Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast

Jaime Bartol: The Starfish Agile retrospective, and how it helps your team reflect

It is usually a sign of progress and success when the team is able to execute the Scrum process without needing the presence of the Scrum Master. However, that’s only part of the success definition we discuss in this episode. We also talk about the need to focus on value and to have the team feel that they own the solution they are working on.

Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: The Starfish retrospective

When we start experimenting with new retrospective formats, the Starfish retrospective is a good place to start. It allows for several “degrees” in the responses we get from team members, and can easily be adapted for different team contexts. The 5 categories, help consider different aspects from the more traditional: what went well? Not so well? What should we try?

About Jaime Bartol

Jaime has been a ScrumMaster/Agile Coach for 6 years with experience in large organizations as well as startup teams! She has worked with frontend and data engineering teams and even brought Agile to awesome marketing teams! Jaime’s passion is about teams and using Agile/Scrum fundamentals to elevate efficiency, productivity, and joy!

You can link with Jaime Bartol on LinkedIn.

Jaime Bartol: Introducing Scrum to a marketing team

In this episode, we discuss how Scrum Masters can introduce Scrum to non-software teams. Specifically, we share the story of a marketing team, and how Scrum was introduced.

We discuss the differences between Scrum for Software and Scrum for non-software teams. We share tips on how to introduce Scrum to non-software teams. Finally, we review how Agile principles can help Scrum Masters find the right practices for non-software teams.

About Jaime Bartol

You can link with Jaime Bartol on LinkedIn.

Jaime Bartol: How Scrum teams quickly spiral into conflict when the pressure is high, and what to do about it

In this episode, Jaime introduces a project that started off on the wrong foot. The team was 15 people, including some new people. Quickly the team entered the “crunch mode” to try an meet an ambitious schedule. That’s where our story starts, but there’s a lot more to share. From the small impediments to the behaviors the team developed that ultimately led to bigger problems. This is a tale about a team that was doomed for failure until we step in. We discuss some of the steps you can take if you face a similar situation as a Scrum Master.

Featured Book for the Week: Agile Coaching

In Agile Coaching by Rachel Davies and Liz Sedley, Jaime found important tips to help her learn the role of Agile Coach. The book is practical, and has chapters on how to introduce certain practices to the teams we work with. From tips that push us outside “the box” to the simple tips that help us define where to start before taking on more complex and ambitious practices in the team. The book is a complete guide for Scrum Masters that want to learn how coach their teams.

About Jaime Bartol

You can link with Jaime Bartol on LinkedIn.

Jaime Bartol: helping a Scrum team grow while avoiding silos

Successful products start with small teams, but soon, and because of their success, the team grows. Growing teams present specific challenges to Scrum Masters. Incorporating the new team members is not easy, or quick. But there are a few things we can learn from and increase our chances of success. In this episode, we talk about Jaime’s story, as Scrum Master to a growing team, what happened, and what are the signs to look out for.

About Jaime Bartol

You can link with Jaime Bartol on LinkedIn.

Rachel Martz: behind great teams, there’s a hard-working Product Owner!

When PO’s give their full attention to the team, great things happen. In this episode, we talk about the hard-working, committed PO but also explore what happens when the PO forgets one of their basic responsibilities: communicate Non-Functional Requirements.

The Great Product Owner: The hard-working, committed PO

In our Coach Your Product Owner course, we have a module that specifically tackles the most common PO anti-pattern: not being available. However, in this episode, we talk about the opposite. The tremendous impact that a PO can have when they are present and willing to work with the team. Add a bit of trust, and see the team excel, with the help of the PO!

The Bad Product Owner: Forgetting non-functional requirements

Even when the Product Owner might have a Vision or a “story” for the product, the fact is that the PO role is much more than knowing what the product is about. In this segment, we discuss how forgetting simple things (like non-functional requirements) can totally destroy the effectiveness of the PO role.

Are you having trouble helping the team working well with their Product Owner? We’ve put together a course to help you work on the collaboration team-product owner. You can find it at: bit.ly/coachyourpo. 18 modules, 8+ hours of modules with tools and techniques that you can use to help teams and PO’s collaborate.

About Rachel Martz

Rachel has been in digital product development for over 20 years, having performed every role imaginable. She entered the agile space 13 years ago, doing hands-on product strategy and development modernization.

Rachel is in the data and analytics industry at the moment and loves being a Scrum Master because it’s the most impactful role she can have for helping improve people’s lives.

You can link with Rachel Martz on LinkedIn.

Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: The Starfish retrospective

You might also be interested in...

Featured Book for the Week: Agile Coaching

The Great Product Owner: The hard-working, committed PO

The Bad Product Owner: Forgetting non-functional requirements