Scrum of Scrums

5 minutes 5 Questions

Scrum of Scrums (SoS) is a scale-up technique to foster continuous improvement in larger Agile projects. It involves a collection of multiple Scrum teams that interconnect and collaborate to deliver complex solutions. The SoS organization promotes constant communication, collaboration, and transpar…

Guide: Scrum of Scrums

The Scrum of Scrums is an important concept in PMI-ACP and continuous improvement as it helps in integrating and managing multiple scrum teams working on different elements of a larger project.

What it is: Scrum of Scrums is a method used to scale scrum up to larger groups. It consists of daily meetings which involve a representative from each Scrum team to discuss their progress, their upcoming work, and any impediments they might be facing.

Why it is important: As projects get larger, it becomes difficult for a single Scrum team to handle everything. Scrum of Scrums enables multiple Scrum teams to collaborate and integrate their work, leading to better project outcomes.

How it works: Each Scrum team selects a representative who will attend the Scrum of Scrums meeting. These representatives share their team's progress, discuss problems and synchronize their work with other teams.

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Scrum of Scrums: When answering questions about Scrum of Scrum in an exam, always keep in mind that its primary purpose is to coordinate and integrate the work of multiple Scrum teams. It does not replace the daily scrum meeting within each Scrum team. Expect questions around this key aspect and also be prepared to answer questions regarding the role of the representative and their responsibilities during the Scrum of Scrums meeting.

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PMI-ACP - Scrum of Scrums Example Questions

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Question 1

You are facilitating a Scrum of Scrums meeting at your organization. Recently, decisions at these meetings take significantly longer due to the absence of a key member from one of the Scrum teams. What should you do in this scenario?

Advice the team to assign an alternate who could make decisions during the absence of the key member. Ask the absent key member to email their inputs before the meeting. Use a majority vote from the present Scrum team members to make decisions in the absence of the key member, ensuring no delay in the decision-making process. Extend the length of the Scrum of Scrums meetings to accommodate longer decision times.

Correct Answer: Advice the team to assign an alternate who could make decisions during the absence of the key member.

In a Scrum of Scrums setup, ensuring that decision-making is not halted due to the absence of any member is crucial for maintaining the pace of progress across teams. Assigning an alternate decision-maker preserves the flow of the meetings without depending on a single individual, maintaining Scrum's values of commitment, focus, and respect for the team's time. Asking an absent member to email inputs or extending meeting lengths are not sustainable solutions that embrace Scrum values. Using a majority vote bypasses the absent individual's insights and may lead to decisions that do not fully consider all aspects of the issues at hand.

Question 2

You notice a decrease in productivity in Scrum of Scrums meetings due to lengthy and off-topic discussions. As a Scrum Master, what approach would you take to address this problem?

Advocate for the rotation of the Scrum of Scrums facilitator role among team members to foster a sense of shared responsibility Increase the number of Scrum of Scrums meetings to cover all topics extensively Suggest splitting the Scrum of Scrums into smaller groups based on specific topics to make them more manageable and focused. This approach may involve additional coordination to ensure alignment among the groups, potentially increasing the complexity of communication. Encourage the use of a parking lot for off-topic discussions and implement strict time-boxing for agenda items

Correct Answer: Encourage the use of a parking lot for off-topic discussions and implement strict time-boxing for agenda items

The correct approach to addressing decreases in productivity due to off-topic discussions in Scrum of Scrums meetings involves managing the meeting's focus and duration effectively. Encouraging the use of a parking lot for off-topic discussions helps keep the meeting on track, while implementing strict time-boxing ensures discussions remain concise and relevant. The first wrong answer suggests increasing the frequency of meetings, which could exacerbate inefficiencies without addressing the root problem. The second wrong answer implies rotating the facilitator role, which might distribute responsibility but does not directly tackle the issue of off-topic discussions. The third wrong answer offers a complex solution that could potentially make coordination more difficult without necessarily improving the productivity of the original Scrum of Scrums meetings.

Question 3

A conflict arises in the Scrum of Scrums meeting where one team claims hegemony over the other in terms of decision-making. As a Scrum Master, how would you address this issue?

Introduce a voting system where each team member has a vote, and the majority decides the course of action. This includes counting the votes of the Scrum Masters. Organize a series of meetings where each team can present their case, followed by a debate moderated by the Scrum Master to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each argument before making a decision. Empower each team to present their perspective and work towards a consensus by leveraging the values and principles of Scrum. Assign a mediator from outside the Scrum teams to make the final decision and resolve the conflict.

Correct Answer: Empower each team to present their perspective and work towards a consensus by leveraging the values and principles of Scrum.

In a Scrum of Scrums, it's crucial to adhere to the principles of Scrum—respect, openness, and commitment among them. Encouraging every team to present their views equally promotes these values, ensuring decisions are made collectively rather than imposed. Assigning a mediator or using majority votes can undermine the collaborative and self-organizing nature of Scrum teams, while organizing debates may unnecessarily formalize the decision-making process. The correct answer supports the Scrum framework's emphasis on facilitation and self-organization without dictating or overly formalizing the conflict resolution process.

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