Difficulty in contributing during session
Hi All,
I have been working as a BA for quite some time now, however, recently was asked to perform a Scrum Master role for a fairly new project. My issue is, I feel difficult to contribute during any of the meetings since I am not fully aware of how the application is working. The dev team since they are exposed to code, they know what is driving from where and product owners since they are from the business side they have the same viewpoint as well. Me, on the other hand, have very less to say which bothers me as all I am doing is sharing my screen and facilitating the meeting when the entire discussion is happening between the dev and POs. At times, I have a feeling that any of the scrum meetings can happen without a scrum master which is worrying to me.
How do I improve my app knowledge? Can I ask my manager to provide me the code access? I cant do coding but can very well read and understand it. Please suggest.
Although it's incredibly helpful to understand the business drivers, the product, and the technical design and implementation, none of this is essential as a Scrum Master. Check out the responsibilities of the Scrum Master role - which ones require require you to know the code or know the business? An effective Scrum Master knows Scrum (and ideally other methods and frameworks, as well) and can guide the team to being effective.
Facilitating the Scrum events may very well be a part of what you do. But there are other things that you can do to help guide the team.
This doesn't mean that you shouldn't learn the business domain or about how the product is developed and delivered. But it's not necessary for a Scrum Master to do their job, and will probably come with time anyway, as you work with the team to understand the way the work and help them to identify and remove impediments and improve their methods.
Being a Scrum Master is about facilitating, enabling, coaching, and revealing. There’s an old Scrum Master proverb that once you understand what it is your team is actually building, it’s probably time to move on.
In addition to the previous answers, the Scrum master's role is, at first, to master the Scrum framework. He/She contributes to the team by ensuring Scrum is understand by the team and the organization.
The dev team since they are exposed to code, they know what is driving from where and product owners since they are from the business side they have the same viewpoint as well
.. and the Scrum master understands the framework, coaches and facilitates the team, and so on as it is well described in the Scrum guide. A Scrum master is a "keeper" of the framework.
Hope this help you out!
There are two issues. Your actual contribution and the perception of your contribution.
Both should be examined separately.
A. Focus on areas where your actions will have the most impact.
B. The perception of your contribution (by others) will be a function of your actual contribution and the perceivers understanding of Scrum and the Scrum Master role.
Work on A first. Establish yourself as a contributor. That will make B. easier.
Improving your programming skills and understanding will help, but it isn't building on your strengths, but rather is working on a weakness.
Good luck and Scrum on!
Being a Scrum Master is about facilitating, enabling, coaching, and revealing. There’s an old Scrum Master proverb that once you understand what it is your team is actually building, it’s probably time to move on.
Best Scrum Master quote ever!
I struggle with this once in a while, and a lot of what people have been saying here is true.
Scrum Masters are servant leaders - we are able to lead/coach/enable/facilitate without necessarily being the ball handler.
It does help to have some sort of technical background - knowing some bits of code or having a fair understanding of user experience are good bits to have when contributing to sessions. But what helps even more is how you can ever so subtly facilitate what the next steps and actions that will result in whatever is discussed to market in the soonest time possible.