Being Agile, Doing Scrum: Do You Know The Scrum Pillars and Values?
This is another in a series of posts aimed at helping Scrum Masters coach “team members in self-management and cross-functionality []including [l]eading, training, and coaching the organization in its Scrum adoption.”
With a simple cut and paste, Scrum Masters can share this post weekly or once per sprint, concurrently adding some frivolity with several fun facts and content.
Note: Some posts come with an intro to provide background and additional information/tips, followed by the ‘cut/paste’ content that can be shared with the team.
Note: There are lots of fun facts and content. Feel free to pick and choose what to include/omit.
Check back next week for another post, and more content to share!
[For an index of all Being Agile, Doing Scrum posts click here.]
Background:
As we continually educate the Scrum Team we occasionally need to switch things up a bit, and share simple, foundational information, ideally using a fun format.
In this post we discuss the Scrum pillars and Values, asking the Scrum Team three simple questions in the form of a quiz. In addition to testing their knowledge:
- We reiterate the importance of continued learning.
- We increase engagement (the post is a quick read versus other Being Agile, Doing Scrum posts.
- We create a foundation for more detailed discussion in future posts.
- We add a fun activity to the Sprint!
Bonus Tip: Having shared this content with the team repeat the activity during a Retrospective using something like Kahoot, Mentimeter or Typeform. It gives you a chance to review the material again, and to go into more detail conversationally (if you want).
Bonus Tip: In an attempt to solve problems and inefficiencies I personally refer to the Scrum Guide and Agile Manifesto regularly (I have printed copies of both on my desk). In order to save a few trees you don’t have to print them out, but you should read, or at least refer to them whenever practical. This is a great opportunity to suggest the Scrum Team does the same.
Good luck, and let me know if you have questions, comments or feedback!
Cut/Paste:
It’s time to test your Scrum knowledge! Here are three questions; try to answer them as quickly as you can:
Q1: What are the three pillars of Scrum?
Q2: What are the five Scrum Values?
Q3: How many times does the Scrum Guide mention the “daily standup”?
Scroll down for the answers:
A1: Transparency, Inspection, and Adaptation. You get a bonus point if you mentioned Trust!
A2: Courage, Focus, Commitment, Respect, and Openness
A3: Zero! OK, this is a bit of a trick question. The Scrum Guides (all of them, going back to 2010) have never actually used the term “stand-up”, the event has always been called the “Daily Scrum”. If you want a little more background, read this 2014 LinkedIn post written by Scrum creator Jeff Sutherland; The Origin of The Daily Stand-up.
We will discuss the Scrum pillars and Values in more detail in future weeks.
Inspirational Quote:
“Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field.” — Brian Tracy
Fascinating Fact:
The fastest gust of wind ever recorded on Earth was 253 miles per hour. In 1996, a tropical cyclone named Olivia hit off the coast of Barrow Island, Australia blowing (sorry…) past the previous record of 231 mph set in Mount Washington, New Hampshire back in 1934.
Word of the Day:
Sisyphean — relating to a task that can never be completed.
Example: “The effort to clean up the backlog can seem sisyphean, but it is worthwhile!”
National Day Calendar: June 2nd
International Volkswagen Bus Day
National Rotisserie Chicken Day
National Leave The Office Early Day (you’re welcome!)
National Doughnut Day
It is also:
National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month
National Caribbean-American Heritage Month
National PTSD Awareness Month
National DJ Month
Born On This Day:
Marquis de Sade (1740) A French nobleman, revolutionary politician, and author of salacious publications.
Thomas Hardy (1840) English novelist and poet. Author of Far from the Madding Crowd and Tess of the d’Urbervilles.
Stacy Keach (1941) Actor, famous for Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer.
Charlie Watts (1941) Musician and drummer for British Band the Rolling Stones.
Cornel Ronald (1943) American philosopher, political activist and intellectual.
Dana Carvey (1955) Stand-up Comic, actor and impressionist famous for Saturday Night Live and Wayne’s World.
Wayne Brady (1972) Comedian and TV presenter.
Nora Lum, known professionally as Awkwafina (1988). American actor, rapper, and comedian. Golden Globe Winner for The Farewell.
On This Day In History:
Felix Mendelssohn’s Wedding March is used at a wedding for the first time (1847)
President Calvin Coolidge signs the Indian Citizenship Act declaring all Native Americans to be American citizens (1924)
Baseball legend Babe Ruth announces his retirement as a player at 40 years of age (1935)
Queen Elizabeth II is coronated in Westminster Abbey, London, England John Paul II becomes the first pope to visit a Communist country (Poland) (1953)
Timothy McVeigh is found guilty of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 (1997)
Ken Jennings begins his 74-game winning streak on the television game show “Jeopardy!” (2004)
