Is the role of Scrum Master different at your company?

 

Is the role different at your company (than at a "regular" company)?

 

And should it be different?

 

Joe's comments:

 

I am not at all clear that there should be a difference. I am totally ok with variations on the theme, based on special circumstances. But the standard case...I just think that the Agile community has thought about the basic role enough. And the company, normally, is not that different.

 

NOW...I did modify things at first on one project to allow the PM a bigger role, because I did not think a "fight" with the PM was worth the candle at that time. AND...I'm ok with having another role called "PM" that does some things (details regarding key controls, obtaining resources, updates to some systems). This "PM" role is probably part-time, not full-time.

 

I generally think early journeyman coaches should only be coaches (SMs). They need no other work to burden themselves, to confuse their role to themselves, to confuse their role in the minds of their Team and their PO.

 

End of Joe's comments.

 

So, let's call the standard role SM and the different role, at this hypothetical company, "SM-C".

 

What are the differences (as practiced now)? And should each difference exist? Or what might the allowed differences be?

 

• The role of SM-C is mixed with PM (typically)...ie, internal people often act as both SM and PM (non-command and control, for the most part) on the project.
  • Well, not always. I think until an internal coach has lived without the PM role for awhile, that it should not be mixed in. -- Joe
  • Also, those who add SM to PM typically don't appreciate how much time it takes to be a good SM.

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• There is no budget to have an independent SM-C, so it is mixed with other things (PM, BSA, etc).
  • Red Herring. It is too expensive NOT to have as good an SM as you can get.

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• An SM-C has the "power of an associate". Thus, they can have conversations, and request resources, in a way that an external coach can not.
  • Yes AND...they're ability to INFLUENCE people may at the same time be different/less.
  • Yes AND...not clear if this is very meaningful, eg, anymore than each person brings a different bag of tricks to the SM game. Does that power really change the job description?

 

 

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