Benefits of Having a Scrum Master on Your Team

There are many benefits to having a Scrum Master on your Scrum team. A Scrum Master can help the team to:

• Understand and follow scrum principles and practices

• Improve communication and collaboration within the team

• Help resolve impediments

• Increase efficiency and effectiveness of the Scrum process

• Help facilitate key Scrum events such as Sprint Planning and Retrospectives

• Help improve morale of the Scrum team, which can lead to a more positive and productive work environment

A Scrum Master is a key member of a Scrum Team, responsible for ensuring that the team adheres to Scrum principles and practices. A Scrum Master brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the team, helping them to be more successful and effective. In many cases, a Scrum Master probably has had experience as a Developer or Product Owner on a Scrum Team, which greatly helps in guiding and leading the team through the Scrum process.  This includes facilitating sprint planning, stand-ups, retrospectives, and other scrum ceremonies. Another value a Scrum Master brings to the table is the ability to help the team resolve any impediments that they may face.

Decide it is time to get a Scrum Master? Here is how to get started…

If you're looking for a Scrum Master to help your team, there are a few places you can look. First, check with your company's HR department. They may have a list of qualified candidates, including internal candidates. It is not uncommon for individuals who were previously developers or product managers who have transitioned to Scrum Master roles, or have earned certification as a Scrum Master. Search LinkedIn for "Scrum Master" or "Scrum" and you will find individuals who specialize as Scrum Masters. Finally, you can ask other scrum masters in your network for recommendations or seek out Scrum Master groups (either in-person or online).

Additional Resources

If you are looking to improve the performance of your Scrum team, consider appointing a Scrum Master. The benefits of having a Scrum Master on your team are many and varied, and can help to make your team more successful.

Here are two resources worth checking out. First, a recent podcast episode on “The Scrum Master Toolbox” highlighted one story of an employee to had to prove the value of a Scrum Master to get the role.

Secondly, here is a video from Agile in Nonprofits, where Scrum Master talk through the value they provide.