Some simple questions to generate more value with Scrum

Scrum becomes more mainstream. I also see many implementations of Scrum, where key elements are missing. With this confusion the name Scrum is burnt, because the faulty implementation of the framework is causing more harm and does not bring the desired benefits.

I see the root causes of this problem in strong biases and sticky working habits. But also in Scrum training sessions, in which participants struggle to understand how Scrum works and why it is different to their existing ways of working. In these cases, I see trainers becoming defensive and trying to convince participants of the superiority of Scrum.

In this blog post I’d like to help with couple of questions, that could help new Scrum teams

1. define useful Product Goals & Product Increments
2. figure out small incremental steps to improve their way of working – either in their team or outside their team in the organization.

They could also help trainers to flip the situation: Instead of trying to convince their audience they could ask the questions and build the training around the answers to these questions. The answers are typically the pain points of the participants and, therefore, relevant to them.

The Increment

The 2020 Scrum Guide [1] summarizes Scrum in a very simple way:

„In a nutshell, Scrum requires a Scrum Master to foster an environment where:

1. A Product Owner orders the work for a complex problem into a Product Backlog.
2. The Scrum Team turns a selection of the work into an Increment of value during a Sprint.
3. The Scrum Team and its stakeholders inspect the results and adjust for the next Sprint.
4. Repeat“

When organizations introduce Scrum they struggle often with the implementation of the Scrum accountabilities Product Owner and Scrum Master. They are being confused with project managers. In Scrum trainings they are therefore discussed thoroughly to clarify this confusion.

The other confusion is about the Increment. What is an increment of value? Value to whom? Why could it be meaningful to anyone?

Here are some questions, that might help. They start with the Product Goals, explore how they are connected to the customers, touch risks and end with the definition of Increments. They work regardless in which context or domain the Scrum team works. Whenever there is doubt about the application of Scrum in the domain, you can refer to these initial questions:

1. Which difference are you making in the lives of your customers with this product? [2]
2. Which feedback (from your users or customers or the market) do you need to validate your assumptions? 
3. Which (user) metrics could help you to measure the success? 
4. What are the risks? Prioritize your risks. 
5. What is uncertain? (What is it you don't know, that could affect the risks?) 
6. Which feedback (from your customers or users) do you need early in the development? 
7. What could be small increments, that you can show frequently, to get this feedback?

So, in short, a valuable useful Increment helps us to move forward, achieving our product goals, avoiding risks and getting feedback, best from our customers. [3]

Product Goals & Increments are clear – now what?

When we know our Product Goals and our Increment, we ask how the Increment is created. Here are some questions. I also recommend to visualize this. This technique is called Value Stream Mapping. [4]

1. Think of the value stream for your team. A value stream is all the actions currently required to bring a product through the main flows from idea creation or customer request to delivering customer facing value results. It consists of process steps or actions. Map the steps backwards, from delivery back to idea creation or customer request.

After you have visualized the steps ask:

1. Where do you expect handoffs between people?
2. Where do you expect difficulties or glitches in your value stream? 
3. Where could be waiting times?

Now the team has visibility about the creation of the increment and where the creation doesn’t work well. They see the necessity to change something.

You could ask now:

If you could change anything: Which ONE thing would you change in the value stream, to avoid potential handoffs, glitches, difficulties or waiting times? Which difference would you expect?

At this moment the team has an understanding about where the system could be improved next. Instead of changing the whole way of working all at once, we are looking for incremental and realistic process improvement. The answer to the last question could help to elevate the team’s motivation taking the next step. [5]

Summary

To break through strong habits and biases design exercises to make the participants’ way of working transparent. Ask questions to highlight their pain points or opportunities. Connect yourfollowing topics to their pain points and opportunities to make the training relevant to them.

A last word about Pain Points

I sometimes here Scrum Master who want to lay their finger in the wounds of the participants. I strongly disagree with this approach. It hurts. It’s not respectful. It sometimes creates fear. Fear might create focus, but not creativity. In organizational change we need creativity to move forward and make it stick.

Notes:

• [1] Scrum Guide: https://scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• [2] Great question from "It's not what you sell, it's what you stand for - why every extraordinary business is driven by purpose", Spence & Rushing - Portfolio / Penguin - 2011
• [3] The inventor of Scrum, Jeff Sutherland, was a fighter pilot. He was trained in John Boyd’s OODA Loop (see more: https://www.teamworkblog.de/2018/08/how-to-cope-with-panic-and.html) The increment helps us to orient in the market and make decisions to move the product in the right direction.
• [4] Mike Rother, John Shook Learning to See, 1999 
• [5] We know that systems evolve through small steps instead of big bangs. Learn more about this in Jeff’s video about Punctuated Equilibrium, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1q6b9JI2Wc