Creating Scrum Teams Consistent with Scrum’s Values

Forming Scrum Teams in a way that aligns with Scrum’s values is crucial for fostering self-management, collaboration, and accountability. Let’s explore the best approaches to creating Scrum Teams.

Exam Question

Which two ways of creating Scrum Teams are consistent with Scrum’s values? (choose the best two answers)

• A. Managers collaborate to assign individuals to specific teams.
• B. Existing teams propose how they would like to go about organizing into the new structure.
• C. The Chief Product Owner determines the new team structures and assignments.
• D. Managers personally re-assign current subordinates to new teams.
• E. Bring all the people together and let them self-organize into Scrum Teams.

Correct Answers

B. Existing teams propose how they would like to go about organizing into the new structure.

E. Bring all the people together and let them self-organize into Scrum Teams.

Explanation

Why B and E are Correct

B. Existing teams propose how they would like to go about organizing into the new structure:

Allowing existing teams to propose their organizational structure promotes self-management and respects their insights into how they can work most effectively. This approach empowers teams to take ownership of their structure and working relationships, fostering collaboration and accountability.

E. Bring all the people together and let them self-organize into Scrum Teams:

Self-organization is a core value of Scrum. Bringing people together and allowing them to self-organize into Scrum Teams respects their autonomy and encourages them to form teams based on their strengths, skills, and working relationships. This approach enhances team cohesion and effectiveness.

Why A, C, and D are Incorrect

A. Managers collaborate to assign individuals to specific teams:

Assigning individuals to teams by managers undermines self-management and may not consider the team’s dynamics and preferences. This top-down approach can lead to resistance and reduced team morale.

C. The Chief Product Owner determines the new team structures and assignments:

Similar to the managerial assignment, having the Chief Product Owner determine team structures does not align with the value of self-organization. It centralizes decision-making and can disconnect teams from the autonomy necessary for effective collaboration.

D. Managers personally re-assign current subordinates to new teams:

Re-assigning subordinates by managers contradicts the principle of self-management. It imposes a structure rather than allowing teams to form organically based on mutual agreement and collaboration.

Key Points

• Self-Organization: Empowering teams to organize themselves promotes autonomy, accountability, and effective collaboration.
• Collaboration: Allowing teams to propose their structure or self-organize fosters a sense of ownership and commitment to the team’s success.
• Respect: Respecting the team’s insights and preferences in forming their structure aligns with Scrum’s values of trust and respect.

Responsibilities in Scrum

• Product Owner: Ensures the Product Backlog is ordered and refined but does not dictate team structure.
• Scrum Master: Facilitates the formation of self-organizing teams and supports them in adhering to Scrum principles.
• Developers: Participate in self-organizing to form effective Scrum Teams, leveraging their skills and working relationships.

Relevance to the PSM I Exam

Understanding the importance of self-organization and how to create Scrum Teams that align with Scrum’s values is crucial for the PSM I exam. This knowledge helps candidates appreciate the principles of autonomy, collaboration, and respect within the Scrum framework.

Conclusion

Creating Scrum Teams in a way that aligns with Scrum’s values involves allowing existing teams to propose their structure or bringing all people together to self-organize. These approaches foster self-management, collaboration, and accountability, essential for effective Scrum implementation.

For comprehensive preparation and practice exams, check out PSM I Exam Prep to enhance your understanding and application of Scrum principles.