5 questions Scrum teams ask all the time
- Mary Iqbal
- 15 hours ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 3 minutes ago
I've been teaching Scrum for a while now, and the same questions come up again and again. So if you're new to Scrum or just thinking about making the switch, here are five of the most common questions I hear about Scrum and how I answer them.
1. Do we still have managers in Scrum?
Yes. Managers are essential to the Scrum team.
Managers of a high-functioning Scrum team are freed up to step away from day-to-day task management on how the work gets done.
But managers and leaders still play a critical role. Managers should:
Remove impediments slowing the work of the Scrum team
Ensure the team has the resources it needs
Support role clarity in the Scrum team
Create an environment where the Scrum team can succeed
The best Scrum teams I have worked with had outstanding leaders supporting them. They just led differently.
2. Who should be the Product Owner?
Whoever would normally be the Business Owner for a project should be your Product Owner in Scrum, ideally. They need to be a go-getter.
The Product Owners should:
Decide what will deliver the most value
Own the Product Goal
Order the Product Backlog.
This is not a proxy role. The person in this seat needs both the authority and the drive to maximize the value of the product.
3. What does the Scrum Master actually do?
They coach the team and work with leadership to enable the work.
The Scrum Master is not a project manager or team lead.
Their focus is helping the Scrum team and the wider organization get better at Scrum.
The Scrum Master should:
Coach the Scrum team
Facilitate events when needed
Remove impediments, and work with leaders to strengthen the environment for self-management and continuous improvement.
A well-trained Scrum Master makes the team more effective over time.
4. Why do we have so many events?
The Scrum events exist to create regular opportunities to inspect and adapt.
Sprint Planning aligns the team on what to deliver.
The Daily Scrum keeps the plan current.
Sprint Review brings transparency and stakeholder feedback.
The Retrospective drives improvement.
The Sprint determines how often the other events take place and limits risk
When Scrum teams start up, they nearly always groan about the number of meetings. But just wait. Push through it. After a few weeks, the benefits will appear and the velocity should improve.
When run with purpose, these events prevent far more wasted effort than they consume. The problem usually isn’t the events; it’s when they become status meetings or lose their focus.
5. Does the Product Owner need to be technical?
No. Technical expertise is helpful but not required.
The Developers bring the technical expertise.
The Product Owner focuses on the “what” and collaborates with the team on the “how.”
The Product Owner’s job is to maximize the value of the product through the content and ordering of the Product Backlog. This means understanding stakeholder needs, market trends, and what will deliver the greatest impact.
Too much focus on technical details can pull the Product Owner away from their real responsibility: delivering value.
Ready to put Scrum into practice?
Rebel Scrum's Applying Professional Scrum class gives you a practical introduction to Scrum through hands-on activities, real-world examples, and guided discussion.
You'll learn learn how the roles, events and accountabilities work together and leave with a clearer idea of how to apply Scrum with your own team.
It’s Scrum 101 without the dry lecture.