Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)Scrum Master StancesEasy
A Scrum Master notices that the Development Team is often interrupted by stakeholders requesting updates and new features directly, bypassing the Product Owner. This leads to frequent context switching and difficulty in achieving Sprint Goals. Which Scrum Master stance is most appropriate for addressing this situation?
- ATeacher, by educating stakeholders and the Development Team on the Scrum framework's roles, events, and artifacts, specifically how stakeholder interaction should occur.
- BCoach, by facilitating a discussion among the Development Team members to find a solution to manage incoming requests more efficiently.
- CImpediment Remover, by immediately escalating the issue to senior management to enforce stricter communication protocols.
- DServant Leader, by ensuring the Development Team has all the resources they need to handle stakeholder requests directly.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Teacher, by educating stakeholders and the Development Team on the Scrum framework's roles, events, and artifacts, specifically how stakeholder interaction should occur.
The core issue is a misunderstanding of Scrum principles regarding stakeholder interaction and the Product Owner's role. Educating both the Development Team and stakeholders on these principles aligns with the Scrum Master's stance as a Teacher. This proactive approach helps establish correct practices.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Coaching the Development Team alone might help them manage requests, but it doesn't solve the underlying problem of stakeholders bypassing the Product Owner, which requires broader education.
- C. Escalation might be a last resort, but first, the Scrum Master should attempt to resolve the issue through education and facilitation, which is less confrontational and more aligned with Scrum values.
- D. While a Servant Leader ensures resources, enabling direct stakeholder requests contradicts Scrum principles and the Product Owner's role.
Scrum Master as Teacher
The Scrum Master teaches the organization, Product Owner, and Development Team about Scrum theory, practices, rules, and values.
- Educates on Scrum framework.
- Helps adopt Scrum effectively.
- Explains roles, events, artifacts.
Memory trick: The Teacher's lesson plan guides everyone in Scrum's classroom.