There have been many great super couples of our time: Bennifer, Brangelina, Kimye – to name just a few. But perhaps the most unheralded, yet important, super couple of the business world is that of the Scrum Master and the Project Manager, or “Scrumager”, as the tabloids like to refer to them. In all seriousness, projects using Agile Software Development rely heavily on both the Scrum Master and Project Manager separately and as a super couple. These roles might seem similar, or even identical. But it is important to recognize the differences between the two, and recognize how they complement one another. Let’s break it down.
What is a Scrum Master?
Although it may seem like it, the role of a Scrum Master is not just to facilitate the daily standup. They really facilitate the entire Scrum Framework. Assisting team members in understanding and enacting all things Scrum.
The Scrum Master can be considered a servant-leader for the project team who fosters collaboration and interaction, in order to help the team realize their full potential. A good Scrum Master may perform the following activities, therefore earning them many hats in their closet:
Facilitator
All of the important Scrum Ceremonies, such as Sprint Planning, Sprint Review and Sprint Retrospective, are facilitated by the Scrum Master. These duties include everything from scheduling the meeting to gathering observations to coaching and facilitating people during the meeting.
Coach
Every team needs a good coach. The Scrum Master holds coaching conversations with the Product Owners, managers, development teams and others within the organization in order to help them gain a better understanding of Scrum.
Teacher
A good team is always learning and always growing. The Scrum Master also serves to educate people about “being Agile” and the Scrum Framework.
What is a Project Manager?
Now that we have a better understanding of the Scrum Master role, let’s explore the Project Manager role in an Agile environment. The most important function of a Project Manager is very broad – manage the entire project from beginning to end on a day-to-day basis.
Included in this is management of the team and the work being performed by the team. While a Project Manager wears only one hat, it is a very tall hat with many colorful layers and intricate designs. Let’s look at some of the duties that a Project Manager performs in more detail:
Document Creator
Every project needs many documents to keep everything
organized and ensure procedures are followed. The Project Manager creates and manages many of these including the business case, the Project Initiation Document, Project Plan, the Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM), Gantt Charts and various others.
Change Facilitator
Any changes that need to happen during the course of a project need to go through the Project Manager. This includes changes and change requests to scope, time and budget.
Risk Assessor
All projects come with risks to an organization. It is the Project Managers responsibility to identify, track and manage those risks.
The Ultimate Super Couple
Now that we have learned more about how these 2 roles are different, let’s talk about how much they really complement each other. Ideally, a Scrum Master and a Project Manager form an almost symbiotic relationship. The success of the project depends mightily on the ability of these 2 important roles to be able to work together for the greater good of the project. Some characteristics of the “Scrumager” include:
Collaboration
Scrum Masters and Project Managers need to be on the same page. There should be no surprises between the two when it comes to project details such as resourcing, timelines and work loads. They should also be able to help each other out in a pinch. When one is out or unavailable, the other could oftentimes step in and serve as a natural short-term replacement. This is not true of all duties, but smaller tasks such as running the daily scrum meeting, could be handled by the Project Manager, if needed. Conversely, the Scrum Master could help with team management and time line management, if needed.
Communication
None of the above would be possible without open and consistent communication. Like every super couple, communication is key. A good “Scrumager” relationship involves a cadence of discussions to share knowledge of the project, get others ideas and to help foresee any upcoming roadblocks.
Teamwork
Both Scrum Masters and Project Managers engage in consistent communication with the scrum team. Whether it be on daily stand up calls, or just individual discussions, it is important for both roles to help foster an environment of teamwork. Removing roadblocks, answering questions and overall team building fall directly into the lap of the “Scrumager”. A happy team is a productive team.
As you can see, Scrum Masters and Project Managers have many duties performed individually, and some that can overlap with each other. It’s really up to the individuals how much they want to collaborate together and help each other. While there are many vital roles that form every successful scrum team, the Scrum Master and Project Manager are considered the leaders. Both roles should be filled by individuals with strong leadership abilities and management skills.
The title of this article may seem to imply that the Scrum Master and Project Manager are at odds, or mortal enemies. That is just a tabloid headline. The truth is quite the opposite. These two roles serve as trusted guides – leading the team up the mountain holding hands and singing “Kumbaya”. Ok maybe not quite, but their combined roles are vital to any successful project. Their ability to work together and become a true “Scrumager” should be at the top of the list for all savvy hiring managers.