If Only I Were a SCRUM Master

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02515/scrum_2515747b.jpg

You won’t find many sentences (I’m assuming) that start with the words….

Hybridization of scrum is common as scrum does not cover the whole product 
development lifecycle;

Here’s a link to the full article on Wikipedia.

You’ll have to read through quite a bit of that article to get to the part where they reference “The Chicken and the Pig” story. And, you’ll quickly be off track if you follow the link to that story. 

The fable of The Chicken and the Pig is about commitment to a project or cause.

So, you’ve already had two opportunities to be side tracked from this article. Are you still here? In the interest of (finally) finishing something, I’ll cut to the chase. Actually, let’s throw it into reverse and back up to the opening credits.

My original question, answered by Wikipedia, was: “What is SCRUM?”
So, let’s start with that answer and see how we got there.

Scrum Master[edit]

Scrum is facilitated by a Scrum Master, who is accountable for removing impediments to the ability of the team to deliver the sprint goal/deliverables. The Scrum Master is not the team leader, but acts as a buffer between the team and any distracting influences. The Scrum Master ensures that the Scrum process is used as intended. The Scrum Master is the enforcer of the rules of Scrum, often chairs key meetings, and challenges the team to improve. The role has also been referred to as a servant-leader to reinforce these dual perspectives. The Scrum Master differs from a Project Manager in that the latter may have people management responsibilities unrelated to the role of Scrum Master. The Scrum Master role excludes any such additional people responsibilities.

How we got there (in reverse order):

  • SCRUM Master research leads to Wikipedia information. - The end result being this article.
  • Job search leads to SCRUM Master position. -  Realizing I am far removed from new product development techniques and trends.
  • “We’re Hiring” link leads to job search. - Recognizing that I need to continue to look for a “real” job.
  • Email service info leads to “We’re Hiring” link. - It’s nice to know there are jobs available out there.
  • Email sender research leads to email service information. - An email service will help me build a subscriber base for my blogs, which will lead to potential buyers of my products and services.
  • One email promoting a product. - Sent by someone remotely involved in my use of web design technology - themes and frameworks for WordPress - things I use to build blog sites.

Are you still here? OK, here’s more detail - with links for your clicking pleasure.

Backtracking: 

The question, “What is SCRUM?” came from reading job openings at SendGrid, where I found a position of Scrum Master, in Orange County. So, of course, Googling the question produced SERPs with plenty of resources for that answer.

You may ask, “What is SendGrid?” and the simple answer is that it is an email management program for businesses or individuals who send mass email. 

How did I stumble upon SendGrid? I received an email from Eric Hamm, at Cobalt Apps, LLC. They have a product called Dynamik Website Builder, derived from “the power and flexibility” of Catalyst, a child theme to Genesis, which is a WordPress framework.   

Here’s a page filled with one amazing graphic representation and more than most people will ever need to know about website design. All of this is something that comes from CopyBlogger, where I regularly go for advice on communications.

You may never have heard of Brian Clark. Brian Clark is founder of Copyblogger and CEO of Copyblogger Media.     

This is how it goes sometimes, for me.   

One email promoting a product.  Email sender research leads to email service information.  Email service info leads to “We’re Hiring” link.  “We’re Hiring” link leads to job search.  Job search leads to SCRUM Master position.  SCRUM Master research leads to Wikipedia information.  Wikipedia information suggests a blog post to illustrate backtracking to answer the famous Talking Heads question: “Well, how did I get here?”