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Queries on scrum guide related to Transparency

Last post 10:50 am December 31, 2014 by roman shtekelman
4 replies
10:36 pm December 21, 2014

I have the following 4 queries on scrum guide related to Transparency:

1) On the statement "Significant aspects of the process must be visible to those responsible for the outcome" who does the scrum guide refer to as responsible for the outcode? Is it just the Scrum team (incliding Product Owner, Development team and Scrum Master) or Scrum team and Stakeholders?

2) Similarly on the statement "Transparency requires those aspects be defined by a common standard so observers share a common understanding of what is being seen" who all are observers?

3) Also on the statement "A common language referring to the process must be shared by all participants" who all are to be considered as participants?

4) And finally "Those performing the work and those accepting the work product must share a common definition of “Done”" it it correct to consider:
- the Development team as "Those performing the work" and the Product Owner as "those accepting the work"
OR
- the Scrum team as "Those performing the work" and the Stakeholders and Customers as "those accepting the work"


04:06 am December 23, 2014

Let's start with the first question.

Given your current understanding of agile practice, who do you think *should* be held responsible for delivery outcomes? How are outcomes determined?

Do you think it is reasonable for stakeholders outside of the Scrum Team or Delivery Team to be held accountable?


09:05 am December 24, 2014

Thank you Ian.

Based on my understanding:
1) Who do you think *should* be held responsible for delivery outcomes?
- Is it correct to say "The scrum team are empowered so they should be accoutable for the delivery".

2) How are outcomes determined?
- I believe based on how the scrum team is continuously improving in the 3 aspects of Transparency, Inspect and Adapt.


11:47 am December 30, 2014

That's correct. Therefore, as a minimum, the process must be transparent to all members of the Scrum Team as they are the participants responsible for its inspection and adaptation. That responsibility includes defining Done, for which the Product Owner must be empowered to represent customer interests.


10:50 am December 31, 2014

I would add that other stakeholders are held accountable in corporate organisations. And the larger the organisation the more the hierarchy of accountability grows. So on the bottom level the transparency shall exist for team members and on the next level the burn down charts and product burn down shall be transparent to the sponsors and programme managers.


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