Scaling Collaboration: The Power of Scrum of Scrums

What is Scrum of Scrums?

Scrum of Scrums is a collaborative meeting between team representatives working on the same product. It’s an engaging session that keeps teams aligned and informed about each other’s progress. This approach aims to solve common challenges that arise when scaling teams, such as:

• Effective communication between teams
• Dealing with dependencies among multiple teams
• Ensuring a solid product experience

How Does Scrum of Scrums Work?

In a Scrum of Scrums setup, each team delegates a representative to attend a weekly or daily meeting. This representative shares their team’s progress, discusses dependencies, and addresses any blockers. By limiting the number of attendees, communication becomes more focused and efficient.


# Example Meeting Agenda

* Review team progress
* Discuss dependencies and blockers
* Address any questions or concerns


Key Differences Between Scrum and Scrum of Scrums

While Scrum is an Agile framework with its own set of rules and ceremonies, Scrum of Scrums is a flexible approach that can be applied to any project management framework. The primary goal of Scrum of Scrums is to enhance collaboration and communication among teams, not to change the underlying framework.

Best Practices for Implementing Scrum of Scrums

To get the most out of Scrum of Scrums, follow these best practices:

1. Make meetings interactive and focused on problem-solving
2. Use digital boards to facilitate remote sessions and keep actions visible
3. Limit the number of attendees to seven or fewer
4. Prioritize collaboration and address issues directly

Scaling Scrum of Scrums for Larger Organizations

As organizations grow, Scrum of Scrums can be adapted to accommodate multiple teams. By splitting products into smaller areas and creating multiple Scrum of Scrums units, teams can focus on specific topics and collaborate more effectively.


{
"teams": [
{
"name": "Team A",
"members": ["John", "Jane", "Bob"]
},
{
"name": "Team B",
"members": ["Alice", "Mike", "Sarah"]
}
],
"scrum-of-scrums": [
{
"name": "Product A",
"teams": ["Team A", "Team B"]
}
]
}


Tools and Resources for Implementing Scrum of Scrums

To boost productivity and make the most of Scrum of Scrums, use the right tools, such as digital boards (e.g., Miro, Mural) and Kanban boards. Share boards beforehand to speed up sessions, and keep actions visible to ensure progress.

By embracing Scrum of Scrums, teams can overcome collaboration challenges and achieve uncommon results. Remember, Scrum of Scrums is not a silver bullet, but a booster that enhances teamwork and directs individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives.