Developers and Self-Management in Scrum
Understanding how self managing Developers operate in Scrum is key for effective teams. They decide how to get work done, fostering ownership and agility.
Scrum defines three specific accountabilities: Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers. Each has distinct responsibilities. The Developers are the people committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint. A core tenet of their accountability is self management. This means they decide how to turn Product Backlog items into a Done Increment. They manage themselves regarding the Sprint Backlog and how they accomplish the work.
What Self-Management Means
Self-managing does not mean Developers do whatever they want. It means they decide the best way to achieve the Sprint Goal. No one else tells them how to do their work. A manager outside the Scrum Team, for instance, should not dictate tasks or assign individuals to specific items. The Developers collectively own the Sprint Backlog and the plan to deliver the Increment. They determine who does what and when. This requires trust from the organization and a high level of responsibility from the team.
Practical Application of Self-Management
Consider a Scrum Team working on a new feature. The Product Owner defines the 'what' and 'why' in a Product Backlog Item. During Sprint Planning, the Developers forecast which items they can complete and craft a Sprint Goal. Then, they break down these items into smaller tasks. They do not wait for a team lead to assign these tasks. Instead, they pick up work based on their skills, current capacity, and the dependencies within the Sprint Backlog. If a Developer finishes a task, they do not sit idle. They look for the next most important task to advance the Sprint Goal.
Benefits of Self-Management
When Developers self manage, several advantages emerge. They feel more ownership over their work. This often leads to higher quality and better problem solving. They are also quicker to adapt. If an unexpected technical challenge arises, they can reorganize their work without needing external approval. This agility helps the team respond to changes and stay focused on the Sprint Goal. It also fosters a sense of collective responsibility for the Increment.
Key benefits include:
- Increased ownership and accountability for the Sprint Goal.
- Faster decision making within the Sprint.
- Better problem solving due to collective input.
- Greater team morale and engagement.
- Improved adaptability to technical challenges or new insights.
Challenges and Support
Implementing true self-management can be challenging. Some Developers may be accustomed to being told what to do. Others might struggle with the responsibility of making collective decisions. The Scrum Master plays a crucial role here. They coach the Developers on self-management, facilitate discussions, and help remove impediments to their autonomy. They ensure the environment supports self-organizing behavior. This might involve coaching managers outside the team about their new role in supporting rather than directing.
For example, if a Developer consistently waits for explicit task assignments, the Scrum Master might facilitate a conversation during the Daily Scrum. The goal is to encourage the Developer to proactively identify and pull the next piece of work. If external stakeholders try to assign work directly to Developers, the Scrum Master steps in to protect the team's self-management and educates the stakeholders on Scrum principles.
Conclusion
Self-management is not just a buzzword in Scrum. It is a fundamental aspect of the Developers' accountability. It empowers the team to make decisions about how to deliver value. When Developers truly self manage, they become a highly effective unit, capable of adapting and delivering high quality Increments consistently. This autonomy is essential for a healthy and productive Scrum Team.