These two entities hold quite a significant place in Scrum, a framework integral to Certified Scrum Developers (CSD). Both have their own unique frameworks and operate differently. Let’s delve deeper into their notable differences.
1. Purpose and Goals:
Working Group:
A working group comprises individuals working together on common tasks, yet keeping their individual focus intact. The success is measured individually based on the tasks assigned to each member.
For instance, in a software development project, a working group may consist of developers, Quality Assurance (QA) experts, and a project manager. While their work would be part of the same project, their individual tasks and roles remain unique and separate.
Team:
Teams, on the other hand, are formed with a joint mission and a shared goal. Success is measured based on the collective accomplishment of tasks and not merely individual triumphs.
For example, in a Scrum team, the developers, Product Owner, and Scrum Master are collectively responsible for the delivery of a potentially releasable increment of software. Their success is tied to the successful completion of the increment, not their personal tasks.
2. Leadership and Decision Making
Working Group:
In a Working Group, leadership is generally hierarchical. Decisions are usually made by a single leader or superior, such as a Project Manager in a software development scenario.
Team:
In contrast, Teams espouse a shared leadership model in which decisions are made collectively. Every team member’s opinion is valued and contributes to the final decision— an essential tenet in Scrum.
3. Accountability and Performance:
Working Group:
In working groups, members are primarily held accountable individually. They largely function independently with their performance measured based on individual output.
Team:
Teams, contrarily, work with a sense of collective accountability. In Scrums, performance is evaluated on a team basis. For instance, the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and development team together carry the responsibility for the delivery of the working increment.
Here’s a comparative table to summarize the above points:
Feature | Working Group | Team |
---|---|---|
Purpose | Individual focus on common tasks | Joint mission and shared goals |
Leadership | Generally hierarchical, decisions by leaders | Shared leadership, collective decision making |
Accountability & Performance | Primarily individual | Collective |
The understanding of these differences between working groups and teams in Scrum is key to successful project management. In Certified Scrum Developer (CSD) exams and in practice, recognizing these varying dynamics will guide your selection and formation of working groups and teams for different projects.
Practice Test
True or False: All members in a working group have a mutual accountability towards the goals of the group.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: In a working group, members work independently and are accountable for their own tasks, while in a team, they share accountability.
Which one of the following is a key difference between a working group and a team?
- A. The size of the group
- B. The location of the group
- C. The shared accountability
- D. The leadership structure
Answer: C. The shared accountability
Explanation: Shared accountability is one of the key features of a team but not of a working group.
True or False: Teams are formed to perform complex tasks that can be divided into individual sections, and the final output depends on the collective performance.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Teams often work together to complete complex tasks and their overall performance impacts the final output.
In which group does leadership rotate amongst members, a team or a working group?
- A. Team
- B. Working Group
Answer: A. Team
Explanation: In a team, leadership often rotates amongst members, as the team combines different skills for a common goal.
True or False: In a working group, the performance of the group is the sum of individual inputs.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: In a working group, individuals are accountable for their own tasks and the group’s performance is the sum of their individual inputs.
A working group and a team are the same in which aspect?
- A. Shared leadership
- B. Defined roles
- C. Individual accountability
- D. They are never the same
Answer: D. They are never the same
Explanation: Working groups and teams differ in many aspects including leadership, accountability, and roles.
True or False: In a team, the success of the collective outweighs individual achievements.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: In a team, members work towards a common goal and collective success is prized more than individual achievements.
Teams have ___________ while working groups have ____________.
- A. Independent goals; shared goals
- B. Shared goals; independent goals
- C. Shared leadership; single leadership
- D. Both B and C
Answer: D. Both B and C
Explanation: Teams work towards a shared goal with shared leadership, whereas in a working group, individuals work toward independent goals and there is usually a single leader.
True or False: All teams are working groups, but not all working groups are teams.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: While it’s accurate to describe a team as a working group because they are indeed a group of people working together, not all working groups function with the mutual accountability and shared goals typical of a team.
In which group, a team or a working group, is an individual’s expertise and responsibility shared across the group?
- A. Team
- B. Working Group
Answer: A. Team
Explanation: In a team, individual’s expertise and responsibilities are shared across the group, while in a working group, individual members are primarily accountable for their tasks.
Interview Questions
What is a major difference between a working group and a team in terms of individual responsibility?
In a working group, individual members are primarily responsible for their own work, whereas in a team, each member shares responsibility for the team’s overall performance and results.
How are the goals different between a working group and a team?
A working group typically has individual goals for each member, and they report individually. However, a team has collective goals, with every member working towards achieving those unified goals.
How does the leadership differ between a working group and a team?
In a working group, there is usually a strong, clearly identified leader. In a team setting, leadership can often rotate or be shared among team members depending on the task at hand.
What is the difference between a working group and a team in relation to performing tasks?
In a working group, individual members perform tasks independently of others. In contrast, a team works collectively, collaborating and supporting each other in order to complete tasks effectively.
How is accountability seen differently within a working group compared to a team?
In a working group, members are individually accountable. In a team, not only is there individual accountability, but there also exists mutual accountability.
What is one key difference between a working group and a team based on problem-solving?
In a working group, decisions and problem-solving are typically centralized with the group leader. In a team setting, these are performed collectively by the team members.
How does the interdependence level differ between a team and a working group?
In a team, there is high interdependence as workers rely on each other to achieve the shared goals. However, in a working group, the level of interdependence is typically low as tasks are carried out individually.
How do working group and team differ in terms of synergy?
A working group has minimal synergy as the work is done individually. On the other hand, a team has maximum synergy with collective work enhancing the group’s performance.
How does the work complexity differ between a team and a working group?
A team usually works on more complex tasks that require diverse skills, perspectives, and judgment, thus calling for close collaboration. In contrast, a working group handles less complex tasks that can be completed more independently.
What is the key difference between a working group and a team concerning Scrum framework?
Scrum emphasizes team over individuals. It believes in collective commitment where a team is responsible for delivering the project, unlike a working group scenario where individuals work towards their individual goals.
How does conflict resolution differ between a team and a working group?
In a team, members collectively resolve conflicts maximizing team performance. However, in a working group, conflict resolution is usually the prerogative of the group leader.
How does the degree of trust among members differ in a team and a working group?
In a team, there is usually a high degree of trust among its members due to shared goals and mutual accountability. In a working group, the trust level can be lower because the interactions between its members are more limited.
How does the feedback process differ between a working group and a team?
In a team, feedback is continuous and is used to improve team performance. In a working group, feedback is usually handled individually and may not always impact the performance of the group.
What is the difference in terms of productivity between a team and a working group?
Teams often achieve higher levels of productivity because of the synergy, cooperation, and shared accountability. On the other hand, the productivity of a working group relies heavily on the individual efforts of its members.
How does the collaboration level differ between a team and a working group?
A team has a high degree of collaboration, where members work together to achieve common objectives. In a working group, collaboration is usually limited as tasks are divided among individuals who work independently.