What does the Scrum Master do all day and is it a Full Time position?

What does the Scrum Master do all day.

One of the questions that is often asked is how a Scrum Master is going to keep themselves busy all day or what they actually do.

In line with the 2020 Scrum Guide version, the Scrum Master has three key areas of focus: the Scrum Team, Product Owner, and the organization. For the Scrum Team, they coach self-management, guide Increment creation, and ensure effective Scrum events. With the Product Owner, they refine techniques for Product Goal and Backlog management, supporting clear and concise items and collaborative planning. For the organization, the Scrum Master leads Scrum adoption, advises implementations, and facilitates an empirical approach while removing barriers between stakeholders and teams.

The Scrum Master do not do their work, but the Scrum Master guides the Scrum Team to proficiency. Through coaching and the introduction of innovative techniques, they enhance efficiency and effectiveness, assisting the team in producing high-value Increments that align with the Definition of Done. This guidance includes helping the team "reflect in the mirror" for continuous improvement. By addressing impediments and dismantling barriers, they create an environment conducive to growth and value delivery.

Additionally, observing the team in action stands as a vital aspect of the Scrum Master's coaching role. Much like a football coach intently observing players on the field to provide guidance, the Scrum Master actively engages and observes the Scrum Team's activities. This hands-on approach allows the Scrum Master to glean valuable insights into team dynamics, interactions, and workflow processes.

Please look at the Scrum Master Section of the Scrum Guide for more details of how the Scrum Master serve the Scrum Team and the larger organization.

Another excellent resource is “An Example Checklist for Scrum Masters by Michael James available at  https://scrummasterchecklist.org

Is Scrum Master a Full Time Position?

Another common question that arises is whether one person can serve as the Scrum Master for multiple teams or if multiple teams can share a Scrum Master. The answer is: it depends.

If you ask Michale James, he will tell you that “An adequate Scrum Master can handle two or three teams at a time…. And a great Scrum Master can handle one team at a time.”  He recommends “one dedicated Scrum Master per team of about six when starting out.”

The Scrum Master has three key areas of focus: the Scrum Team, Product Owner, and the organization.

In situations where a Scrum Team is new to Scrum practices  or during an organization's transition to the Scrum framework, the presence of a dedicated, full-time Scrum Master becomes crucial. This ensures the availability of consistent coaching, guidance, and support necessary for establishing effective Scrum practices and aiding the team in overcoming challenges. Additionally, observing the team in action stands as a vital aspect of the Scrum Master's coaching role. Much like a football coach intently observing players on the field to provide guidance, the Scrum Master actively engages and observes the Scrum Team's activities. This hands-on approach allows the Scrum Master to glean valuable insights into team dynamics, interactions, and workflow processes. In addition to this, we also need to consider if the team is a newly formed team. If the members are new, the Scrum Master will have more work in helping them to be a cohesive team.

Another factor to consider when allocating a Scrum Master to multiple teams is that whether these teams are working on different products, each with its own designated Product Owner. The the Scrum Master's role involves serving the Product Owner by aiding in the definition of effective Product Goals, managing the Product Backlog with clarity, enabling empirical product planning within intricate contexts, and fostering stakeholder collaboration as required. Given that these responsibilities are tightly intertwined with the unique objectives and requirements of individual products, organizations should assess the practicality of assigning a Scrum Master to multiple teams only when the teams share a product focus. Note that Scrum Master Job is not doing the Product owner’s work but to help the Product owner in becoming proficient in doing this work and possibly helping the Product Owner in doing the work.

As the Scrum team and the organization mature in Scrum adoption, a Scrum Master might potentially support multiple teams. This works well when teams are adept in Scrum, self-managing, and have cross-functional abilities. As experience grows, the Scrum Master's role can shift from hands-on guidance to facilitating shared challenges and maintaining Scrum values. The decision to share a Scrum Master among multiple teams requires considering multiple factors. Factors include team autonomy, cohesion, and self-management capability, the extent of support needed by Product Owners, the Scrum Master's capacity for meaningful guidance, and the organization's dedication to an empirical approach. Ultimately, the decision should align with organizational goals and the objective of sustaining high-performance Scrum Teams that consistently deliver value in accordance with Scrum principles.
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​Further Reading:
 The Scrum Guide 2020
An Example Checklist for Scrum Masters, by Michael James