZ Corp. is a large financial services

organisation that is undergoing a digital
transformation to improve their customer
experience.
 As part of this transformation, they decided to

adopt the Scrum framework and hired a
Scrum Master, John, to guide their agile
transformation journey and ensure successful
implementation of Scrum practices.

Case Study - B
Challanges
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1. Siloed Teams: The organisation has multiple teams working in silos, with limited collaboration
and coordination between them.
2. Hierarchical Culture: The organisational culture is hierarchical, with traditional command-and-

control management styles, which hinder self-organisation and empowerment.
3. Lack of Agile Mindset: Many team members and stakeholders are not familiar with the agile
principles and practices, resulting in resistance to change and lack of understanding of Scrum
roles and responsibilities.
4. Complex Projects: The organisation handles complex projects with multiple dependencies and
changing requirements, which require effective coordination and collaboration across teams.
5. Limited Transparency: There is limited visibility into the progress of work and the status of
projects, leading to challenges in tracking and managing work effectively.

Case Study - B
Actions taken by Scrum Master
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 Agile Coaching: John conducts extensive agile coaching sessions with team members,
stakeholders, and leadership to educate them on the agile mindset, Scrum framework, and the
benefits of self-organisation and empowerment. He provides guidance and support in
adopting agile practices and behaviors, such as iterative development, continuous
improvement, and transparency.

Case Study - B
(Continued)
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 Facilitating Collaboration: John focuses on fostering

collaboration and coordination between teams. He
facilitates regular cross-team meetings, such as Scrum of
Scrums, to align on dependencies, resolve issues, and
ensure smooth coordination among teams. He
encourages open communication and promotes a culture
of collaboration and collective ownership.
 Cultural Transformation: John works closely with

leadership to promote a culture of agility and facilitate a
shift from hierarchical to collaborative and empowered
teams. He helps leadership understand the importance of
servant leadership and supports them in empowering
teams to self-organise and make decisions.

Case Study - B
(Continued)
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 Complex Project Coordination: John plays a key role

in coordinating complex projects with multiple
teams. He facilitates backlog refinement, sprint
planning, and review sessions, ensuring that teams
are aligned on priorities, dependencies, and sprint
goals. He also helps teams manage changing
requirements effectively through agile practices like
user story mapping and frequent stakeholder
engagement.
 Visibility and Transparency: John introduces agile

visual management tools, such as Kanban boards, to
provide visibility into the progress of work. He
encourages teams to maintain updated burndown
charts, velocity charts, and other metrics to track
progress and make data-driven decisions.
Case Study - B
Results
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 Improved Collaboration: Teams start collaborating effectively, breaking down silos, and
aligning on dependencies, resulting in improved coordination and faster delivery of work.
 Agile Mindset Adoption: Team members and stakeholders develop a better understanding of
the agile mindset, Scrum practices, and roles, resulting in increased adoption of agile practices
and behaviors.

Case Study - B
(Continued)
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 Cultural Transformation: The organisation

undergoes a cultural transformation, with
leadership embracing servant leadership and
teams empowered to self-organise, resulting
in improved engagement, ownership, and
innovation.
 Successful Project Delivery: Complex projects

are managed more effectively through
improved coordination, collaboration, and
alignment, resulting in successful and timely
project deliveries.

Activities and Exercise
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Agile Games
Agile games are interactive and fun

activities that simulate Agile concepts
and practices. For example, "The
Marshmallow Challenge" is a popular
Agile game where teams compete to
build the tallest structure using
marshmallows and spaghetti,
emphasising collaboration, iterative
improvement, and adaptability.

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Scrum Simulation
Conducting a Scrum simulation

exercise allows the team to experience
the Scrum framework in action. You
can use tools such as Scrum boards,
sticky notes, and timers to simulate
sprints, backlog grooming, and other
Scrum events. This helps the team
understand the roles, responsibilities,
and flow of work in Scrum.

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Retrospectives
Retrospectives are regular team

meetings where the team reflects on
their performance and identifies areas
of improvement. As a Scrum Master,
you can facilitate retrospectives using
techniques like "Start, Stop, Continue"
or "Mad, Sad, Glad" to encourage open
and honest feedback from team
members and promote continuous
improvement.

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Role-Playing
Role-playing exercises can help team

members understand their roles and
responsibilities in the Scrum
framework. For example, you can
conduct role-playing exercises where
team members act out scenarios like
Sprint Planning, Daily Standups, or
Sprint Reviews, to practice effective
communication, collaboration, and
problem-solving.

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Process Improvement Activities
You can facilitate process

improvement activities, such as Value
Stream Mapping or Lean Coffee
sessions, to identify bottlenecks,
streamline workflows, and optimise the
team's Agile practices. These activities
help the team identify areas of
improvement and implement changes
to enhance their performance.

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Team Building Activities
Team building activities, such as team

bonding exercises, icebreaker games,
or team-building workshops, can help
foster a positive team culture, build
trust, and enhance collaboration
among team members.

Congratulations
Congratulations on completing this course!
Contact Us
[email protected]
www.theknowledgeacademy.com/tickets
https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/theknowledgeacademy.com
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 World Class Training Solutions

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Obtaining a Scrum Master certification, also

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• What is the first thing that comes to

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Module 2 Differences Between Agile and Scrum

Project Management Breakdown

5 Differentiation of Scrum Practices from Principles and Values

7 Uncertainty and Volatility

© 2023 The Knowledge Academy Ltd

approach to predictive project management, a model

 Each model has its own benefits and is more applicable

 Predictive management places emphasis on planning,

 If the end product is delivered within the allotted time

© 2023 The Knowledge Academy Ltd

© 2023 The Knowledge Academy Ltd

© 2023 The Knowledge Academy Ltd

© 2023 The Knowledge Academy Ltd

 In the midst of the software crisis, NATO conducted its

 The necessity of constructing a scientific discipline that

 This prompted an endeavour to utilise process engineering

© 2023 The Knowledge Academy Ltd

© 2023 The Knowledge Academy Ltd

 Process Engineering is a quality principle that has

 Predictive Management is a comprehensive term

© 2023 The Knowledge Academy Ltd

© The Knowledge Academy Ltd.

methodologies has been made possible through hands-on

 Throughout this process, we have developed a preference

 Prioritising individuals and interactions over processes and

 Focusing on working software over extensive

 Emphasising customer collaboration over contract

 Valuing the ability to adapt and respond to change over

And this is our project

© 2023 The Knowledge Academy Ltd

 On the other hand, in agile development, processes are merely auxiliary.

© 2023 The Knowledge Academy Ltd

© 2023 The Knowledge Academy Ltd

 Unnecessary documentation is discouraged. Documents can be useful for recording and

 Therefore, investing a lot of time in preparing an overly-detailed document of requirements

© 2023 The Knowledge Academy Ltd

 Agile management places high importance on

 For developing products with volatile requirements,

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 Unnecessary documentation is discouraged. Documents can be useful for recording and

© 2023 The Knowledge Academy Ltd

1. The foremost objective of agile development is to satisfy the

2. Agile processes welcome changes in requirements, even if they

3. The agile approach prioritises delivering working software

4. To achieve success, business professionals and developers must

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provided with the necessary support and environment to complete

6. The most effective way of exchanging information within a

7. The primary metric for measuring progress in agile development is

8. Agile processes promote sustainable development, where

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design is crucial for enhancing agility in agile

10.Simplicity is an essential aspect of agile development that