4.2 Scrum Master

Generally, it is the scrum master`s job to facilitate scrum events and being both a teacher and a coach make sure that each team member adheres to the scrum theory, practices and rules.

The scrum master is not a team leader who dictates what the team or team members shall do; the scrum master is part of the team.

Let`s bring in the analogy of a scrum master being like a sheepdog. A sheepdog keeps the sheep together and protects them from the wolves. It also herds the sheep in the right direction. In a similar way, the scrum master shows the way by making sure that the team sticks to the practise and rules in the scrum framework, and it is the scrum master`s responsibility to protect the team members, so they are not dragged out of their work by other teams, line manager, or managers. The scrum master helps the team stick to the commitment they gave the product owner in the sprint planning meeting.

Responsibilities of Scrum Master are:

Making sure that the development team follows the rules of the scrum framework
Coaching the development team
Facilitating the scrum events (daily scrum, sprint review and planning meetings)
Maintaining the impediment list and removing barriers
Shielding the team from external interferences (keeps the wolwes away from the sheep)

The responsibilities of the Scrum Master in various scrum processes:

Process	Scrum Master Responsibilities
Identification of Scrum Master and Stakeholder(s)	Helps identify Stakeholder(s) for the project
Formation of Development Team	■ Facilitates selection of the Development Team ■ Facilitates creation of the Collaboration Plan and the Team Building Plan ■ Ensures back-up resources are available for smooth project functioning
Epic(s) Development	Facilitates creation of Epic(s) and Personas
Creation of Prioritized Product Backlog	Helps product owner with creation of the Prioritized Product Backlog and in definition of the Done criteria
Conducting Release Planning	■ Coordinates creation of Release Planning Schedule ■ Determines Length of Sprint
Creation of User Stories	Assists the Development Team in creating User Stories and their Acceptance Criteria
Estimation of User Stories	Facilitates meetings of the Development Team to estimate User Stories
Commitment to User Stories	Facilitates meetings of the Development Team to commit to User Stories
Identification of Tasks	Facilitates the Development Team in creating the Task List for the next Sprint
Estimation of Tasks	Assists the Development Team in estimating the effort required to complete the tasks agreed to for the Sprint
Creation of Sprint Backlog	Assists the Development Team in developing the Sprint Backlog and the Sprint Burn down Chart
Creation of Deliverables	■ Supports the Development Team in creating the Deliverables agreed to for the Sprint ■ Helps update the Scrum Board and the Impediment Log
Coordination of Daily Scrum Meeting	Ensures that the Scrum Board and the Impediment Log remain updated
Grooming of Prioritized Product Backlog	Facilitates Prioritized Product Backlog Review Meetings
Presentation and Validation of Sprints	Facilitates presentation of completed Deliverables by the Development Team for the Product Owner’s approval
Sprint Retrospection	Ensures that ideal project environment exists for the Development Team in the succeeding Sprints
Project Retrospection	Represents the Scrum Core Team to provide lessons learned from the current project, if necessary