Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)People & TeamsMedium
A Scrum Master observes that the Developers are highly skilled individually but tend to work in isolation, prioritizing their own specialized tasks rather than collaborating to finish Sprint Backlog Items as a team. This often leads to incomplete items at the end of the Sprint. What is the best way for the Scrum Master to encourage a more collaborative, cross-functional approach?
- AFacilitate a team session to redefine their Definition of Done to include explicit collaboration and integration steps.
- BRecommend that the Product Owner only select Product Backlog Items that can be completed by a single Developer.
- CMandate that Developers must pair program on every task, regardless of complexity or preference.
- DIntroduce a reward system for individual Developers who complete the most tasks during a Sprint.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Facilitate a team session to redefine their Definition of Done to include explicit collaboration and integration steps.
A strong Definition of Done ensures that the Increment is truly 'Done' and often requires collaboration and integration. By facilitating a redefinition to include these aspects, the Scrum Master guides the team to self-organize for cross-functional collaboration and accountability for a complete Increment.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. This avoids the problem by limiting work, rather than helping the team improve their collaborative and cross-functional capacity.
- C. Mandating a specific practice can be counterproductive; the team should discover what works best for them, guided by the Scrum Master.
- D. This incentivizes individual work, directly contradicting the goal of fostering team collaboration and cross-functionality.
Cross-functional Collaboration
Cross-functional collaboration in Scrum means Developers work together across their diverse skill sets to deliver a 'Done' Increment, rather than working in silos on individual tasks.
- Essential for achieving the Sprint Goal.
- Reduces dependencies and bottlenecks.
- Promotes shared ownership and collective intelligence.
Memory trick: Collaboration needs a clear 'Done' goal, like a shared boat needs a co-piloted pole.