Frequently Asked Questions on the ScrumMaster Career Path

Make sure to check out of the other resources as well!

• Frequently Asked Questions about ScrumMastery for Management
• Essential ScrumMaster Interview Questions – Looking for a ScrumMaster job? You should probably know these things!
• The Perfect ScrumMaster Job Description

Pathways

Q. What are possible steps in ScrumMaster career path?

A. There is more than 1 step on a ScrumMaster path including:

1. No title appended – Entry level working ScrumMaster with CSM training < 12 months experience
2. ScrumMaster appended – Qualified working ScrumMaster with > 1 year experience plus 2 days of continuing education per year of experience (per Scrum Score Card)
3. Senior ScrumMaster – Full time ScrumMaster position handling multiple teams, often also acts as ScrumMaster for a Scrum of Scrums.  Demonstrates learning additional knowledge and greater experience than #2. ScrumMaster
4. Coach ScrumMaster – Full time ScrumMaster who is booked on a regular basis to coach and train other teams, sites, and/or groups.  Demonstrates additional coaching qualifications beyond #3. Senior ScrumMaster

Q. Does this career path include the Senior ScrumMaster?

A. Yes, but it’s not a necessary step to the Coach ScrumMaster level

Q. Do we need a different career path to get to be a Senior ScrumMaster?

A. No, that is one possible step on the ScrumMaster path

Q. How does this relate to other careers in Product Development?

A.  ScrumMaster may be an add-on role to another product development job such as Software Engineer and may be considered favorably for advancement to other positions such as management.

Q. What are some possible stepping off points into other jobs or roles?

A. Some possible stepping off points include other leadership roles such as a manager job or Product Owner role.  Someone may also choose not to continue as a ScrumMaster and continue to progress in their chosen position as a development contributor.

Q.  How does Certified Scrum Developer fit into ScrumMaster career path?

A.  CSD fits into Software Engineer Career Path rather than this ScrumMaster path.  It would be a definite plus for a Certified ScrumMaster who is also a programmer to become a Certified Scrum Developer.

Q. Does a ScrumMaster career path lead to a management position?

A. Maybe.  Excellence as a ScrumMaster requires good leadership and people skills which are also critical in a management role. The ScrumMaster career path has multiple possible outcomes and we don’t suggest that any of them indicates greater success than another outcome. One possible outcome is accepting the challenges of a management position instead of ScrumMaster.  Note that it is considered a conflict of interest for a ScrumMaster to at the same time hold a manager position.

Q. Will experience in a ScrumMaster role be a requirement for progress into Management?

A. No.  It’s not a necessary pre-requisite to management.

Inputs

Q. Who is eligible to become a ScrumMaster?

A. Really anyone who is a great communicator, facilitator, and servant leader.

Q. Who selects / approves ScrumMaster candidates?

A. Development Managers will ultimately determine who is eligible based on their confidence in an individual’s leadership abilities and their enthusiasm for improving agile development. Our biggest concern first is always putting the right people on the right teams, including a ScrumMaster. We use Team Science to do this. Find out more here.

Q. Where would candidate ScrumMasters come from?

A. People can volunteer to be ScrumMasters or be nominated by management

• Needs to be voluntary, even if Management suggests or nominates a person.
  • Individuals volunteer or express interest (manager can decline)
  • Managers can identify candidates with skills (individuals can decline)

Q. What levels of experience would they have?

A. ScrumMasters should have experience in a software development job such as programmer, tester, or business analyst.  Ideally they would already have some experience as a Scrum team member.

Q. What ‘behavioral skills’ would they demonstrate?

A. Some of the more important behavioral traits include:

• leadership
• good communication
• good people skills
• facilitation
• organizational skills
• conflict resolution
• negotiation
• courage
• assertive
• coaching

Q. How does someone start out? What training or accreditation is a prerequisite?

A. The first step on a ScrumMaster path requires CSM training and a 6 month commitment to serve as a ScrumMaster after management approval

Q. Why should managers encourage their most qualified people to consider the ScrumMaster role?

A. ScrumMaster is a crucial role for succeeding with Scrum. A highly qualified person who has both the respected technical skills and behavioral traits can raise the performance of the whole team in the ScrumMaster role.

Q. What about people who are trained and qualify as ScrumMasters but are not currently assigned to a team.

A. People may also be qualified and ready to serve but working as a regular team member until they are asked to serve as ScrumMaster on a new or different team.  Qualifications and “active reserve” status will be documented for backup ScrumMasters in the on-line list of company ScrumMasters.

Exits

Q. What will happen if I want to go back into the team?

A. It is OK for people to decide they don’t want to continue in the ScrumMaster role.  However, new ScrumMasters should commit to serving in the role for at least 6 months.

Q. Who “pulls” a ScrumMaster if they are unsuccessful in the role; team or management?

A. ScrumMasters need the trust and confidence of both management and their team.  ScrumMasters serve the team and a team can ask for a different ScrumMaster if the entire team agrees.