About Piyush
Piyush is an experienced agile consultant with over 19 years of knowledge and hands-on expertise in product development spanning across domains like banking, stocks, insurance, automotive dealerships, telecom, web hosting and real estate.
Piyush has a Masters degree in Computer Applications along with a Bachelors in Computer Maintenance. He is also a Professional Scrum Trainer with Scrum.org, SAFe Program Consultant with Scaled Agile and certified Agile Coach.
Although he still spends some time writing code, designing web-applications for his pet projects; he now spends more time training, coaching and mentoring professionals in their pursuit of agility.
He loves to meet new people and make professional associations. If you want to discuss anything related to Agile, Scrum or just have a coffee conversation, do get in touch.
Piyush's area of expertise include:
- Agile and Scrum coaching, consulting and training.
- Enabling teams and organisations to adopt agility.
- Supporting, mentoring Scrum Masters to be effective.
- Product delivery and management.
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What students say about Piyush
Mar 25, 2025
The 2 days training is completely…
The 2 days training is completely interactive. There was no rush on the content and each and every questions are answered. There are enough case studies and scenario based activities.
Mar 25, 2025
the Content was clear
the Content was clear
Mar 19, 2025
Exemplary Training Experience
The content and the depth of the explanation with examples are exemplary by the Instructor. Piyush was very keen in clarifying every queries raised in the classroom with appropriate examples.
Mar 18, 2025
Awesome training experience
Piyush was great in all aspects. Training was very informative.
Mar 18, 2025
It was a nice and interactive session…
It was a nice and interactive session with Piyush. His way of communication, making peoples comfortable to speak openly about queries and doubts, explaining the scenarios, use cases is awesome.
Many thanks to Piyus for such a rich learning session.
Mar 17, 2025
Much needed learning for an aspired Product owner.
Had a informative session. Learnt a lot.
Mar 17, 2025
It was a great learning experience
It was a great learning experience. He was able to explain Scrum with real-world examples. Easier to understand, fun to listen. Thanks Piyush!!!
Mar 17, 2025
Excelent training to change your objective about leadership.
With right examples and topics were explained in detail end-to-end. How to be agile leader and align right scrum process to improve the current situations in an org was elaborated efficiently
Mar 16, 2025
It was an excellent session for two…
It was an excellent session for two days. The trainer Piyush Rahate is awesome, his sessions were very interactive and engaging. He explained various agile concepts through live examples in such lucid ways that they are impossible to forgot. The course material and white board explanations are perspicuous. Thank you very much Piyush. Much recommended training session!!
Mar 15, 2025
Engaging Session
The Session was very much engaging and collaborative. Trainer has a very strong domain knowledge and experience thereby he was able to articulate the concepts with real time examples
Mar 12, 2025
Piyush has a GREAT understanding of…
Piyush has a GREAT understanding of Agile and I took the PSM - 1 Training. He shared good examples and answered all the questions which I had. Which in turn help me to understand Scrum better.
Mar 11, 2025
Must attend training from Piyush
Overall training session was fantastic. Very well structured and knowledgeable. Piyush kept session lot interactive and active. Experience with Agilemania is also very smooth and helpful. Defenitely will recommend to colleague/friends.
Mar 11, 2025
Piyush was Awesome..
Piyush was Awesome... What i loved about the training was simple to understand language backed with plenty of examples.
Mar 6, 2025
I enjoyed the learning
I enjoyed the learning, thanks to Piyush and Preeth for the great session.
Mar 5, 2025
PAL-E course review
Overall program was good and trainers covered all the topics and explained.
Mar 4, 2025
Good Understanding
Good Understanding
Mar 4, 2025
Learned new techniques that how to…
Learned new techniques that how to deliver value to customer
Mar 4, 2025
Over all great learning
Over all great learning
Feb 28, 2025
Learnt in depth of about Scrum
Learnt in depth of about Scrum. Very information and guidence
Feb 26, 2025
Explaining things on board with digital pen
Piyush Rahate was very good in explaining the concepts of PAL-E (Agile & Scrum) and kept both the sessions interactive for the entire duration of the classes. Explaining things on board with digital pen enhanced the overall experience and gave real classroom touch to virtual class.
Feb 26, 2025
Exceptional Training with great coaching skills
I had the privilege of training under Piyush Rahate, and can confidently say that he has deep knowledge, dedication and ability to explain complex concepts in a simple way. Acquired great knowledge on scrum. Thank you.
Feb 26, 2025
Good Experience with Piyush for PAL E Class…
Piyush Explained the concept of Agile leadership in right and constructive manners. He made the participant think out of the box and kept on reinforcing the core values throughout the class . i thoroughly enjoyed 2 days of training and would recommend Piyush for training on Scrum / PAL
Feb 25, 2025
Training review
Piyush was instrumental while delivering the training. He made concepts easy to understand and interactive.
Feb 24, 2025
Teaching methodology
Teaching methodology, Subject knowledge, Answer all queries with simple understandable examples.
Feb 24, 2025
An Interesting Interactive session
Enjoyed the session. Instructor Piyush made it interesting and Interactive was able to relate to real time scenarios. Hope to add value by utilizing the knowledge acquired.
Feb 23, 2025
Interactive & collaborative learning session
Interactive & collaborative training session with lots of hands-on and scenario-based problem-solving exercises helped us to understand the PAL-E concepts better.
Feb 21, 2025
Knowledgeable
The instructor was knowledgeable and engaging, providing real-world examples that made the concepts easier to understand
Feb 13, 2025
The class was quite interactive
The class was quite interactive. Training content was comprehensive and relevant covering all the concepts of Scrum Master practices. It provided a deep understanding of Scrum principles and practical applications.
The instructor was highly knowledgeable and engaging. He explained complex concepts clearly and encouraged active participation. He addressed all questions and provided valuable insights from his experience.
The training met all the learning objectives and provided practical tools to implement Scrum in my organization effectively.
Feb 11, 2025
The course was insightful about the…
The course was insightful about the product owner roles and responsibilities. It has given a different dimension to the commonly assumed product owner role of user story writing.
Feb 11, 2025
Good examples & all queries were…
Good examples & all queries were answered
Feb 11, 2025
Great Learning experience
The training was engaging and informative. The coach was really good and have great knowledge.
Feb 10, 2025
Evidence Based
Although in real life many of these examples doesn't fit accurately, but it's essential we start with these values. While we are firm and social in exchanging these ideas for consistent growth and sustainability.
Feb 10, 2025
The training was awesome!
The training was so innovative, informative, and instructive, linking our minds to ideas, possibilities, and unforeseen circumstances. Thanks to Piyush Rahate for setting up the platform and helping everyone to enhance their learning curve.
Feb 9, 2025
My First PAL-E Class
My First PAL-E Class with scrum.org was a good experience.
Feb 9, 2025
Engaging Session
It was a very engaging session with lot of case study discussion with the teams which really helped to understand the agile framework in detail.
Feb 9, 2025
The curriculum was good to understand…
The curriculum was good to understand Agile leadership and the training method was great to practically understand the process
Feb 6, 2025
Transformative Journey to Scrum Mastery with Piyush
Piyush not only demystified the complexities of Scrum but also instilled a deep understanding of Agile principles. Their engaging teaching style and practical insights were pivotal in my success at achieving the PSM-I certification. Highly recommend for anyone serious about mastering Scrum!
Feb 4, 2025
PSM - A course
I recently attended the PSM-A course with Piyush Rahate, and it was an exceptional learning experience.
The course was designed to be engaging, ensuring active participation rather than passive learning.
Piyush effectively used real-world challenges to help us understand and apply Scrum principles beyond just theory.
The course wasn’t just about certification but about adopting the right mindset as a Professional Scrum Master. Piyush’s facilitation style encouraged open discussions, making it a collaborative and enriching experience. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to level up their Scrum Mastery and gain deeper insights into advanced Scrum practices.
Feb 4, 2025
It was a wonderful experience
It was a wonderful experience in learning with Piyush. He has immense knowledge on the subject and has a wonderful way of explaining things. Thanks for the session.
Feb 4, 2025
One of the most interactive class that…
One of the most interactive class that I have ever attended.
Jan 28, 2025
Overall had a good experience on the…
Overall had a good experience on the two days in weekend. There were reasonable group activities in the session though more activities on Day 1 would have enhanced the experience. Would be nice to have more scenario based questions. A recap for each day at the end would be helpful for everyone to recollect. Trainer was very kind and addressed all queries.
Jan 21, 2025
Piyush was patient to hear all the question…
Piyush was patient to hear all the questions by participants and explain their answers with practical approach which helped to understand concepts with clarity. Company's representatives are also supportive for any confusion about pricing and training schedules.
Jan 13, 2025
experienced trainer
experienced trainer
Dec 24, 2024
Awesome Agile Training
the PSM II training elevated my proficiency as a Scrum Master, enabling me to address complex team and organizational dynamics with greater effectiveness. It was an excellent step in my journey to becoming a more impactful Agile leader.
Dec 19, 2024
Well organized class and content of…
Well organized class and content of training materials
Dec 18, 2024
Piyush Rahate is an experience agile…
Piyush Rahate is an experience agile practitioner and trainer !
Dec 15, 2024
Piyush class was very interactive and…
Piyush class was very interactive and Session was very informative. I attended for Advanced Scrum Master Training
Dec 11, 2024
I want to express my heartfelt…
I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Agilemania for having such an outstanding Scrum Coach, Piyush Rahate. His expert guidance and engaging coaching style were instrumental in helping me clear the PSM-1 certification on my very first attempt. Piyush’s sessions were not only highly interactive but also filled with practical exercises that made learning both effective and enjoyable.
For anyone aspiring to get certified in Scrum, I cannot recommend Piyush Rahate enough—he’s simply the best coach out there! Additionally, Agilemania stands out as a top-notch platform for certifications and training, offering continuous and prompt support for all queries. Thank you, Agilemania and Piyush, for this fantastic experience!
Dec 8, 2024
PSMII Certification
I was very much doubtful if I can clear PSM 2 course.. However, the 2 day training provided by Piyush Rahate was very much helpful.
He cleared my doubts.. Although I was PSM 1 certified, but post attending the training, many of the scrum fundamentals got cleared..
The group formation for multiple testcases by Piyush helped to understand the scrum framework from practical perspective. PSM II is more of a subjective questions where we get the day to day life scenarios..
Mock exam of Agilemania gives you a feeling of same..
I cleared my PSM II in the very first attempt..
Thank you Piyush, Thank you Agilemania:)
Dec 3, 2024
Piyush explained each topic and with…
Piyush explained each topic and with quite engaging manner
Dec 3, 2024
Great experience
Recently concluded my PSM 1 training from Agilemania with Piyush being the instructor. I have had multiple trainings before but this one was very different - Good different. For many reasons :
1. Piyush’s content delivery was by far the best I have seen. This tells he has done this many times or to be short, is an expert at this.
2. Unique way to present. I won’t break the surprise but there were no presentations during the training. And yet, it was so engaging, I felt as active throughout as at the start. This also gave me inspiration to do something different when it comes to your presentation.
3. Different types of activities in breakout rooms. This gave me the opportunity to interact with fellow trainees like myself who were there to learn. You got to try out those.
4. Full of real life examples. Piyush gave real life examples from his experience that helped me to understand the concepts better.
5. Lastly, there were optimum breaks in 2 days that helped at-least me to be focused throughout.
When I was choosing the trainer for PSM 1 from Scrum.org, I read a lot of reviews for many trainers. I chose Agilemania after careful evaluation. I was right. Hope this honest review helps others in line.
Nov 27, 2024
Good
activities during session that made the class impactful
Nov 19, 2024
Quite detailed and very interactive…
Quite detailed and very interactive class
Nov 14, 2024
Transformative and Practical Scrum Master Training with Mr. Piyush
I recently attended the Professional Scrum Master class by Mr. Piyush, and it was an outstanding experience. His engaging teaching style and deep expertise made complex Scrum concepts easy to grasp. The sessions were highly interactive, blending theory with real-world examples that enhanced practical understanding. Mr. Piyush encouraged active participation, addressing all queries with clarity and actionable insights. He emphasized not just exam preparation but the real-world application of Scrum principles to create value in teams and organizations. This class was both enriching and inspiring, leaving me well-equipped to implement Scrum effectively. Highly recommend Mr. Piyush as an instructor!
Nov 14, 2024
Knowledgeable session!!!
Knowledgeable session!!!
Nov 13, 2024
Session was very insightful and…
Session was very insightful and interactive. Piyush has covered all the topics with real time examples and activities with in the class which give me more clarity on the concepts.
Nov 11, 2024
Informative and structured
Informative and structured. Good teachings on Agile Leadership and easy to follow. Well designed lessons and hands-on sessions
Oct 20, 2024
Love the Training but take note of Zoom feedback too.
I like the overall flow of the training. However, as an animal lover, I didn't appreciate that he use the sample "squirrel burger". I highlighted it in our Zoom call but still he continued with it. I am a Professional person but there are also some things we as Trainers should be considerate about.
Oct 18, 2024
Piyush is very informative and patience…
Piyush is very informative and patience in teaching. Thank you for the class!
Oct 2, 2024
Style and method of training was very effective
Found the training very informative and well-taught with efficient and joyful techniques.
Sep 30, 2024
The trainer Piyussh Rahate explained…
The trainer Piyussh Rahate explained the concepts in depth along with real life scenarios in a relatable and assimilable way. Would recmmend his training
Sep 25, 2024
Excellent training with excellent trainer
I recently completed the PSPO training, and I couldn't be more satisfied with the experience. The trainer was incredibly thorough and patient, ensuring that all my questions were answered in detail. Each concept was explained comprehensively, making complex topics much easier to grasp. The trainer’s ability to break down and clarify ideas helped me understand Scrum and product ownership at a deeper level. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to expand their knowledge in product management and Scrum.
Sep 24, 2024
Interactive, Collaborative and Very Fun Learning Session
I would definitely recommend people who are appearing for the PSPO Exam, to take this class.
The training was extremely interactive and collaborative. Lots of assessments and group activities kept every participant involved and alert all throughout the session.
Our trainer Piyush was absolutely apt and great at engaging the students. The content coverage was also very good and the pace of the training was just perfect. Neither too slow, nor too fast. It was easy to follow along.
Even though I have been working as a Product Owner for quite some time now, still there was a lot of new things that I got to learn from this training and also learnt how to unlearn older practices. Definitely recommend for experienced people to take this class.
Overall it was a 5/5 experience for me.
Sep 23, 2024
Very interactive mode of session
Very interactive mode of session
Sep 3, 2024
PSM-I
Overall, the training was highly beneficial and interactive. It provided me with valuable insights and practical knowledge about the scrum framework. Piyush (Trainer) was very approachable and responsive to our questions. His willingness to share his personal experiences and insights added depth to the training. He facilitated discussions effectively and encouraged participation from everyone. I recommend this training to colleagues looking to enhance their project management skills in an agile environment.
Sep 2, 2024
My experience was the best and the way…
My experience was the best and the way of teaching is exceptional. I went as new to scrum and came out as Professional with new eye for scrum
Aug 25, 2024
Great training and well-explained
Great training and well-explained. The trainer is very knowledgeable and easy-going.
Aug 16, 2024
The Advanced Scrum Master course
The Advanced Scrum Master course was an exceptional experience. Trainer Piyush Rahate from Agilemania demonstrated an extraordinary depth of knowledge, making complex Scrum concepts accessible and engaging. Their ability to answer intricate questions with clarity and patience was truly commendable.
The hands-on exercise were invaluable in solidifying our understanding and building practical skills.
I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in this course. The knowledge and skills gained have significantly enhanced my ability to be a better Scrum Master. I wholeheartedly recommend this course to anyone aspiring to become an advanced Scrum Master.
Aug 15, 2024
One of the best trainer out there for PSPO!
Piyush outlined the topics for the PSPO very well. With the help of his iPad to support the learning, I had an ease of learning and took the exam right away! I got a 93% rating on the PSPO exam :)
Aug 2, 2024
Engaging and Effective session
Had a very productive 2 day session with Piyush. I found his well structured approach to teaching very effective, as we could link and remember all the various aspects taught during the session like a story. The session was also very engaging and activity oriented, which helped reinforce Scrum concepts. Overall I found the session to be very helpful in learning concepts and preparing for certification.
Jul 30, 2024
Wonderfull session
Wonderfull session. Explained the Scrum in very crisp and appropriate manner and in a very practicle approach. overall very interactive session
Jul 27, 2024
Importance for Scrum
This is very useful scrum training session
Jul 24, 2024
The PSPO 2 day training taken by piyush…
The PSPO 2 day training taken by piyush was very informative and insightful with full of activities and Piyush has explained all the concepts with best illustrations and he his vast knowledge about Product owner and Agile is commendable and helped us to understand concepts very well. Thanks to piyush for this wonderful training class and I would like to recommend this training to my friends.
Jul 24, 2024
Good Training
I got the clear insights about the course I was opted for.
Jul 24, 2024
Quite informative.
Quite informative.
Jul 20, 2024
Great experience
Great experiencd
Jul 17, 2024
The class was excellent
The class was excellent, with much of interaction to learn about scrum and how it applies to typical organizational operations.
Jul 15, 2024
Piyush Rahate - Master in his craft
Piyush Rahate acted like a guide, mentor and coach for our team in our Professional Scrum Master classroom training.
The way he teaches, explains things, examples he co-relates with Agile terminologies made us understand the concept and theme easily.
Thank you very much for everything you do.
Jul 8, 2024
It is a great experience to learn Scrum…
It is a great experience to learn Scrum with the helps of Piyush as the instructor. The instructor guide us from zero to know in depth about how Scrum works and what to do in Scrum
Jul 5, 2024
Thanks a ton Piyush Rahate
The PSM 2 trainer exceeded my expectations and significantly enhanced my knowledge and confidence as a Scrum Master. I highly recommend his training to anyone looking to deepen their expertise in Scrum and Agile practices.
Jun 29, 2024
Thank You Piyush
Scrum advanced training was quite valuable for gaining clarity on my current standing. Piyush Rahate have played a key role in helping me overcome assumptions that were hindering your ability to follow scrum guide. Thank you so much Piyush for insightful session.
Jun 25, 2024
Good Class
Clear and good explanation from the trainer.
Jun 24, 2024
Good content
Good content
Jun 23, 2024
Brilliant facilitation by Piyush Rahate
Brilliant facilitation by Piyush Rahate
• Very well structured
• Set expectations well
• Outlined the accountability about the Certification exam
• Gave out sequential info about post session steps
• Phenomenal way of teaching through activity (Example: Individual Sticky note without agreement/consensus)
• Has brilliant ability to foresee perspectives that are not accurate and uses brilliant illustrations to highlight it make course correction
• Extremely respectful towards learners (presence and presentable)
• Very receptive to questions from audience and demonstrates immense patience to respond
• Engaging activity that drove the audience towards revelation of variance in interpretation and thereby learning effectiveness
Jun 18, 2024
Easy to understand, Straight and Simple explanation
Trainer is great. This class totally change my understanding about Scrum. Very detailed and simple explanation. No 1 rule of learning is always empty your cup and definitely will get what you find.
Jun 15, 2024
Amazing Scrum Master Session
Great PSM-1 training session conducted by Piyush Rahate from Agilemania. Very concise and clear in the direction of the class. Provided tutoring support even after the class has finished. All in all wonderful experience!
Jun 13, 2024
The learning experience was great!
The learning experience was great as the method of teaching and technique was easy to comprehend.
Jun 13, 2024
Happy and thankful
I'm happy with the training session held as it helped me to achieve my goal of understanding Scrum better and prepare myself for the PSM1 test. The trainer, Piyush was very knowledgeable and handled the training session gracefully.
May 28, 2024
very good training
very good training
May 16, 2024
Good
Its a good session
May 6, 2024
Good Trainings sessions
interactive, industrial examples, way of teaching
May 6, 2024
Best Training for PSPO
1-Best Teacher.
2-Innovative way to teaching.
Apr 27, 2024
Great!
Great session with good overall insights on both Scrum and product development. I like how it was not conscripted to the slides/textbooks, and there was a lot of real life use cases shared.
Exercises were a bit too vague which left a lot of unknowns to attempt them.
PR was a great trainer, very helpful and knowledgeable. Also very good hand writing.
Apr 22, 2024
Knowledge on PSPO
I have attended online PSPO I class conducted by Piyush Rahate. Gain good knowledge of product owner role and overall scrum framework. Also class deliver good insights on product management.
Apr 19, 2024
Interesting and collaborated activities
Interesting group activities
Apr 18, 2024
Gain Vast Knowledge on PSM
Gain Vast Knowledge on PSM
Trainer is Brilliant yet Humble
Training session was fulfilled and interesting.
This could be value added on my current job scope and work framework.
Apr 18, 2024
Trainer is using scenario and real-life…
Trainer is using scenario and real-life situation that enable us to understand it combine with multiple activity to let us assess our weakness and strength throughout a class.
Apr 18, 2024
eazy to understand
The explanation by trainer, is very good and eazy to understand
Apr 18, 2024
Great trainer
Joined class by Piyush from Agilemania and it was amazing. He interacts well with students and keep the whole class engaging.
Apr 9, 2024
Piyush has been a great trainer
Piyush has been a great trainer. He managed to keep the sessions lively and interactive. He is very knowledgeable about Scrum and helped us correlate the concepts with real time scenarios. Overall, it's a productive session.
Courses taught by Piyush
Applying Professional Scrum
Applying Professional Scrum for Software Development
Professional Agile Leadership - Essentials
Professional Scrum Master
Professional Scrum Master - Advanced
Professional Scrum Master and Professional Scrum Product Owner
Professional Scrum Product Owner
Professional Scrum Product Owner - Advanced
Other Services by Piyush
- Coaching/Consulting
- Private Courses
Upcoming Classes by Piyush
See all upcoming classes
Live Virtual
Date: Apr 5-6, 2025
Language: English
Class Format: Traditional
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Asia/Kolkata
Live Virtual
Date: Apr 12-13, 2025
Language: English
Class Format: Traditional
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Asia/Kolkata
Live Virtual
Date: Apr 14-15, 2025
Language: English
Class Format: Traditional
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Asia/Kuala_Lumpur
Live Virtual
Date: Apr 19-20, 2025
Language: English
Class Format: Traditional
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Asia/Kolkata
Live Virtual
Date: Apr 26-27, 2025
Language: English
Class Format: Traditional
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Asia/Kolkata
Live Virtual
Date: May 3-4, 2025
Language: English
Class Format: Traditional
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Asia/Kolkata
Live Virtual
Date: May 10-11, 2025
Language: English
Class Format: Traditional
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Asia/Kolkata
Live Virtual
Date: May 17-18, 2025
Language: English
Class Format: Traditional
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Asia/Kolkata
Latest Blogs by Piyush
See all blogs
What is the Product Owner accountable for?
From the Scrum Guide:
The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team.
The important part to focus on here is - maximizing the value of the product. But how does the Product Owner know that they are really maximizing the value of the Product? Well, that is where Dan Olsen’s Product Market Fit and Evidence-Based Management from Scrunm.org becomes helpful.
If you have come across the book Reinventing Organizations by Frederic Laloux you would know that there are many different ways an organization can be structured. Similarly, there are many different ways how leaders act in these differently structured organizations. When there is an Agile Transformation happening in an organization, the status quo in the organization is challenged.
The answer often to this is to make teams adopt agile practices, method,s or frameworks but the leadership, management and rest of the organization stays in its own existing structures. Such Agile transformations often do not work. Reason being, true agile transformation requires a fundamental mindset shift not only in how we develop the products but also how we lead and manage the organization.
A Product Owner is an important accountability when it comes to creating Valuable products. However, a Scrum Team may not always have a Valuable Product Owner. What I mean is, if the person performing the accountability of Product Owner is not well versed or executes their responsibilities poorly then it leads to a lot of challenges and eventually can lead to failure of the Product.
Here are a few anti-patterns that I have experienced and observed with Product Owners. Hope, this will give you some ideas to identify and break the anti-patterns to make the Product Owners effective.
Every now and then some one talks about or highlights a practice which has nothing to do with Scrum. Yet, due to widespread usage of the practice, people think that the specific practice is part of Scrum and should be followed to do Scrum in the right way. Sometimes, the Scrum Masters for the lack of knowledge enforce such practices and then feel the resistance.
I am not saying that every Scrum Team should know each and every right or wrong practice. That’s not how empiricism works. When I started as a Scrum Master back in 2010, I had my set of practices and I evolved. I expect Scrum Masters and Scrum Teams to have that journey. What I am unable to comprehend is the same practices of 2010 becoming anti-patterns for Scrum Teams in 2025.
The core strength of Scrum is its ability to take advantage of self-managing teams who are capable of making faster decisions, taking ownership and creating value by helping the customers to respond to ever changing needs of their domain, market.
The challenge however is, how many self-managing teams have we encountered in the software world. At least, in the places where I have worked in the past, the sighting was rare to none. It is like going on a birding trip to find a specific bird species only to know that the species has already migrated to some other place. It was here yesterday but now it is gone.
The question this situation raises is, if self-management is so important for Scrum or Agility to thrive then why do we have so few self managing teams. And can by simply declaring a team, a self-managing team will make it so magically?
The only reason for a Product Owner to exist is to maximize the value of the Product. One of the ways a Product Owner can accomplish this is by ensuring that most valuable items remain at the top of the Product Backlog and the Product Goal underscores their importance. So, how does the Product Owner order the Product Backlog; what techniques can be used? Is MoSCoW a valuable approach? Let’s explore.
The only purpose of doing Scrum is to create a DONE Increment. To get to a DONE Increment, quality is key. In Scrum Teams Definition of Done enables transparency around quality and releasability of the Increment. However, more often than not the Definition of Done stops at meeting acceptance criteria and completing a few levels of testing. But is that enough to make the product increment releasable; of highest possible quality? Maybe or maybe not.
Scrum has been around for almost 30 years now yet there are so many misconceptions about what needs to be done and how it can be done effectively. Even today, as I coach and consult many teams I often see that the purpose of events is mostly lost. And people simply go through the motions, probably to get “checkbox” ticked. For me, Sprint Retrospective is an important event which often is completely misunderstood and is often not very effective. In fact, at times I have seen some teams completely skipping the Retrospective.
In this article, I am exploring a common set of dysfunctions I have observed and how can those be countered. I hope you will find it useful.
What is the relationship between Scrum and Lean Thinking? Please explain how Scrum enables Lean Thinking or how Lean Thinking fosters Scrum? These are my two favorite questions when I typically want to gauge the knowledge of Scrum Masters. And over the many interviews in the past couple of years I have come across maybe 1 or 2 people who were able to answer it satisfactorily. I often ponder why that is. This article elaborates a bit more on it and I also share how I connect Scrum and Lean Thinking. So, if you want to explore it, this might be a good starting point.
Disclaimer: Long post alert.
What we measure is what we get? If there is no focus on defining what we want to achieve and articulate how we can measure it then often we end measuring wrong stuff and that impacts our ability to create value, to be successful.