Certain Rules Which Can Help To Make The Daily Scrum Meeting Highly Effective

The daily scrum meeting, or the daily stand up, as it is commonly referred to by scrum professionals, is an integral part of the daily scrum process. The meeting is held before the sprint begins for the particular day. As per scrum methodology, the daily stand up should be ideally time boxed to 15 minutes – it should not exceed this duration whatever the circumstances may be. The three basic questions to be asked covered during the meeting are:

1. How much work has been completed in the sprint carried out the day before?
2. What work is to be taken up for development today?
3. Are any difficulties or issues faced by the team members?

The stand up should not be used to discuss any other topic, or problem, other than answering these three fundamental questions. It is important to follow this format in a strict manner to get optimum benefits.
 

In practice, many times the stand ups are not conducted in a proper manner, and the meeting fails to fulfill its objectives. The sprint may not be completed successfully, and fail to deliver shippable product at the end of its iteration. Certain reasons are responsible for this, and it is worth knowing how they can be avoided. It is possible to hold effective stand ups if the following rules are observed:
 

Everyone arrives on time
The time factor is important. The meeting should commence exactly on time, and everyone should arrive promptly so undue time is not wasted. The team members should follow proper etiquette and ensure the decorum of the meeting is maintained at all times.
 

Everyone attends the meeting
The scrum master and the development team should attend the meeting mandatorily. The entire team involved in the daily scrum should remain present in the meeting. If a team member fails to show up, or has taken a leave for the day, the scrum master should ensure that someone represents that member – at least for providing the feedback of what work was carried out the day before. Moreover, each member should remain present during the entire meeting – no member should leave it unfinished or “half way”.
 

Collaborate during the meeting
Scrum is all about sharing information and helping each other out. The team should concentrate upon contributing as a “whole” rather than concentrate upon individual contribution. The members should be ready to solve each other’s problems if they possibly can.
 

Each member addresses the entire team and not just the scrum master
A highly common mistake made by many organizations implementing scrum is to conduct the meeting in a manner such that a team member focuses only upon the scrum master, and discusses his or her work while ignoring other team members. This is wrong. A stand up is not to be used for reporting purpose. The objective is to discuss, and include everyone present in the meeting. The person addressing the meeting should include everyone.
 

Discuss the 3 important questions only
As stated above, the meeting should only be used to discuss the three basic questions – What was done yesterday, what is planned for today, and are there any problems? No other topic should be discussed in the meeting.
 

Is the Product Owner present?
The product owner should have an idea regarding how the development is proceeding during the sprint. To get first hand updates, it is important to remain present in the daily meetings. The product owner should make a point to attend the daily scrum.

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The Scrum Task Board Explained

The scrum task board
The scrum board is the main object of interest for the entire scrum team, since each activity carried out using scrum methodology is reflected directly or indirectly on the scrum board. It is generally located in the venue where the daily scrum meetings or the daily stand ups are held before the sprint is initiated for the particular day. Scrum boards are the center point of focus for the entire team. The sprint backlog, in the form of story cards, is represented on it. Each day as the sprint progresses, the scrum board reflects the updates of work carried out by the development team. As the user stories develop, the cards are rotated on the board, and provide information to the team as to which particular activity is currently being undertaken and processed. In real time, the scrum board is updated before the sprint commences for the particular day, and it typically exhibits the sprint activity carried out the day before.   
 

Story
The story column displays the list of user stories taken up for development during the sprint. "User stories" is the work accepted by the team during the sprint planning meeting. Each user story is broken down into development tasks, and each task is individually taken up for development by the team member during the sprint.
 

To Do
The column reflects the tasks taken up for immediate development from the sprint backlog. The backlog constitutes the entire work to be completed during the tenure of the sprint – over the coming days. The stories can be picked up on a random basis, or according to a specific plan followed by the team. The “To Do” list is populated by those stories which are to be considered for development on an immediate basis, unlike the entire sprint backlog which is processed in small segments.
 

In Process
This column is populated by those tasks which are currently being developed by the programmers or developers on the particular sprinting day. Ideally, the stories included in the column should be completed on the same day before it ends. However, if the task is complex, or lengthy, the task may be extended over the next day.
 

To Verify
This column includes the stories which have been taken up for development during the sprint, but need some further clarification before they can be taken up for development purposes. Also, when a particular task is taken up for programming and if some issue is found connected with it which prevents further development, the task is transferred to the “Verify” column. The doubts or the issues connected with the story are resolved by taking help from the scrum master or the product owner, and subsequently transferred to the “Story” column or the “To Do” column depending upon the team’s decision when to develop it.
 

Done
The column includes all the tasks which have been completed by the team during the sprint activity. During the sprint review meeting, the tasks included under the “Done” column are verified by the product owner and accepted as “Done” or rejected.
 

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Rules For The Daily Scrum Meeting – What Every Member Should Do To Make The Sprint Successful

The daily scrum meeting rules
The daily standup or the daily scrum meeting is very important while implementing scrum. The purpose of the daily standup is to initiate the sprint activity for the particular day, with a little bit of discussion pertaining to what was done in the sprint the day before i.e. yesterday, and what the team plans to do on the particular day i.e. today. It is imperative for the team members to follow rules which can help to implement scrum in a successful manner. Moreover, the team members are also required to maintain a certain decorum while participating in the daily standup.
 

The important rules required to conduct a beneficial standup and implement scrum in a healthy manner can be briefly summarized:
 

1. Held in the same place

Ideally, the daily scrum should be held in the same place, and at the same time every day. The best time to hold the meeting is in the morning, before the development team initiates the actual daily sprint. The potential of the team can be best tapped when members are fresh, and open to ideas. 

2. Should be time boxed

The meeting should be time boxed and not extend beyond the stipulated 15 minutes allotted for it.

3. Encourage active participation

The scrum master should encourage active participation and ensure the members are collaborating during the meeting, as well as during the sprint.

4. Attend the daily standup

All team members, including the product owner and the scrum master should ideally attend the daily standup. In case of a distributed team, the remotely working team members should participate using online media and tools .

5. Maintain timings and must be prompt

The members attending the meeting should maintain timings and must be prompt. They should be mentally prepared with their brief presentations and what questions they need to ask, if required, during the meeting.

6. Each member gets a chance to talk and discuss

The scrum master should ensure each member gets a chance to talk and discuss without any inhibitions. Irrespective of the process you follow about which member should speak first, each individual should disclose what work was done in the prior sprint, and what he or she plans to do on that day.

7. Three important questions

The three important questions:

• What activity was done the day before?
• What activity is planned for today?
• Are there any issues or problems which impede the sprint process?

Should be discussed in the meeting by each development team member participating in the daily sprint.

8. Should refrain from asking questions other than those mentioned

The team members should refrain from asking questions other than those mentioned in point 7. The discussion should not include topics pertaining to designing, trouble shooting, fixing bugs, project analysis, etc.
 

9. Not indulge in gossip

Team members should not indulge in gossip or carry out any other discussion not pertaining to the daily scrum.
 

10. Only one individual speaks at a time

When the meeting is being conducted, only one individual speaks at a time. All other members should listen carefully, and make notes if required.
 

11. Address the team as a whole

The member should address the team as a whole, and not just focus or concentrate upon the scrum master while providing the feedback.
 

12. Query or problem is solved as soon as possible

During the meeting, if any team member requires help or guidance regarding a particular point or problem faced by the individual, the scrum master should ensure that the query or problem is solved as soon as possible.
 

13. Stakeholders should remain quiet and not intervene

Non-team members and the stakeholders can attend the meeting if they desire to do so, but they should remain quiet and not intervene during the meeting. They should not indulge in any activity which can distract the team members from carrying out the meeting in a proper manner.
 

14. Provide ample of room

Non-team members should provide ample of room to the development team so they have enough space to conduct the meeting, and make notes.
 

15. Scrum master holds the right

The scrum master holds the right to prevent any non-team member from attending the meeting if he or she deems fit to do so.
 

16. Any member not supporting the rules should be asked to leave

Any member, team or otherwise, not supporting the rules and regulations can be asked to leave the meeting and the vicinity by the scrum master.
 

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Conducting The Daily Scrum Meeting Or The “Daily Stand Up”

The daily scrum or standup meeting
One of the primary responsibilities of the scrum master is to hold the daily scrum meeting, or the “daily stand up”, as it is commonly referred to by scrum professionals. The person is required to get the product owner and the team members together for the meeting. The objective is to avail information pertaining to three important aspects of the daily scrum:

• Which tasks have been completed in the sprint carried out the day before, or yesterday?
• What tasks are to be taken up for development for the particular day, or today?
• Did any team member face any hurdles or impediments during the sprint? If so, what were they?

Duration of the daily standup
The daily scrum meeting is time boxed to last for a maximum of 15 minutes, and should not extend this period.

Purpose of the daily scrum
The main purpose of the standup is not to resolve issues or provide solutions to problems. The aim is to apprise the team members regarding the current status of the project, and ensure they collaborate and contribute jointly as a team during the development activity. If any team member faces a problem, and it is mentioned during the daily standup, it is the scrum master’s responsibility to ensure that the issue is resolved at the earliest. The solutions to such problems are provided by the scrum master and the product owner.
 

Holding stand-ups for non-collocated or distributed teams
One of the major concerns, and also a probable problem at times, for the scrum master is to hold the daily standup when teams are not located in the same office or geographical area. Many companies now use and implement scrum methodology, and in certain cases, the entire development team may not be located in the same place. With off-shoring activities becoming popular by the day, soon it would be common scenario to hold meetings with team members residing in different states and even different countries. Scrum advocates that the daily scrum should include all the team members. In fact, the term “scrum” is akin to the scrum huddle often practiced in rugby, or “rugger”. With large distances separating the team members, it may not be possible to hold a daily scrum in which all team members can be physically present.
 

A possible way out is to use electronic media and facilities to decrease the geographical distances.   Team members can use Skype and videoconferencing tools to participate online in the meeting. The scrum master has to instruct every remotely located team member to log on at a particular time when the daily scrum is to be held, and explain that the members should make sure the hardware and software tools are properly functional at the time of the meeting.
 

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How Scrum Can Help To Reduce The Risks In Development Projects – Find How Risk Mitigation Is Possible While Implementing Scrum

Scrum projects and risks
Every project in scrum, irrespective of its size and scale, is subjected to certain risks. The risks may be minor in nature, in which case they could be easily solved. Alternatively, they could be of larger magnitude, and would really tax the experience levels of the scrum master as well as the product owner to resolve them. Catering to risks is one of the main reasons why managements and “C” level executives opt for scrum methodology. 

Actually most people interpret risks in a negative way. It is interesting to know that risks can be negative as well as positive in nature, depending upon the outcome they result in. Risks, which result in a positive manner, are termed as “opportunities” while those that negatively affect the project are known as “threats”. In a simple language, a risk can be understood as a particular situation, unknown about what kind of result it will deliver when it is conceived, and which can result into an advantageous situation, or it could adversely affect the project working as well as the result the particular project is fundamentally supposed to deliver. Risk management is an inherent part of scrum methodology.
 

Minimizing risks (threats) using scrum methodology
While positive risks, or opportunities, are inadvertently welcomed, it is the risks, which create a negative effect in the ongoing project, or threats, which are of concern to scrum enforcers. Scrum helps to minimize risks in several ways:
 

Flexibility exhibited by scrum reduces business-environment-related risks
Unlike traditional development methodologies, scrum is highly flexible, and possesses the capability to add or modify the project related requirements at any time during the project life cycle. It helps the management to respond in a positive manner to threats as and when they arise. The management can easily cater to unforeseen circumstances when they arise. It is very easy to remove the user stories from the product backlog and replace them with new ones. The product owner can add new stories whenever required as per the wishes of the stakeholders. Moreover, if a particular set of requirements becomes obsolete or useless in terms of its functionality, it can be removed from the product backlog, and its development can be curtailed. This is not possible in a Waterfall method.
 

Constant and regular feedback reduce expectations-related risks
The entire project development is carried out in sprints. Each sprint is preceded by a daily scrum meeting. Scrum provides plenty of opportunities to avail feedback regarding exactly how much development has been successfully completed until date, and how much of it is still pending. The scrum board reflects the changes as and when they occur in real time, so the management is always kept informed about which user stories are currently being processed for development. Stakeholders can verify the work delivered at the end of the sprint, and if they are not satisfied, they hold the right to reject it. The investors are never caught off guard owing to miscommunication. They can always check up the development status and act accordingly.
 

Team ownership helps to reduce estimation related risks
The team creates proper and effective estimates making use of prior development related experience. Sprint retrospectives help to identify potential pitfalls likely to occur again in the future while sprint planning helps to include proper user stories for time bound and acceptable development. Team ownership helps to reduce estimation related risks.  
 

Increased transparency reduces non-detection risks 
Scrum advocates transparency. Everything and each activity carried out by the scrum team is made public as soon as possible. As a result, any risk, if it arises, is detected early by the concerned person, and the person is supposed to take up further course of action to remove the risk. Risks are detected and communicated early, and this leads to better risk handling as well as risk mitigation.
 

Iterative development reduces investment-related risks  
The delivery value is continuously presented when scrum is implemented. The basic advantage of scrum is that functionality is delivered in stages after the sprint is completed, which generally takes from 2 weeks to 1 month depending upon how long the sprint lasts. This is not possible in case of waterfall methods since the results are derived in the final stage of the product development cycle. It then becomes too late to respond to the development, and to introduce new changes because the entire project is completed by that time. Scrum helps to reduce investment related risks.
 

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Means Of Communications For Collocated And Distributed Teams While Implementing Scrum

The scrum development team
The scrum team is the heart of any scrum based project. The development team is directly responsible for manufacturing the functionality linked with the particular project. The development activity is carried out by the team members during the iteration or the sprinting activity, which generally lasts for up to two weeks. It is very important for the team members to “jell” with each other, and collaborate, because it is a prerequisite while implementing scrum. The physical location of the team members plays a very important part while the sprint is carried out. In most cases, the entire development activity, and the sprint too, is carried out in a single location, or the same place – under the same roof. However, with the advent of off-shoring and using scrum for complex and extended product development, it may become necessary for the team members to remain located in different geographical locations owing to various reasons.
 

Advantages of having a collocated team
For healthy scrum implementation, high level, and frequent communications are essential between the team members as well as the scrum master while the project is underway. It is generally preferred that the team members are collocated. Collocation means all the team members share a common development location, and even similar infrastructure, during the sprint. There are several advantages of being collocated:

• Questions can get answered quickly and easily
• Problems can be fixed “on the spot” with minimal wastage of time
• Less friction is created in the interactions of the team members
• Trust is availed and rendered much quickly

Means of communications for collocated and distributed teams participating in the sprint 

It is important to communicate in an effective manner to improve collaboration. Several types of tools and methods can be used to improve the collaboration amongst team members.

Collocated teams
- Teams working in and sharing the same office.  Since the team members are located in the same premises the preferred methods of communications can be:
   o Face-to-face
   o Messaging utilities
   o Internal chat tools
- Discussions can also be facilitated using:
   o Meeting rooms
   o Scrum boards
   o Wall displays
   o Shared tables
 
Distributed teams
- Teams placed in different geographic locations.
  Some of the tools recommended for communication purposes are:
   o Video conferencing tools and hardware/software
   o Instant messaging utilities
   o Chatting utilities
   o Social media tools
   o Shared screens
   o Remote access facilities
   o Specialized scrum software which emulate the functionality offered by traditional scrum boards
 

The daily scrum meetings cannot be conducted in a traditional matter since all the team members cannot remain present in the same place owing to geographical distances. In such cases, remotely located team members should participate in the meeting using electronic and online facilities. It is important to set up a fixed meeting time so everyone included in the sprint can participate easily.
 

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The Dos And Don’ts Of Servant Leader Role For Scrum Masters

What is understood by the term “servant leader”?

Several experts have tried to define the role of a servant leader, as to what it should ideally include, and what scrum masters should do to be considered as good servant leaders. To summarize what the authors have to say about the role, individuals desiring to function as good servant leaders should be compassionate, exhibit humane characteristics, act as a facilitator, and be a mentor for individual team members. Rather than discussing in details about each characteristic, the role can be briefly understood by going through the Dos and Don’ts associated with the servant leader role.

What the scrum master should ideally do to become a good servant leader

• Protect the team and its members from distractions and diversions
• Facilitate the planning activities and sessions
• Encourage team members to participate in sprint reviews and retrospectives  
• Implement scrum methodology and coach scrum to team members
• Help the team to collaborate
• Publicly represent and protect the team’s position
• Anticipate issues and problems likely to occur during the sprint activity
• Discover ways and means to remove the impediments faced by the development team
• Ensure daily scrum meetings are properly conducted as per scrum principles and rules
• Support and encourage transparency while implementing the project
• Properly understand and present the team’s progress to the investors and stakeholders
• When necessary, arbitrate on behalf of the team members

What should be avoided or prevented

·      Provide instructions directly or indirectly to the development team
	The scrum master should act as a facilitator and help the team members to find solutions on their own through guidance, advice, and suggestions.
·      Manage the daily scrum meeting
	Rather than directing the team and providing development related solutions, the person should supervise scrum and ensure the team members follow it properly.
·      Estimate the work taken up by the team
	If the team is coming up with an estimate, the scrum master should not interfere by suggesting or advising as to what the estimate should ideally include. If required, the person can arbitrate on behalf of the team.
·      Remain uninvolved or be unconcerned about where the team is heading
	Always try to maintain a holistic attitude about how the project is proceeding, and how the project can be affected by the work carried out by the development team. One should be clear about the project goals and how the team is currently achieving them.

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How Can A Scrum Master Successfully Carry Out The Servant Leader Role While Implementing Scrum Framework?

What does the term servant leader actually mean?

Many scrum reference books and articles explicitly state and describe the role of the scrum master as a servant leader. While most of the definitions try to state the same meaning, they can often lead to confusion as to which definition is perfect and should be followed. The importance of a definition comes into the picture once its meaning is properly understood. So, rather than concentrating upon the definition, it would make more sense to understand what the concept really means. In a nutshell, the role of being a servant leader would actually refer to maintaining a positive and humane attitude towards the team members, being sensitive towards their difficulties and problems, and putting in efforts to act as a facilitator so that goals can be achieved in a collaborative manner, with each team member contributing towards the fulfillment of the project in a proactive way. It is important for a scrum master to possess certain characteristics to be a successful “servant leader”.

1. Listening

An individual who is a good listener can also make informed decisions and successfully solve problems. It is important for the scrum master to listen attentively, with an open mind. The person should try to pick up pointers during the daily scrum meetings as to what the team members are really trying to say, and what kinds of problems they are really facing. Some individuals are extroverts and find it easy to speak about their problems in a crowd, and demand solutions from others.  Introvert individuals may find this very difficult to do, and so it would be up to the scrum master to encourage such individuals to open up and be vocal about their problems. Moreover, the person should also try to encourage self-organization and self-learning amongst team members. If the team is facing impediments, it becomes necessary to engage with the issue in a proactive manner and start finding solutions, rather than wait for the team to approach the scrum master with the particular issue. To be a good servant leader, the scrum master should also be a good listener.

2. Awareness

While leading teams, it becomes imperative to develop a holistic view and look at things from a general point of view, rather than be concerned about the micro level issues when a particular issue or problem arises. It is important to look at problems from a higher level and get an overall picture of where the issue is actually heading to before arriving at a consensus with the team members. It is also required to look beyond the role and scope as a programmer or a developer and grasp the problem at its root level before striving to provide solutions. Scrum methodology advocates that the scrum master should not get directly involved with the development work and start directing the team members. At the same time, the servant leader role indicates that the scrum master should act more as a facilitator and help the team members to resolve their problems by providing guidance and advice, even on an individual basis if required. Therefore, it becomes necessary to strike a correct balance between the two aspects of the role.

3. Persuasion

Traditional project managers can be autocratic while delegating their authority. Scrum is in antithesis of autocracy – it supports teamwork and collaboration. The team works as a whole and delivers results. Moreover, the scrum guide indicates a specific role for the scrum master. He or she should primarily supervise, and ensure that scrum is properly implemented, and followed by the team members. Rather than issuing commands and orders, the servant leader role encourages persuasion – discuss and talk with the team members, and encourage them to do things rather than demand action and activities from them. 

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