Welcome to Expert Viewpoints. Scrum Master opportunities. In this video, we will hear agile and Scrum experts describe how someone who
does not have a Project Management background can become
an effective Scrum Master. And compare the role of a Scrum Master to
the role of a traditional Project Manager. >> No, you don't have to have a
traditional project management background to be a Scrum Master, and
in some ways that could be better. As Project Managers and
Scrum Masters are distinct roles, there are similar soft skills used
like communication and organization. But Project Managers are about process
control, managing work, scope, and cost. Whereas a Scrum Master is an enabler role,
more of a coach and facilitator, removing impediments,
working with the team and product owner on
the delivery of the sprint. >> Yes, of course, someone without
a project management experience can become an effective Scrum Master. I have seen technical and functional team
members evolving into Scrum Master roles. While project management experience
can be helpful, but it's not the must. The key qualities of a Scrum Master such
as facilitation, collaboration, coaching, and leadership can be developed and
improved through training and practice. The Scrum Master and traditional Project
Manager roles have similarities such as focusing on successful project delivery
and working with stakeholders. In addition, they both require
communication and problem-solving skills. However, they differ in authority,
approach, team empowerment, and focus. A Project Manager role has more formal
authority, follows a structured approach, may have a more directive role,
and focus on managing constraints. A Scrum Master serves as a servant leader,
embraces an iterative approach, empowers, self-organizing teams, and
focuses on removing impediments and facilitating collaboration
within the Agile framework. >> While it will help that you have
had project management experience, it certainly doesn't preclude anybody
from becoming a Scrum Master. Being a Scrum Master is more
than just technical skills. It takes the right type of person who
has the right type of attitude and goals and interests in working with people
to make them a successful Scrum Master. If you are the type of person that
would rather elevate the team and let the team take the credit and
not look for your own glory, then this is really where you fit in. Scrum Masters are servants,
they're servant leaders. And so
if your motive is to get the spotlight or be the hero or anything like that, then really being a Scrum Master
may not work out so well for you. Your one job is to get
the team to success. Now that doesn't mean that you won't
get credit for the work you've done, of course, you will. But if you're motivated by helping others, then that's the type of person
that succeeds as a Scrum Master. Scrum Masters are just not there
to help the team complete tasks. The Scrum Master's focus is
the success of the team and that may mean getting the team
to work well together. Teaching them how to work well together, reminding them of the goals,
reminding them of why they are there, supporting them, getting them to think
about different ways of doing things, all for the goal of success. Now, the Scrum Master
facilitates the process and the process that they're
facilitating is the Scrum framework. That is a really key component, what makes it different than
a traditional Project Manager. Now, there's some similarities, of course, you want to help the team to get their
work done, that's kind of the point. But where the difference really
lies is people over process. And that is straight out
of the Agile Manifesto, which is really the foundation of Scrum. >> Yes, someone with no project
management background can still become an effective Scrum Master. Though it is easier for
someone with project management background to become a Scrum Master because most of
the work that they need to do is detach themselves from the traditional
mindset and be in the Agile mindset. Now, if you have no project
management knowledge, you can still be
an effective Scrum Master. All you need to do is go down to
the basis of learning the software development lifecycle, put in the work and
you can still do very great. A traditional Project Manager is usually
involved from the initiation process, budgeting, implementation, and all that. While as a Scrum Master, you are typically
involved in the development part of it. So as a Scrum Master you're
making sure that an MVP, which is a most viable product,
is being constantly delivered. So that's the main difference. [MUSIC]