The Scrum Guide defines three roles or accountabilities on a Scrum Team, including:
- Scrum Master
- Product Owner
- Developers (aka Team Members)
So, can Scrum Teams exist and operate at their best sans a Scrum Master? As a consultant, I have seen companies do various things to avoid having to employ someone in this position, with mixed results. Here are some configurations teams have tried:
Scrum Master Responsibilities are Shared by dedicated Team Members
Some teams I have seen decided that rather than hiring a Scrum Master, they would split the responsibilities of a Scrum Master amongst the team members. For example, one person would facilitate the Retrospectives, another would run the Sprint Planning meeting, etc.
Each person volunteers for whatever portion of the role they want to perform, and that is their permanent Scrum Master job going forward. While this idea in theory allows one person to master a particular piece of work, it could also get boring quickly.
Scrum Master Responsibilities are Shared on a Rotating Basis
Each Sprint is a new opportunity for team members to perform a different aspect of being a Scrum Master. Rather than always having the same assignment, individuals can try out other facets of the role. Sharing responsibilities this way gives each person a chance to try something different and learn something new each Sprint, which helps keeps it novel and fresh.
Random Scrum Master Role Rotation
In this model, it’s a game of chance – you never know who the Scrum Master will be. This one person assumes all the responsibilities of a Scrum Master for a Sprint, thereby reducing their capacity as a developer on the team. It could be based on rolling dice, picking straws, or spinning a wheel (a la Wheel of Fortune). The drawback to this approach is that someone could have their name come up in consecutive Sprints, which doesn’t exactly spread the love.
Scheduled Scrum Master Role Rotation
Another option is to just put all the team members into a scheduled rotation, so each person would know (well in advance) when it’s their turn to play the Scrum Master. Personally, I like this option because it allows the person time to prepare for acting in this role ahead of time. It can also work well when having to make changes due to vacation, etc. – people can just work out a swap.
No Scrum Master
Another alternative is to just ignore the Scrum Master role altogether (leaving the team rudderless and adrift). With no one at the helm of the ship, it could end up anywhere because no one is pointing the way or supporting the team by seeing the big picture. I don’t advocate trying to operate independently.
Let the Scrum Master Go… Slowly
I have always said that being a Scrum Master is like being a parent – your job is to work your way out of a job. But you wouldn’t leave your toddler to fend for themselves – you would wait until the person in your care was mature and fully capable of not only surviving, but thriving, before exiting. The same is true of a Scrum Team – all teams can benefit from having a Scrum Master in some capacity, until they don’t think they need one anymore. Until then, I’d have at least some semblance of a Scrum Master, even if only part-time, or if only a shared resource.
That’s a Wrap
I know this is a short blog – I’m out of practice – but I hope you found it useful. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, Scrum Masters or people performing their duties can help a team keep humming along. If your organization just doesn’t see the value, or simply can’t afford to have a Scrum Master on your Scrum Team, find a way to see that someone, somehow, is leading the team in the right direction.
If you have seen or experienced anything else when it comes to having (or not having) a Scrum Master, I would love to hear about it, so let me know in the comments below!