Guide: T-Shaped Skills in Scrum - Importance, Understanding, and Examination Tips

What are T-shaped skills?

T-shaped skills refer to the depth and breadth of a person's skillset. The vertical bar of the 'T' represents specialist, deep knowledge in one or two areas while the horizontal bar represents a broad understanding of several areas.

Why are T-Shaped Skills Important?

T-Shaped Skills are vital in a Scrum framework as they promote a more efficient, flexible and collaborative working environment. With T-shaped skills, team members can understand and participate in various aspects of project implementation while also being a specialist in their area. This leads to better problem solving, innovation and flexibility in team assignments.

How it works:

Cross-functional teams in Scrum make use of T-Shaped Skills by assigning specialist work to the 'experts' and at the same time distributing tasks among the team to ensure everyone participates. A team member with a T-shaped skillset can contribute to multiple stages of the project, reducing bottlenecks.

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on T-shaped Skills

When answering questions on T-shaped skills during an exam, make sure you understand that it is a balance between specialization and generalization. Show understanding of the benefits such as improved team collaboration, better flexibility and project management. Also, you may be asked about its application in a Scrum team. Describing a scenario can help demonstrate your understanding. Remember that a T-Shaped individual not only has specialist skills but also has sufficient knowledge in other related disciplines to perform those tasks if necessary.