dimanche 18 janvier 2015

Scrum Coaching For Sprint Delivery

By Kristen Baird


Scrum approach to software development involves a team of five to seven developers engaged in a sprint towards a particular goal as stipulated by a client. All their time, skills and effort are dedicated toward completing the project. Each goal has a strict deadline and standards that must be met. Scrum coaching ensures that this team produces the best results within the stipulated time.

Coaching helps the sprinting team to capture the demands of the work at hand and develop a delivery strategy. The sessions help to create teamwork which is essential for the work at hand. Members can easily identify with engagement limits, rules and requirements of their project. They also understand the standards that must be met.

The coach will equip teams with necessary operational skills and tools so that they can set norms and rules to be followed during the operation. The sprint session is timed and all work is to be delivered within certain limits. Norms and rules are meant to prevent laxity that might delay the work or lower its quality.

Gelling within the team takes time which delays the actualization of team spirit. This must be allowed so that individuals can understand temperaments, abilities and talents of other members. Hierarchies will form for easy flow of instructions and directions. This is necessary so that order can be maintained within the group.

Coaches must understand that peak performance takes time. Each team goes through several stages namely Tuckman-model, Foaming, Storming, Norming and finally performing. On average, most teams will take three sprint sessions to deliver satisfactory results. This knowledge makes it easier to handle the teams.

Scrum teams have unique characteristics that differentiate them from department or units in a firm. All the norms and rules apply to team members equally. This is important in creating a level playing field where everyone can deliver without pressure. The rules are set at the beginning of the assignment and may be revised in the course of the sprint.

The client or his intermediary must provide all the support required for successful completion of the intended project. Part of empowerment involves assessment of skills required for each project and assigning the right personnel. Balancing the skills helps to avoid unhealthy competition and duplication of skills.

Autonomy is crucial for any scrumming team to deliver on their stipulated project. The tenets of autonomy need to be outlined at the planning stage. It is at this stage that all resources required are evaluated and allocated. As the team organizes itself for the task ahead, it must assign roles to each member and determine their meeting schedule. Interference before completion kills the group morale and may derail the project.

Each team has limited membership where everyone is an active participant. This is the reasoning behind small teams and the absence of sub-teams. Each team is required to decide on the time for their daily meeting as well as location. They also define what Complete Work means, coding guidelines and tools necessary to execute each project. No single member takes responsibility for the failure of a project. Each member must be accountable.




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