Scrum of Scrums
Scrum of Scrums (SoS) is a technique used in large-scale Agile projects to coordinate and integrate the work of multiple Scrum teams. It facilitates communication, collaboration, and alignment among these teams to ensure they are working effectively toward the common goal of delivering a complex product.
Key points about Scrum of Scrums include:
- Structure: Scrum of Scrums is not a separate framework; it is an extension of the Scrum framework to manage dependencies and coordination between multiple Scrum teams.
- Frequency: Scrum of Scrums meetings are typically held daily or as needed, depending on the level of inter-team dependencies and the complexity of the project.
- Scrum of Scrums Master: Each Scrum team appoints a representative, often referred to as the “Scrum of Scrums Master,” who attends the Scrum of Scrums meetings on behalf of their respective team.
- Information Sharing: In the Scrum of Scrums meeting, representatives from each team share updates about their team’s progress, potential impediments, and any dependencies or interactions with other teams.
- Issue Resolution: Scrum of Scrums meetings provide a platform to identify and address cross-team issues and dependencies, fostering collaboration to find solutions.
- Focus on Coordination: The primary focus of Scrum of Scrums is to ensure effective coordination and alignment between teams. It is not a reporting mechanism; rather, it enables teams to make informed decisions based on shared information.
- Scaling Agility: Scrum of Scrums is particularly useful in large projects or organizations with multiple Scrum teams working on different parts of a product. It enables scaling Agile practices while maintaining agility and adaptability.
- Autonomous Teams: Each Scrum team remains autonomous, responsible for their own Sprint planning, execution, and delivery. Scrum of Scrums helps manage the interactions and dependencies between these teams.
- Escalation Mechanism: If any impediments or challenges cannot be resolved at the team level, the Scrum of Scrums Master can escalate them to higher-level stakeholders or management for resolution.
Scrum of Scrums is a communication and coordination mechanism that enhances collaboration and synchronization among multiple Agile teams. It fosters a culture of cross-team cooperation, sharing best practices, and collectively working toward the successful delivery of a complex product.
It’s worth noting that as the size and complexity of projects increase, additional scaling frameworks, such as SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) or LeSS (Large-Scale Scrum), may be adopted to further support the coordination and collaboration needs of larger Agile initiatives.