What does a Scrum Master do?
Published 3 min read
A Scrum Master is a facilitator who helps a Scrum team to self-organize, self-manage, and deliver value through continuous improvement.
Scrum Master job duties include:
- Act as a servant leader to the Scrum Team, helping them to self-organize, self-manage and deliver on their commitments
- Help the Scrum Team to continuously improve
- Facilitate Scrum events as needed, including Sprint Planning, Daily Stand-ups, Sprint Reviews and Retrospectives
- Remove impediments that are blocking the team’s progress
- Protect the team from external interference or distractions
- Help the team to stay focused on their sprint goal
- Coach the team in scrum values, practices and procedures
- Monitor scrum metrics to identify areas for improvement
- Report on the team’s progress to stakeholders
- Work with other teams and departments to ensure smooth delivery of the product
Scrum Master Job Requirements
There are no specific job requirements for a Scrum Master, but most employers prefer candidates with at least a bachelor's degree and some experience leading teams. Some companies may also require certification in Scrum, which can be obtained through online courses or in-person training.
Scrum Master Skills
- Communication
- Facilitation
- Time management
- Conflict resolution
- Prioritization
- Risk management
- Issue tracking
- Dependency management
- Change management
- Stakeholder management
- Reporting
Related: Top Scrum Master Skills: Definition and Examples
How to become a Scrum Master
A Scrum Master is a facilitator for an Agile development team. The main responsibility of a Scrum Master is to help the team to work together effectively and to remove any impediments that are preventing the team from working efficiently. A Scrum Master is not a project manager, but they do need to have a good understanding of the project management process.
There are no specific qualifications or certifications required to become a Scrum Master, but there are some recommended practices. It is recommended that potential Scrum Masters have at least two years of experience working in an Agile environment and have a good understanding of the Scrum framework. In addition, it is helpful if potential Scrum Masters have experience leading and facilitating teams.
If you are interested in becoming a Scrum Master, there are some things you can do to improve your chances of success. First, attend some Agile meetups or conferences to learn more about the Agile methodology and the Scrum framework. Second, get involved with an Agile development team in your organization and volunteer to be the Scrum Master for one of their projects. This will give you some hands-on experience with the role. Finally, consider taking a course or reading a book on Agile project management.
Related: Scrum Master Resume Example
Related: Scrum Master Interview Questions (With Example Answers)