Best practice for working in multiple scrum teams
Hello there,
in my scrum team we have some devs which are working in another scrum team as well.
Sometimes they are struggling with working on different topics at the same day.
So we are trying to split it, one day one team.
Only at the daily it seems helpfull to have all toghether.
Are there any other people working in multiple teams and can share their experience?
What works good, what not?
Is there a reason why you cannot have each team focused on a specific product and a stable membership of each team?
@Thomas - The reason is ressources in the company, or simple said money...
@Ian - that's what I'm asking for. So with regard to my question you think it's not helpfull that they have to be at the daily?
The Scrum framework is based upon having a dedicated team of individuals that fulfill the responsibilities of Developers, Product Owner and Scrum Master. However, there is nothing that says some of those individuals cannot fulfill responsibilities for multiple teams. It is quite common for this to occur with the Scrum Master and Product Owner roles.
As @Ian alludes, the Daily Scrum is for the Developers to plan their work for the coming day. The only reason that I could see to have someone involved that is not going to be working for that team in that day would be if they need to convey information from the previous day that could impact the coming day's work. However, there are many ways for that to happen without the individual having to attend the Daily Scrum.
You state "Only at the daily it seems helpfull to have all toghether.". Why is that so? Are the Daily Scrum's really used to plan the days work or are they used as a status meeting where everyone has to answer "the 3 questions"? If there is good communication across the team someone should be able to represent the "missing" individual well enough for the Developers to plan their day.
Hi Daniel, thanks for your reply. That helps me.
Right now our daily is more like a mixture between both. But not like everyone has to answer the 3 questions.
We discuss the plan for the day by speaking about what whas done yesterday and where help is needed.
Our daily is in the morning, so when a dev did something in the evening by himself, I thought it could be helpfull, when everyone attends. But your answer helps me understand that there are other solutions to this. :)
Working in multiple Scrum teams can be challenging, but here are some simple best practices to make it smoother:
- Communication is Key:
- Keep everyone in the loop. Regularly talk to team members from different Scrum teams to share updates and challenges.
- Aligned Sprint Cycles:
- Try to synchronize sprint cycles across teams. It helps in coordinating efforts and reviewing progress together.
- Scrum of Scrums:
- Have a regular "Scrum of Scrums" meeting. This is a brief gathering where representatives from each team discuss their work, dependencies, and potential issues.
- Common Definitions:
- Ensure that all teams use the same definitions of things like "done" and "ready." It helps in maintaining consistency.
- Shared Resources:
- If there are shared resources or dependencies, make sure they are well-managed. Teams should coordinate and plan together to avoid conflicts.
- Cross-Team Collaboration:
- Encourage collaboration between team members from different Scrum teams. Foster a culture where knowledge and ideas flow freely.
- Common Tools and Practices:
- Use common tools and practices across teams. It makes it easier to integrate work and understand each other's progress.
- Scrum Master Coordination:
- If there are multiple Scrum Masters, they should coordinate efforts and help in resolving any inter-team issues.
- Scaling Agile Frameworks:
- Consider using scaling agile frameworks like SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) if your organization is large. These frameworks provide guidance on managing multiple teams effectively.
- Regular Retrospectives:
- Conduct regular retrospectives not only within teams but also at the inter-team level. This helps in continuous improvement and addressing challenges.