Agile Advice - Working With Agile Methods (Scrum, XP, Lean)

AGILE Project Management with Scrum -A book by Ken Schwaber

Prior to the Certified ScrumMaster seminar I attended in August 2008, I read the book by Ken Schwaber called Agile Project Management with Scrum based on a recommendation from Mishkin Berteig.    After attending the seminar and becoming certified as a ScrumMaster I re-read the book.   The second reading was much more valuable than the first for I had a much better understanding of Scrum.   Here are my comments on this book.

What have I learned?

1.    The adoption of Scrum methodology is more about changing roles and behaviours than it is about embracing a new process.

It was obvious to me and to Ken that one of the greatest challenges facing those individuals when moving from a their current environment to a scrum environment was that they would need to change their behaviours.    In the former environment the team member would be directed and inspected based on what their project manager told them to do.  The PM is the boss and the team members are somewhat powerless.  In Scrum the team members take responsibility for their commitments and communicate their accomplishments on a daily basis.  The hardest change occurs when the project manager is asked to become a ScrumMaster.  The project Manager is familiar with assigning tasks and personally inspecting results. In the scrum environment they are the servants of the team, removing obstacles and facilitating the process.   As Ken states in this book some project managers have great difficulty transitioning into the ScrumMaster role.  They are unwilling to give up the power and position as a project master.   It is hard to move from the leader of the pack to become the sheep dog herding the sheep!

2.    Scrum is unforgiving for if you do not apply the fundamental principles it is likely your efforts to adopt Scrum will fail.

As I reviewed the numerous case studies Ken chronicled is was apparent that when organizations, Team members, Product Owners and ScrumMasters followed the terms, conditions and guidelines of the Scrum methodology, they tended to deliver on their commitments.   When they misunderstood, misused or deleted some portion of the methodology they tended not to accomplish their objectives.   The methodology is well thought out and works in many situations when used appropriately.

3.    Scrum enhances individual and team expertise.

I agree and totally support Ken’s opinion about the value of Scrum.   I have no doubt the individual team member is empowered and has a greater sense of achievement.    Obviously based on his case studies, Ken builds a strong case that Scrum allows the team to deliver quicker.  The process is more change adaptive, responsive to customer needs, timely and economical than traditional methods.   Greater energy and capacity is released in the team and individual team members.

Agile Project Management - Certified ScrumMaster Training
Offered by Berteig Consulting Inc. www.berteigconsulting.com

Agile methods promise early, continuous and accelerating return on investment for stakeholders and a high level of job satisfaction for teams. Agile methods are appropriate for a variety of projects including program development, materials development, new product development, IT projects and software development outsourcing. In this three-day course, you will learn the foundational skills of agile process facilitation and project management, focused on the role of the ScrumMaster (also known as: Agile Project Manager, Process Facilitator, Team Coach).
What You Will Learn:

In this 3-Day course participants learn how to guide a team, a project, or an organization into a process of rapid delivery of valuable results. Exercises, case studies, and examples are used to assist participants to develop the knowledge, skills, capabilities and insights needed to make the shift from traditional management practices to Agile practices.

In this workshop you will learn:
• agile project management practices that enable hyper-productive projects;
• agile processes and facilitation tools that improve the productivity of the team;
• agile collaboration methods to remove the barriers between the team and the customer; and,
• to improve the lives of the team members by facilitating creativity and empowerment.
Why is this ScrumMaster course better than others out there?

Our Agile Project Management / ScrumMaster course is unique in many ways. Here is what you get when you attend our course:
• Three intensive days of training with exercises, simulations, discussion and lecture
• Classroom management using agile methods so that you can learn by example
• Course material designed for the ScrumMaster/Project Manager role not diluted to accommodate other roles
• Taught by one of the most experienced Certified Scrum Trainers in the world
• Low class size with a maximum of 15 students compared to some trainers with 20, 30 or even 50 students!
• Electronic copies of all course materials including free updates forever
• 24 PDUs if you are a member of the Project Management Institute
• Certification as a ScrumMaster at the ScrumAlliance that never expires
• One year paid membership in the ScrumAlliance

• Light breakfast and lunch all three days

Note: To learn more about this course and to register, please visit our website:

http://www.berteigconsulting.com/AgileScrumCertificationCSMTrainingOctober2008TorontoOntarioCanada