The scrum master role contains many theoretical descriptions that do not provide an  answer to the basic question of “What is the Day to Day activities of the scrum master?” In this presentation, I will provide a short checklist that will try to answer that basic question while examining few of the main ceremonies and artifacts of the Scrum framework.

1. DAVID TZEMACH
MAR 14 2018
A SCRUM MASTER (SM)
PRACTICAL APPROACH

2. THE SCRUM MASTER ROLE CONTAINS
MANY THEORETICAL DESCRIPTIONS
THAT DO NOT PROVIDE AN ANSWER
TO THE BASIC QUESTION OF “WHAT IS
THE DAY TO DAY ACTIVITIES OF THE
SCRUM MASTER?”
IN THIS PRESENTATION, I WILL PROVIDE
A SHORT CHECKLIST THAT WILL TRY TO
ANSWER THAT BASIC QUESTION WHILE
EXAMINING FEW OF THE MAIN
CEREMONIES AND ARTIFACTS OF THE
SCRUM FRAMEWORK.

3. THE
RETROSPECTIVE
MEETING

4. RETROSPECTIVE MEETING (1)
THE RETROSPECTIVE MEETING ALLOWS THE TEAM
TO DETERMINE NEW WAYS TO CREATE CONTINUES
IMPROVEMENT OF THE PROCESS, THE SCRUM
MASTER RESPONSIBILITIES:
• ENSURE THAT THE TEAM UNDERSTANDS THE
IMPORTANCE OF THIS MEETING.
• SEARCH FOR NEW TECHNIQUES TO MAKE THE
REPORTING MORE EFFECTIVE.
• ENSURE THAT EVERY TEAM MEMBER WILL HAVE
THE CHANCE TO SPEAK.
• ENSURE THAT ALL ISSUES FROM PREVIOUS
MEETINGS ARE FULFILLED.

5. RETROSPECTIVE MEETING (2)
• SUGGEST NEW FORMATS OF RETRO.
• ENSURE THAT ALL TEAM MEMBERS
WILL RAISE ANY ISSUES THAT THEY
HAD IN THE LAST SPRINT.
• SUGGEST WORK CASES/EVENTS THAT
CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE OPEN
DISCUSSION.
• ENSURE THAT THE MEETING WILL NOT
TRANSFORM INTO “BLAMING”
MEETING

6. REVIEW
(A.K.A: DEMO)
MEETING

7. REVIEW (A.K.A: DEMO) MEETING
THE REVIEW MEETING IS HELD AT THE END OF EACH
ITERATION TO REVIEW THE WORK DONE BY THE TEAM
(ACCORDING TO THE DOD) AND TO ADAPT THE
PRODUCT BACKLOG ACCORDINGLY. THE SCRUM
MASTER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FOLLOWING
ACTIVITIES:
• ENSURE THAT THE PRODUCT BACKLOG REVIEWED
AND ADAPT BASED ON THE PO REQUIREMENTS.
• ENSURE THAT THE TEAM CAN ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS REGARDING THE UNCOMPLETED
STORIES.
• ENSURE THAT THE TEAM IS READY TO PRESENT THE
WORK THEY ACCOMPLISHED.
• ENSURE THAT ALL STAKEHOLDERS PRESENTED.

8. THE REFINEMENT
MEETING

9. PRODUCT BACKLOG REFINEMENT (A.K.A: GROOMING) MEETING
• THE PRODUCT REFINEMENT MEETING USED TO VALIDATE THAT THE
PRODUCT BACKLOG IS IN GOOD CONDITION, PRIORITIZED AND
READY FOR THE NEXT PLANNING MEETING, THE SM ACTIVITIES ARE:
• VALIDATE THAT THE PO RECEIVES ALL ANSWERS FROM THE TEAM
REGARDING TECHNICAL STORIES.
• RESPONSIBLE TO WRITE AND FOLLOW-UP ALL QUESTIONS RAISED BY
THE PARTICIPANTS.
• VALIDATE THAT THE MEETING PARTICIPANTS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE
MEETING GOALS.
• RAISE ANT ISSUES RAISED BY THE TEAM REGARDING STORIES
PRIORITIZATION.
• VALIDATE THAT ALL QUESTIONS FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING ARE
ANSWERED.
• VALIDATE THAT THE PRODUCT OWNER IS READY FOR THE MEETING.
• VALIDATE THAT THE RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS ARE PARTICIPATING.

10. ACTIVITIES DURING
ITERATIONS
(A.K.A: SPRINTS)

11. ACTIVITIES DURING ITERATIONS (A.K.A: SPRINTS) -1
THE SCRUM MASTER WILL PERFORM SOME BASIC BUT
CRITICAL ACTIVITIES THAT WILL DETERMINE IF THE
TEAM WILL RUN AN EFFECTIVE ITERATION OR NOT,
THESE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
• RESPONSIBLE TO INCREASE THE COMMUNICATION
AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING AMONG THE TEAM
MEMBERS.
• RESPONSIBLE TO VALIDATE THAT ALL STORIES AND
TASKS UPDATED BASED ON TEAM PROGRESS.
• ENSURE THAT THE TEAM ENFORCES THE SCRUM
RULES DURING THE DIFFERENT SCRUM ACTIVITIES.
• IF NECESSARY, THE SCRUM MASTER PROVIDES
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR TEAM MEMBERS.

12. ACTIVITIES DURING ITERATIONS (A.K.A: SPRINTS) -2
• CLEARING ANY IMPEDIMENTS FROM THE
TEAM THAT CAN AFFECT THE ITERATION
GOAL.
• SENT INVITATIONS TO THE RELEVANT
STAKEHOLDERS FOR SCRUM EVENTS.
• ENSURE THE REQUIRED STAKEHOLDERS
WILL PRESENT AT MEETINGS.
• LEAD THE TEAM BY EXAMPLE.
• BUILD TRAINING SESSION AND ANY OTHER
LEARNING ACTIVITIES THAT WILL INCREASE
TEAM KNOWLEDGE IN SCRUM.

13. THE PLANNING
MEETING

14. THE PLANNING MEETING (1)
THE PLANNING MEETING USED TO DETERMINE THE WORK
CAPACITY, TEAM COMMITMENTS, AND THE SPRINT GOAL,
THE SCRUM MASTER ACTIVITIES FOCUSES ON:
• HELP THE TEAM TO UNDERSTAND IF THERE ANY
MAJOR RISKS THAT CAN AFFECT THEIR COMMITMENTS.
• HELP THE TEAM AND THE PRODUCT OWNER TO
ESTABLISH A CLEAR GOAL FOR THE UPCOMING SPRINT.
• HELP THE TEAM TO MAKE AN EFFICIENT TASK
BREAKDOWN.
• HELP THE TEAM TO UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY NEED
TO STOP/TAKE COMMITMENTS (BASED ON THE TEAM
VELOCITY, CAPACITY AND THE COMPLEXITY OF THE
USER STORIES).

15. THE PLANNING MEETING (2)
• HELP THE TEAM TO BRING ANY TECHNICAL
RESOURCE (EXPERTISE) TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL
INFORMATION THAT HELPS THE TEAM TO MAKE
A MORE ACCURATE ESTIMATION.
• HELP THE TEAM WITH TASK PRIORITIZATION.
• PRIOR TO THE TEAM TO TAKE THEIR NEXT
COMMITMENTS, THE SCRUM MASTER SHOULD
PROVIDE THE TEAM “VELOCITY” AND
“CAPACITY” METRICS.
• THE SCRUM MASTER CAN USE IS TECHNICAL
SKILLS TO HELP THE TEAM WITH ANY
QUESTIONS RAISED DURING THE TASK
BREAKDOWN.

16. DAILY STANDUP A.K.A
DAILY SCRUM) MEETING

17. DAILY STANDUP A.K.A DAILY SCRUM) MEETING (1)
THE SCRUM DAILY MEETING DESIGNED TO ALLOW THE TEAM TO
SYNCHRONIZE ABOUT THE WORK PROGRESS AND TO MAKE SURE
THAT ALL TEAM MEMBERS ARE FOCUSED ON THE ITERATION GOAL,
THE SCRUM MASTER ACTIVITIES:
• REMOVE ALL IMPEDIMENTS THAT RAISED DURING THE MEETING.
• ENSURES THAT EACH TEAM MEMBER PROVIDES THE FULL AND
TRUE INFORMATION ABOUT ITS PROGRESS.
• VALIDATE THAT THE ITERATION BURN-DOWN CHART REFLECTING
THE REAL WORK PROGRESS OF THE TEAM.
• VALIDATE THAT ALL OPEN QUESTIONS FROM THE PREVIOUS
MEETING ARE ANSWERED.
• VALIDATE THE PRODUCT BACKLOG PBI’S UPDATED BASED ON
THE TEAM ANSWERS.
• ENSURES THAT EACH TEAM WILL SPEAK DURING THE TIME LIMIT
OF 2-3 MINUTES.
• STOP ANY MEMBER THAT IS NOT COME PREPARED FOR THE
MEETING.

18. DAILY STANDUP A.K.A DAILY SCRUM) MEETING (2)
• ENSURE THAT THE MEETING CONDUCTED ON A DAILY BASIS.
• VALIDATE THAT THE MEETING STARTS AND END ON TIME.
• VALIDATE THAT THERE WILL NOT BE ANY ELECTRIC DEVICES
THAT CAN AFFECT THE FOCUS OF THE MEETING.
• ENSURES THAT TEAM MEMBERS WILL NOT USE THE MEETING
TO RESOLVE TECHNICAL ISSUES (IN THAT CASE, THE SM WILL
TAKE THIS ISSUE OFFLINE).
• REMOVE INTERRUPTIONS FROM OTHER STAKEHOLDERS THAT
ARRIVE AT THE MEETING (PRODUCT OWNER, MANAGERS OF
OTHER TEAMS ETC.).
• THE SM SHOULD VALIDATE THAT TEAM MEMBERS WILL NOT
REPORT TO HIM; THIS IS NOT A REPORTING MEETING!
• VALIDATE THAT TEAM MEMBERS ARE PARTICIPATING AND SHARE
THEIR INSIGHTS BASED ON THE MEETING AGENDA.

19. CONTACT INFO
• EMAIL: DZCOMP@GMAIL.COM
• LINKEDIN: IL.LINKEDIN.COM/IN/DAVIDTZHMACH
• FACEBOOK: FACEBOOK.COM/DAVID.TZHMACH
• PHONEN: +972 526982298
• TWITTER: @DAVIDTZHMACH
• GOOGLE+: +DAVID
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