Forming Scrum Teams in Large Groups
When faced with the challenge of forming multiple Scrum Teams from a large group, it’s important to ensure that the teams are self-organizing and can effectively work together towards the product goals. The approach to dividing a large group into smaller, effective Scrum Teams can significantly impact team cohesion, productivity, and the overall success of the project.
Exam Question
What tactic should a Scrum Team use to divide a group of 100 people into multiple Scrum Teams?
(choose the best answer)
A. Create teams based on their skills across multiple layers (such as database, UI, etc).
B. Ask the Product Owner to assign the people to teams.
C. Ask the people to divide themselves into teams.
Correct Answer
C. Ask the people to divide themselves into teams.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C. Ask the people to divide themselves into teams:
Scrum encourages self-organization. Allowing people to divide themselves into teams leverages the self-organizing nature of Scrum, enabling individuals to form teams based on who they believe they can work most effectively with. This approach fosters better collaboration and ensures that teams are composed of people who have chosen to work together, which can lead to higher motivation and productivity.
Why the Other Options Are Less Effective
A. Create teams based on their skills across multiple layers (such as database, UI, etc):
Dividing teams based on skills across different layers can lead to silos, where teams might focus on their specific area of expertise without considering the broader product goal. This approach contradicts the cross-functional nature of Scrum Teams, where each team should have all the skills necessary to deliver a potentially releasable Increment at the end of every Sprint.
B. Ask the Product Owner to assign the people to teams:
While the Product Owner has a crucial role in maximizing the value of the product, they are not responsible for forming teams. Assigning people to teams from a top-down approach can undermine the self-organizing principle of Scrum, leading to less ownership and possibly lower team morale.
Relevance to the PSD Exam
Understanding how to effectively form Scrum Teams in a large organization is crucial for the PSD exam. It highlights the importance of self-organization and cross-functionality in Scrum, which are key principles that contribute to the success of Agile teams.
Key Takeaways
- Self-organization: Allowing teams to form themselves fosters collaboration and ownership.
- Cross-functional teams: Teams should be composed of members with all the skills necessary to complete the work.
Conclusion
Forming effective Scrum Teams is essential for the success of large-scale Agile projects. By encouraging self-organization, teams can form in a way that maximizes collaboration, motivation, and productivity. For more information on preparing for the PSD exam, visit our Professional Scrum Developer PSD™ Exam Prep.
