Mastering Professional Scrum ― Coaches' Notes for Busting Myths, Solving Challenges, and Growing Agility

For Scrum Teams and Agile Leaders who want to enable greater business agility, this book is a practical guide to overcoming challenges and maximizing the benefits of Scrum, unlike books that are focused on basic understanding of the framework, or are too heavy on theory.

Mastering Professional Scrum is based on years of training, coaching, and working with Scrum to deliver products across many industry sectors, from startups to multinationals all around the world. The book begins with an overview of why business agility matters and why Scrum works. Then the authors cover the situations that cause organizations to have to change the way they do things, and the challenges of a rapidly evolving marketplace. Adopting an approach that is based on high quality and fast feedback helps to manage risk and provide the flexibility to adapt to changing requirements and situations. The importance of professionalism in the industry is introduced.

Many Scrum implementations have drifted from the framework and/or are going through the motions without the true spirit of professionalism and transformation. This common pitfall will be examined using a case study to be referenced throughout the book. The case study will be representative of where many existing Scrum Teams and organizations may find themselves – a team has been doing Scrum and has seen some benefits, but there are still many challenges that arise from both within the team and from pressures in the organization and the market.

Stephanie Ockerman has more than a decade of experience in both traditional waterfall and agile delivery approaches and has worked with implementations in leading large-scale technology programs, acting as a Scrum Master, and coaching Scrum Teams and organizations. She is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) through PMI and a Co-Active Coach trained by the Coach Training Institute. Stephanie is an active blogger and frequently speaks at agile and leadership conferences around the world.

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Simon Reindl is an experienced developer, trainer, coach, and technologist. He has more than 20 years’ experience helping organizations in the private and public sectors and all industries adopt new technology and improve the value delivered. He is qualified to lead the full range of Professional Scrum Training courses (PSF, PSD .NET, PSM, PSPO and SPS) as well as coach people at all levels—whether in technical or managerial roles. Simon is a qualified teacher and Certified Agile Coach. He is also an active blogger and speaker at agile and technical conferences around the world.