What it means to be a Scrum Master?

The very definition of the term scrum master is the person responsible for ensuring that the teams live agile values and principles as well as strictly follow the practices and processes that all the teams agreed that they would use.

If you are planning to work as a scrum master it is important that you keep a check on the latest certifications that are recognized by the industry as being the best. We will discuss more about agile training and scrum master certifications in a while, but let’s take a look at the roles of a scrum master.

Responsibilities of a scrum master

Agile is one of the best frameworks that allow big organizations to develop complex and large projects with least complications. Frameworks like Scrum and Lean are most commonly used ones, so if you want to progress as a Scrum Master, you need to be aware of the responsibilities this role entails. The major responsibilities include:

• Anticipating the roadblocks and clearing obstacles
• Addressing the team dynamics
• Establishing an environment in which agile practices can be implemented by teams effectively
• Ensuring a good relationship among development teams, teams and product owners and with any third party
• Safeguarding team from any outside distractions and interruptions

The role of a scrum master was created during the development of the Scrum framework. As the name suggests, a scrum master is someone with expertise in Scrum, this role is more of a servant-leadership stance rather than an actual authority position. As a scrum master, you will be looked up by other team members as someone having with expert knowledge of Scrum and you should be ready to coach others.

Other than scrum master there are other terms used within an organization to refer to this role. Scrum masters are also known as an agile coach, team coach or an iteration manager.

How to become a scrum master

If you are already working with scrum and have enough experience under your belt to take up a coaching role, you can be a scrum master. There are many certification programs on the offer that let managers know that you have expertise in the field. The SAFe advanced scrum master (SASM) certification is one of the most valued one. Scrum Masters with SASM certification are most sought after and usually highly paid.

Although anyone can apply for the SASM directly, however, having one of the following certifications is a recommended prerequisite:

1. SAFe® 4 Scrum Master (SSM) certification
2. Certified Scrum Master (CSM) certification
3. Professional Scrum Master (PSM) certification

Expected Benefits

Having scrum master in your team helps an organization to have self-organizing teams that can be coached to apply Scrum and agile practices in the best way possible to suit their situation. A scrum master is able to use his expertise in Scrum framework to help teams avoid pitfalls and remain aligned.

Another important benefit of having a scrum master on the team is that the person can address all the disruptions, distractions and obstacles freeing up the rest of the team to focus on providing high-quality output.

To be a successful Scrum Master, you need to undergo proper agile training. There are certifications like Safe Advanced Scrum Master that can help you get recognized.