ScrumMastered

📌Complexity in Project Estimation

Estimating project tasks accurately can be quite a challenge, especially when dealing with complex work. As professionals, we often find ourselves seeking that perfect level of precision, but the reality is that absolute accuracy is rarely attainable.

🎙️ In the recent episode of the Agile Audit Podcast, I’m talking with Diva ✨ [a Scrum Master from Mozambique living in Malaysia], we delved into the concept of relative estimation, a technique that helps us navigate the complexities and uncertainties of project planning.

Instead of isolated estimations, we strive for consistency by comparing new tasks to those we have already completed. This approach allows us to establish a baseline for future projects and enables better planning and decision-making.

Diva’s team is currently using a simple but effective system, where they rate tasks on a scale of 1 to 10, considering their level of difficulty. By averaging these ratings, they gauge the overall effort required for the project.

However, I do recommend other valuable methods like Planning Poker and User Story Estimations.

✍️ So, whether you're using user story points, a 1 to 10 scale, or any other system, the focus should be on collaborative estimation and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Fragment of The Agile Audit’s Episode #2

Listen to the full episode on scrummastered.com/podcast

Podcast - ScrumMastered Learn how other Agile professionals just like you find solutions to common  challenges.

Have you ever heard of it? As Scrum Masters, we need to be PRESENT, but if you don’t know what I’m talking about, let’s read some REAL LIFE examples of what it means to be present ⬇️

Fragment of the Agile Audit Podcast - Episode #1

"When I first started with this company that I’m currently working with, I used to join the meetings just because. But then I understood that every meeting has a PURPOSE. We should not make anybody's wasting their time.

So I thought that If I'm joining a meeting, I need to get something out of it, so first of all I started working on my skills.

⚫ I started taking courses on project management (I'm not a project manager, but I need to have these skills)

So I started joining meetings with this mindset:
👉 What's the goal of this meeting?
👉 What are we trying to get out of it?
I just started to listen carefully and I would have questions cause I wanna understand what's the point of this meeting that we're having. "

In conclusion ➝ your whole role is not to just be sitting in meetings. But if you are there, you need to have a goal in mind.
If it's 📌sprint planning - how can you help your team plan better?
If it's a product discussion - what can you take from it to be able to help your team deliver higher value?
If it's a technical review - how can this help you understand the team dynamics and identify potential improvement opportunities?

Sign up for the podcast to listen to the full episode here: Scrummastered.com/podcast

Podcast - ScrumMastered Learn how other Agile professionals just like you find solutions to common  challenges.

📌 Can someone with zero IT or project management knowledge become a Scrum Master?

It may be tricky. But there's a way.

If you're starting from scratch.. I mean, like, zero experience, becoming a Scrum Master will be tough.
It's not an entry-level position. You need some kind of experience working in an organization and in a team.

🤔 Why?
Because you need to know how to navigate organizations, how to communicate with people in the organization, who to reach out to, and have a basic understanding of those organizational processes and how they work.

So, if you don't know anything about these things, it will be hard.

Ok, can you land a Scrum Master job without any corporate experience? Technically, yes. But I wouldn't recommend it cause it's gonna suck (for both you and the people working with you).

If you're completely new to Scrum, you can take on more of a role that is an easier entry position in an IT or project management team. This way, you'll learn how things work and gain experience.

Remember, learning Scrum takes time and effort. So, join a team, work on projects, and soak up the knowledge first before jumping into the role of coach (cause that's who you'll need to be as a Scrum Master).

If you don't ask, you won't know!

Last week on the Agile Audit Podcast, I had an enlightening conversation with Zahava 🤓 She shared with us an interesting story about her new job that got me thinking about self-improvement.

👉 Always ask yourself: How can I become a better Scrum Master?

Here's what Zahava shared:

"I started to go to meetings that they were expecting me to lead, but you know, I’m supposed to work with my team as a coach and guide, together, we aim to improve and achieve our sprint goals, and it's my responsibility as a Scrum Master to make it happen. But also, it's essential to understand their broader perspective.

To tackle this challenge head-on, I initiated meetings with the leadership and directors. I took the proactive approach of reaching out to them first and asked, "What are your expectations for me as a Scrum Master?" I asked them to be open and honest with me about their expectations because there were some layoffs of Scrum Masters in the company already.

Rather than waiting for the same to happen to me, I took the initiative to proactively seek feedback. I approached them first, expressing my willingness to understand their requirements and expectations."

Thanks, Zahava for sharing some wise words! 👏

Be proactive! Because "you miss 100 percent of the shots you never take".
And you miss the expectations of other people you've never asked about.

💯 So, don't miss on your success as a Scrum Master by waiting for someone to tell you what they expect of you.