In a previous article, we explored agile product development with a focus on early product validation.
There are additional key enablers from agile/scrum that can be borrowed and applied to any product development process, however.
In this article, we’ll compare and contrast the role & responsibility for scrum masters vs. project managers/core team leaders.
Let’s start with (all) the basic scrum roles:
- Product Manager
- Scrum Master – enable scrum workflow key practices including self-directed, self-organized teams, goal focused, prioritized backlogs, iterative/adaptive planning, stakeholder/customer feedback, daily stand-up meetings, measured progress, retrospective process after each sprint
- Cross-Functional Development Team
For a product development team, we’ll use a team structure from previous articles.
- Project Approval Committee
- Opportunity Champion
- Core Team Leader (CTL) – leads cross-functional development team through the product development lifecycle (PLC) process
- Project Manager – partners with the CTL and provides the discipline of project management, facilitates the PLC process
- Cross-Functional Development Team
Let’s compare key enablers of a scrum master with enablers of a CTL/PM for a larger waterfall project:
| Scrum Master (Scrum/Agile Process) | CTL / PM (PLC Process) |
| Scrum workflow | PLC process workflow |
| Self-directed, self-organized teams | Core team and extended team members |
| Goal focused | Focused on PLC phase gate completion |
| Prioritized backlogs | Critical to quality characteristics and requirements |
| Iterative/adaptive planning | Gate reviews |
| Stakeholder/customer feedback | Requirements validation |
| Daily stand-up meetings | Core team meetings |
| Measured progress | Project planning, execution and monitoring |
| Retrospective process after each sprint | Gate 6 Review (project retrospective gate) |
Of course, we don’t want to claim we’re applying agile/scrum when we’re really not. However, the scrum master role and responsibility, as well as key enablers, are similar to an effective PLC process and partnership between a core team leader and project manager.  Scrum process knowledge can therefore be a valuable addition to virtually any project or project manager skillset.
Hi Robert,
Could you comment on why you chose to compare the *overall* cycles of agile/waterfall with each other?
Wouldn’t it make more sense to consider to attack the individual gates of the waterfall cycle with the tools of agile/scrum? The gate lists some deliverables/milestones, which could be considered as an initial backlog. For example.
Stefan,
Good comment and your approach does have some merit, however, it might be better to describe your suggested approach as ‘goal-based planning’ rather than applying agile/scrum to individual gates of the waterfall cycle. The reason is, agile/scrum is a continuous loop of incremental changes (usually software changes) or a series of changes (a sprint) with tasks that might consist of (for example) design, code, code review, code coverage test, integration test. In waterfall each phase is unique (for example) concept, detailed design, verification, qualification…therefore there is no continuous loop and the ‘changes’ are major phases of development, not smaller iterations. You are correct, each phase can have a backlog but not necessarily a prioritized list since it all needs to get done. Hope this helps and thanks for your feedback!