What Techniques Can A Scrum Master Use?
Tags: webdev, scrummaster, scrum, scrumtechniques
Published: 2023-07-13 03:15:56

---
title: What Techniques Can A Scrum Master Use?
published: true
date: 2023-01-06 14:00:36 UTC
tags: webdev,scrummaster,scrum,scrumtechniques
canonical_url: https://medium.com/@smartONES/what-techniques-can-a-scrum-master-use-fa38f4acf6a8
---

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*0Z3Gy_sx178S2Wio.png)

**Scrum** is one of the most sought-after project management methodologies, especially for software development projects. It is an Agile methodology that encourages team members to learn from experiences and self-organize their efforts while working on specific problems. It also involves reflecting on your team’s wins or losses to ensure continuous improvement.

The reins of a scrum project are in a **scrum master** ’s hands. The ultimate success or failure is attributed to a scrum master and their efforts. They keep track of the project’s progress and ensure that their team achieves the inherent goals.

So, what techniques can a scrum master use?

Depending on the nature and scope of the project, a scrum master can use multiple techniques to bring the project to fruition. However, before discussing these techniques, let us briefly understand who a scrum master is.

### Who Is A Scrum Master?

As the name suggests, a scrum master is the master of a scrum project. They are the professionals responsible for a scrum project’s smooth and effective execution. They facilitate all communication and collaboration throughout the project’s course, ensuring they achieve the desired outcome.

**The success of a project** often relies on the scrum master’s expertise. Some of their key roles and responsibilities include:

- Organizing stand-up meetings (daily), demos, reviews, and other meetings regarding the project at hand
- Making the team members understand the scrum principles and best practices
- Providing personalized assistance to the team members throughout the project
- Facilitating conflict resolution
- Encouraging and partaking in open discussions
- Identifying and resolving issues
- Regularly updating activities in the project management tool

### What Techniques Can A Scrum Master Use?

Now that we have understood who a scrum master is and what they do, let us have a look at some of the most important techniques they can use to enhance project execution:

#### 1. Clearly Defining The Project Goal And Vision

One of the most important techniques a scrum master uses to ensure fruitful project management is defining the project goal and vision for the team. They are responsible for identifying the gaps the project sets out to fill, the purpose the project serves, and the objectives they need to attain.

Establishing a shared vision for the entire team gives the team members a clear sense of direction. It allows everyone to have a common goal in mind and work towards the same while executing the scrum project. For example, if a scrum master is working on a custom software development project, they will clearly define the look, feel, and functionality they are looking for as the end result. This will allow their team to keep this vision in mind while working on the project.

#### 2. Encouraging The Team To Prioritize Work

As trivial as it sounds, this is an important technique used by scrum masters. Whenever any team member loses sight of the goals they need to achieve, the scrum master brings them back on track and helps them complete their tasks on a priority basis.

For example, if a UI/UX designer starts spending more time on documentation, a scrum master will draw their attention towards their work, helping them finish their tasks in the best way possible.

#### 3. Ensuring Transparent Communication

Transparent communication within the team is the key to a successful project. A scrum master needs to ensure that everyone is on the same page at every project stage. As an Agile project is executed in different sprints, a scrum master must ensure that every member knows when to move on to the next sprint.

For example, if a team has developed a software application and is heading towards testing, the scrum master ensures everyone is aware of the shift towards testing and QA.

#### 4. Organizing Team Meeting Whenever Required

A scrum project calls for seamless collaboration, which is impossible to achieve without extensive planning. A scrum master facilitates team meetings whenever there is a need to do so. These meetings can be about planning the upcoming spring or analyzing the previous one to smoothen out potential errors.

For example, suppose a software development team has completed designing an application and is moving towards developing it. In that case, the scrum master may call for a team meeting to discuss aspects like resource allocation, delegation of responsibility, etc.

#### 5. Getting Rid Of The Obstacles Blocking Progress

A major responsibility of a scrum master is to identify the obstacles blocking their team’s progress and get rid of them. Without losing sight of the project’s goals, a scrum master strives to eliminate all distractions and issues arising from internal or external factors.

For example, if excessive client interference is slowing down the project’s speed, a scrum master would explain the issue to the client and reduce their interference to an admissible level.

#### 6. Mentoring Team Members Throughout The Project

It is a scrum master’s responsibility to coach and mentor their team members throughout the course of the project. Depending on the training required, they may coach their team members individually or in small groups. Either way, a scrum master shares knowledge about the domain, the project, and the techniques used to make their team give its best.

For example, if the team members working on documentation are not able to identify and record the right requirements, the scrum master would guide them in preparing the right project documents that lead the way.

#### 7. Staying In Sync With The Latest Trends

In 2022, you can no longer execute a project using traditional methodologies, technologies, and equipment. A scrum master needs to stay updated about the ongoing trends to keep the project relevant. They also ensure that their team members are in sync with the industry’s latest market and tech trends.

For example, if a software development project requires incorporating AI tools, the scrum master should know the latest AI trends and applications to ensure effective project implementation.

#### 8. Facilitating Change Management

Anticipating changes is the essence of the Agile framework. A scrum master should be capable of facilitating change management, ensuring that all their team members implement the concerned change without hindering the project at hand.

For example, suppose a new version of a software development framework is launched halfway into a project. In that case, the scrum master may need to alter the project according to the new version, helping their team members do the same.

### The Final Word

These were some of the most important techniques a scrum master can (and should) use to bring their project to fruition. A scrum master’s decisions shape their projects and help their team move closer to the desired objectives.

With [ONES.com](https://ones.com/), scrum masters can make better use of these techniques to fulfill the potential of scrum teams.

_Originally published at_ [_https://blog.ones.com_](https://blog.ones.com/what-techniques-can-a-scrum-master-use) _on January 6, 2023._