Know your Scrum Accountabilities Exercise
Understanding Scrum accountabilities is pivotal for the effective functioning of a Scrum Team. Misunderstandings can lead to inefficiencies and become impediments to achieving self-management. That’s why we often run a dynamic and interactive Scrum Accountabilities exercise aimed at exploring these accountabilities. This exercise is not just a game; it’s a catalyst for meaningful conversations and collective enlightenment.
This exercise serves as a powerful enabler for individuals to grasp some of the key principles of Professional Scrum. It’s not just about mechanical Scrum; it’s about understanding the how and why behind it. By fostering a collective understanding of Scrum accountabilities, this exercise becomes an invaluable asset for any Scrum Team aiming for self-management. and common alignment of understanding,
Who Should Play?
This exercise is not just for new teams; it can benefit:
- Newly Formed Scrum Teams: For those just starting out, this exercise lays the groundwork for understanding Scrum accountabilities.
- Teams Aiming for Self-Management: If your team is on the journey to becoming self-managed, this exercise can serve as a critical milestone.
- Established Teams Needing a Reset: Even teams that have been working together for a while can drift or develop misunderstandings. Use this exercise to realign and recalibrate.
- Teams Facing Role Confusion: If there’s ambiguity or confusion about roles and responsibilities, this exercise can bring much-needed clarity.
This exercise becomes an invaluable asset for any Scrum Team aiming to align or realign their understanding and help them become a team that is self-managed.
The Objective
The exercise aims to:
- Facilitate a thought-provoking group discussion
- Achieve a collective understanding of Scrum accountabilities
- Gain deeper insights into the boundaries of each accountability
- Uncover and rectify any misunderstandings within the team
- Sets the stage for the team to become self-managed.
The Game Mechanics
Definitions
- Accountability (Blue Cards): The individual who is ultimately answerable for a given activity. They absorb the consequences if the task is not completed, whether they performed it or delegated it.
- Responsibility (Pink Cards): Individual(s) responsible for completing an action, but it can’t be forced upon them.
Steps of the Exercise
Here’s a table detailing how to play the game:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Distribute blue cards (Accountability) and pink cards (Responsibility) to team members. |
| 2 | Team members place cards under the corresponding Scrum accountability: Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Developers. |
| 3 | Open the floor for discussion. |
| 4 | Debate and move cards as needed. Note: Do not duplicate any cards yourself! |
| 5 | Reach a collective agreement. |