Creating a coaching agreement is an often overlooked step in forming a working relationship with a scrum team or multiple scrum teams, yet it may hold profound importance. It sets the transparency and open communication lines right from the outset by clearly defining what the team members can expect from their coach and what the coach should expect from them.
If you’re preparing for the Certified Scrum Professional for Developers (CSP-D) exam, understanding how to facilitate such an agreement can become comprehensive knowledge.
Define the Scope of the Work
In the beginning, discuss what the engagement looks like. What must be accomplished by the end of it? Clarifying the work scope can include clear deliverables, project expectations, activity type, or even meeting frequency. The expectations must be clear for the duration of work. For example:
- Will the coaching last for the duration of a project or a specific timeline?
- What will be the expected outcome?
- What type of engagement will it be: one-on-one coaching, group coaching, or mentoring?
Define Stakeholders
Determining who the stakeholders are is a crucial part of setting up the coaching agreement. Stakeholders can include the team members, project owners, clients, or any individual who has an interest in the project’s outcome. Identifying stakeholders will help determine who to include in the various stages of the coaching process.
Define Roles and Responsibilities
Clearly outlining each individual’s role within the coaching process can help prevent future conflicts and miscommunications. Using a Role-Expectation Matrix can be a useful tool to navigate this process:
| Role | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Coach | Teach Scrum principles, Facilitate Scrum meetings, Resolve conflicts |
| Development Team | Implement Scrum principles, Participate in Scrum meetings, Seek guidance |
| Stakeholders | Provide timely feedback, Support the team, Respect Scrum values |
Establish Rules of Engagement
The playbook of engagement rules is a pivotal part of the contract as it covers specific behaviors and etiquette during the coaching relationship. It can include clauses like punctuality for meetings, how to provide feedback, respectfulness, taking ownership, maintaining confidentiality, etc.
Layout Conflict Resolution Mechanisms
It’s important to anticipate possible conflicts and misunderstanding and determine how they will be resolved. This clarity will help speed up the resolution process when a conflict does arise.
Define Success
Lastly, it’s vital to define what success looks like. Is it a successful product launch? Is it increased team performance? Defining this beforehand can keep everyone focused and motivated.
Though not mandatory, these steps can serve as a guiding light to build effective coaching agreements. Once formed, the entire team and coach can sign it off, indicating their commitment to adhere to the terms and work towards the common goal.
Remember, a well-crafted coaching agreement is not a rigid document set in stone. It has the flexibility to evolve and adapt as the scrum team learns, grows and adapts to the ever-evolving agile world.
Indeed, creating such a coaching agreement is a comprehensive subject, included in CSP-D preparation. It helps bourgeon the mutual understanding among the coach and teams, making way for productive, focused, and excellent results along the Scrum and Agile journey. Their importance is multi-fold and will stay a significant asset in an Agile Coach’s collection of expertise.
Practice Test
True/False: A coaching agreement is not necessary when working with a new Scrum team.
Answer: False
Explanation: A coaching agreement helps to establish clear expectations, roles, and responsibilities for both the coach and the team. This is crucial when beginning to work with a new Scrum team.
Multiple Select: What might a coaching agreement with a Scrum team include?
- 1) Defined goals
- 2) Identified potential obstacles
- 3) A detailed schedule
- 4) Team member roles and responsibilities
Answer: All of the above
Explanation: A comprehensive coaching agreement should outline the goals of the team, potential obstacles that might be encountered, a schedule for completing tasks, and the roles and responsibilities of each team member.
Single Select: Who should be involved in creating the coaching agreement?
a) The Scrum Master only
b) The Product Owner only
c) Both the Scrum Master and the Product Owner
Answer: c) Both the Scrum Master and the Product Owner
Explanation: Both the Scrum Master and the Product Owner need to be involved in the creation of the coaching agreement since they both have significant roles and responsibilities within the team.
True/False: The coaching agreement should be flexible and open to changes as the project progresses.
Answer: True
Explanation: As a project evolves, the coaching agreement should be open to updates and adaptations to meet changing needs and goals.
Multiple Select: As a Certified Scrum Developer, which aspects of a coaching agreement would you likely implement?
- 1) Establish clear communication channels with the Scrum team
- 2) Train team members in Scrum principles and practices
- 3) Develop a system for tracking progress and addressing obstacles
- 4) All of the above
Answer: 4) All of the above
Explanation: Certified Scrum Developers are trained in all of these aspects of Scrum coaching.
True/False: The coaching agreement is a binding contract and cannot be changed once it is set.
Answer: False
Explanation: The coaching agreement is a flexible document that can evolve based on the needs of the project and team.
Single Select: Who is responsible for managing the coaching agreement?
a) Scrum Master
b) Product Owner
c) Both the Scrum master and the Product owner
Answer: c) Both the Scrum master and the Product owner
Explanation: Both the Scrum Master and Product Owner have a role in managing the coaching agreement to ensure aligned collaboration.
True/False: The coaching agreement with a Scrum team should prioritize their strengths and interests.
Answer: True
Explanation: The coaching agreement should build upon the team’s strengths and interests to foster motivation and engagement.
Single Select: When should a coaching agreement be established with a Scrum team?
a) At the start of a project
b) Halfway through a project
c) Towards the end of the project
Answer: a) At the start of the project
Explanation: Creating the coaching agreement at the start ensures that all team members are on the same page from the beginning.
True/False: A coaching agreement can help mitigate potential conflicts within the Scrum team.
Answer: True
Explanation: By establishing clear expectations and roles, a coaching agreement can help to prevent misunderstandings and conflicts.
Interview Questions
What is the primary goal of a coaching agreement in scrum?
The primary goal of a coaching agreement in scrum is to establish mutual understanding and expectations between the coach and the scrum team. It sets out the purpose, objectives, roles, responsibilities, and methods of working together in the scrum process.
What are the key elements to include in a scrum coaching agreement?
The key elements to include in a scrum coaching agreement are the scope of the coaching, objectives, roles and responsibilities, time commitment, feedback process, confidentiality, conflict resolution process and termination conditions.
How can a coaching agreement help manage conflicts in a scrum team?
A coaching agreement can help manage conflicts in a scrum team by setting out a clear process for resolving disputes, which everyone must follow. This aids in preventing misunderstandings and ensures that disputes are addressed in a structured manner.
What is the role of the scrum coach in the coaching agreement?
The role of the scrum coach in the coaching agreement is to guide the team as they work towards their objectives, to provide support when needed, to foster a healthy team dynamic, and to ensure that scrum principles and practices are adhered to.
How important is confidentiality in a scrum coaching agreement?
Confidentiality is critical in a scrum coaching agreement as it builds trust between the coach and the team. This implies that all discussions, feedbacks, and information shared in the coaching process should remain confidential unless otherwise stated.
Why is it necessary to outline the termination conditions in a coaching agreement?
Outlining the termination conditions in a coaching agreement is necessary because it sets expectations about how and when the coaching agreement can be ended. This could be due to various reasons, such as reaching the agreed objectives, coach or the team opting to terminate the agreement, or at the end of the agreed coaching period.
How should feedback be incorporated into a coaching agreement?
Feedback should be incorporated into a coaching agreement by specifying how and when feedback sessions will take place. This could include regular retrospectives to review progress and assess the effectiveness of the coaching relationship and methods.
If a coach is working with multiple scrum teams, should they establish separate coaching agreements for each team?
Yes, it could be beneficial to establish separate coaching agreements for each team when working with multiple scrum teams because each team may have distinct objectives and expectations from the coaching relationship.
Can a coaching agreement be amended once established?
Yes, a coaching agreement can be amended if both the coach and the scrum team agree to the changes. It’s crucial that the agreement remains flexible to accommodate the changing needs of the team.
How often should a coaching agreement be reviewed?
The coaching agreement should be reviewed as often as the team and the coach deems necessary, however, a common practice is to review it in every sprint review or at least once every few months.
What are the key benefits of having a coaching agreement with scrum teams?
The key benefits of having a coaching agreement with scrum teams include aligned expectations, clear definition of roles and responsibilities, an agreed-upon conflict resolution process, and increased accountability.
Does a coaching agreement replace the Scrum framework’s rules?
No, a coaching agreement does not replace the Scrum framework’s rules. It serves as a supplement to the Scrum framework, detailing how the team and coach will interact within that framework.
How does a coaching agreement aid in ensuring that Scrum practices and tools are being utilized correctly?
A coaching agreement helps ensure that Scrum practices and tools are being utilized correctly by clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of the coach, including the provision of support and guidance towards correct application of Scrum principles.
What would happen if a Scrum coach does not create a coaching agreement with a Scrum team?
If a Scrum coach does not create a coaching agreement with a Scrum team, there could be potential misunderstandings and conflicts due to unclear expectations. This could hinder the team’s efficiency, effectiveness, and overall performance.
Can a coaching agreement replace a team’s Scrum Master?
No, a coaching agreement doesn’t replace a team’s Scrum Master. While the coach might provide guidance and support to the team, the Scrum Master is still responsible for ensuring that the team follows Scrum principles and practices.
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