2. The Scrum Team for “Heart of Harmony”
The Scrum Team is the fundamental unit of Scrum. It is a cohesive unit of professionals focused on one objective at a time, the Product Goal.
- Composition: The “Heart of Harmony” Scrum Team consists of one Scrum Master, one Product Owner, and Developers.
- Size: It is typically 10 or fewer people. This size ensures the team remains nimble and large enough to complete significant work within a Sprint.
- Structure: There are no sub-teams or hierarchies within the Scrum Team. They are cross-functional (having all skills necessary to create value each Sprint) and self-managing (internally deciding who does what, when, and how).
- Accountabilities:
Product Owner:
- Core Accountability: Maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team.
- Responsibilities (Product Backlog Management):
- Developing and explicitly communicating the Product Goal.
- Creating and clearly communicating Product Backlog items.
- Ordering Product Backlog items (this is their sole responsibility).
- Ensuring the Product Backlog is transparent, visible, and understood.
Example: For the “Heart of Harmony” digital platform, the Product Owner (e.g., a community representative) is the single person accountable for prioritizing features like “Online booking for main hall” over “Advanced analytics,” ensuring the most valuable work is always at the top of the Product Backlog. The entire organization must respect their decisions.
Scrum Master:
- Core Accountability: Establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide and ensuring the Scrum Team’s effectiveness.
- Responsibilities (Serving the Scrum Team, Product Owner, and Organization):
- Coaching the team in self-management and cross-functionality.
- Helping the team focus on high-value Increments meeting the Definition of Done.
- Causing the removal of impediments.
- Ensuring all Scrum events take place and are positive, productive, and kept within their timeboxes.
Example: The Scrum Master for “Heart of Harmony” would ensure the 15-minute Daily Scrums occur, help resolve technical blockers for the Developers, and coach the Product Owner on refining Product Backlog items effectively. They would also lead Scrum adoption efforts within the larger community center organization.
Developers:
- Core Accountability: Creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint.
- Responsibilities:
- Creating a plan for the Sprint, the Sprint Backlog.
- Instilling quality by adhering to a Definition of Done.
- Adapting their plan each day toward the Sprint Goal.
- Holding each other accountable as professionals.
Example: The Developers (part of the 10 or fewer Scrum Team members) would collectively possess all skills (coding, design, testing) to transform Product Backlog items into a working piece of the digital platform, ensuring it meets the “Definition of Done” every one month. They would internally decide who does what, when, and how.
