Skip to main content

How would you evaluate a Scrum Master?

Last post 07:44 am June 26, 2018 by Filip Łukaszewski
6 replies
06:56 pm June 24, 2018

I certainly understand the underlying cynical part of 'evaluating' SM from organizational point of view and how hard is to quantify the 'soft' or intangible impact a Scrum Master brings to the team and organization. Since, Scrum Masters has no direct 'delivery' responsibility, this makes it even harder.

Every scrum master would actually know and understand what they bring to the table, but it's gets tricky when asked to explain or introspect oneself or even assess /interview another fellow scrum master. SM understands the team's maturity level but does he/she can explain where their own scrum mastery maturity level stands to the team or organization? 

How can one measure the benefits of

-Removing impediments?

-Improving self-organization?

-Transparency within team and organization?

- Contribution of SM in delivered product value ...etc etc... 

I am curious to know how others are doing or thinking, appreciate all of your inputs.


03:11 pm June 25, 2018

Hi Kamal. Have you considered asking the team?


05:37 pm June 25, 2018

Hi Nicholas - Yes, I did consider the "Feedback" aspect from the team. As a matter of fact, teams usually provide the frequent feedback. However, am curious to know if there are any ways or methods to translate that subjective nature to more concrete objective and quantifiable feedback (in terms of KPI if you will).


06:27 pm June 25, 2018

A Scrum Master’s value lies in helping others to better understand and deliver value.

The value of a dedicated Scrum Master can thus be evidenced, in part, by the actions they take to make themselves increasingly redundant and organizationally more useful elsewhere.


08:07 pm June 25, 2018

Thanks Ian for your reply. Making oneself redundant is the ultimate goal while helping the team and deliver value - Agreed.

How would one can attribute the success of building a well matured team to SM alone, where the reasons behind could be umpteen? 

"What gets measured, gets done" - Can this be applied to Scrum Master in anyway?

How would you measure the value creation of a Scrum Master?

Have always enjoyed reading your perceptions in this forum. So, am even more curious to know your take on this. :)


02:34 am June 26, 2018

How would one can attribute the success of building a well matured team to SM alone, where the reasons behind could be umpteen? 

Suppose that a team does prove successful, and achieves agile maturity with little or no assistance from a Scrum Master. What would you expect a good Scrum Master to do in that situation?


07:44 am June 26, 2018

I will not answer the question above, as the "ironical and funny" answers I can think of would probably bring no addded value to the discussion :)

However, there is an aspect of Kamal's question that we have not really discussed: how to recruit a SM? How could you tell a good story teller from a SM? How would you spot a bad SM? Or maybe one could start by asking him Ian's question above?


By posting on our forums you are agreeing to our Terms of Use.

Please note that the first and last name from your Scrum.org member profile will be displayed next to any topic or comment you post on the forums. For privacy concerns, we cannot allow you to post email addresses. All user-submitted content on our Forums may be subject to deletion if it is found to be in violation of our Terms of Use. Scrum.org does not endorse user-submitted content or the content of links to any third-party websites.

Terms of Use

Scrum.org may, at its discretion, remove any post that it deems unsuitable for these forums. Unsuitable post content includes, but is not limited to, Scrum.org Professional-level assessment questions and answers, profanity, insults, racism or sexually explicit content. Using our forum as a platform for the marketing and solicitation of products or services is also prohibited. Forum members who post content deemed unsuitable by Scrum.org may have their access revoked at any time, without warning. Scrum.org may, but is not obliged to, monitor submissions.