The document explores the evolving role of the Scrum Master (SM) in project management, particularly in navigating complexities and enhancing team dynamics. It discusses the transition from traditional project roles to modern competencies, emphasizing the SM's influence in fostering communication, resolving bottlenecks, and ensuring agile practices are effectively implemented. Key themes include the historical context of project delivery in India, the emergence of program managers, and the multi-faceted responsibilities of Scrum Masters in successful project execution.

1. © Mindtree Limited 2014
Navigating Unfamiliar Project Terrain as Scrum
Master: A Roadmap
Avinash Rao

2. • Today, we will talk about …
• Program Managers.
• Leaders.

3. • Today, we will talk about …
• Program Managers.
• Leaders.
• And Scrum Masters.

4. • Some SM discussions …

5. So exactly what do I do?
• Coach set up and exits
• PO owns the backlog
• Developer develops
• Tester tests
• What is my role?

6. Aage bhi jaane na tu, peechhe bhi jaane na tu
• Developer  Sr. Developer  Tech Lead  Architect
• Associate Manager  Manager  Sr. Manager
• ?  Scrum Master  ?

7. Where is the SM’s power?
• As a Manager, I had the power to:
• Hire and roll-off
• Give out appraisals and hikes
• As an SM …

8. I was a great SM, but am I still needed?
• I set up the entire process
• Enabled the team
• After 6 months, the team works effectively with the PO …
• What am I now doing here?

9. • To answer these questions, we go back in history …

10. Stage 1 – Cost Arbitrage
• (and if you are as old as me you will remember)
• How do you replace someone with 20 years exp with a trained 3 year exp?
• Train on Java, .net
• Map tasks, create SOPs, KT documents
• The India story
Box Skills

11. Stage 2 – Project Delivery
• The ‘golden’ age of project delivery from India
• Iron triangle
Box
Scope, Timeline,
Quality

12. Phase 3 – ‘Make us successful’
• When projects became programs, at scale, suddenly it was harder to sell
• There was also this strange new role … ‘Program Manager’
Keeping score on
where things are?
A PMO can do that as
well
Running Cadence
meetings, actions, etc.
A PMO can do that Questions on:
- Role
- Career path
- Power v/s responsibility

13. • Suddenly we stopped talking about activities and started taking about
competencies

14. Program managers competencies
• Orchestration
• Connects, and utilize the connect to push the program through bottlenecks
• Had to create the frame instead of operating in one
• “Exercise judgement”
• Navigate based on the situation - depending on weather and situation
• Where is the box?

15. • Behaved like one more interesting category ... Leaders
• Managers, Box.
• What does a leader do?

16. • Scrum Master Boxes

17. Solving the ‘Tick the Agile Box’ problem
• Variants
• Agile can be done offshore! (BA as Proxy PO)
• Agile can be distributed! (Dev in one location and Test in another)
• Retain the same vendor structures

18. Solving the “Course Correct if Needed” problem
• “We don’t need to get Business to every Demo”
• “Release every 2 weeks to us, the real go live is after 6 months”
• Drop in to check progress

19. Solving the “Outcome” problem
• This is a 'make me successful' problem
• SM competency comes to the fore
• Some of the things SMs have done
• Raised issues
• Forged relationships so people listen
• Influence
• Truth telling
• Support to exec management
• That’s fine, but specifically, what does it mean?

20. Contour Mapping – Where SMs are Key
• Dealing with
Estimates!
• Dealing with
Bottlenecks
• Function view
v/s Capacity
view

21. India | USA | UK | Germany | Sweden | Belgium | France | Switzerland | UAE | Singapore | Australia | Japan | China
QUESTIONS?