Scrum Training Series

Free Online Scrum Master Training From Seattle: The fun way to learn about Agile/Scrum, prepare for Scrum Master certification / Agile certification (CSM, PSM, CSPO, CLP, etc.), and debunk popular misconceptions.

(And earn Scrum Alliance Category B SEUs.)

Why Scrum Isn't Making Your Company Very Agile: Misconceptions About The Product Owner Role


Amazing Scrum Volume 1 Episode 1: Why "Scrum" Isn't Making Your Company Very Agile
A comic book.

How misconceptions about the Product Owner role harm your organization, and what to do about it. Graphical observations about why Scrum implementations at so many organizations have been going so badly. I originally wrote this to try to convince trainers and coaches to stop teaching harmful patterns. Then it went viral among practitioners. I hope it helps you.

 

Introduction to Scrum


Module 1: Introduction to Scrum
Duration: 17 minutes - excluding quiz

A quick overview of Scrum. This e-learning module covers the rationale for Agile/Scrum, along with an overview of roles, meetings, and artifacts. The module ends with a challenging quiz which has been shown to increase scores on Scrum certification tests (such as Certified Scrum Master). If you're new to this, we suggest completing Modules 2-6 before attempting the Module 1 quiz.

Legacy (old) YouTube version + further info.
日本語 スクラム研修パート1:スクラムの紹介

 

Backlog Refinement


Module 2: Backlog Refinement Meeting
Duration: 13 minutes - excluding quizzes

This module covers the hidden fifth meeting that's essential to success at Scrum and other Agile approaches. Subtopics include how to recognize well-formed Product Backlog Items, user story examples, a team effort estimation game (story point estimation), decomposition of large PBIs (e.g. "epics") into smaller ones (e.g. "user stories"), acceptance criteria, definition of done, Product Backlog prioritization, the Scrum Product Owner role, and team self organization. This is an interactive, scenario based module. The learner observes a simulated team and is prompted to help them as they face various challenges.

Legacy (old) YouTube version + further info.
日本語 スクラム研修パート2: バックログリファインメント

 

Sprint Planning Meeting


Module 3: Sprint Planning Meeting
Duration: 10 minutes - excluding quizzes

This module covers the first official meeting in the Scrum cycle. Subtopics include the difference between the Product Backlog vs. the Sprint Backlog, how to break PBIs into Sprint Tasks, timeboxing, what is a "potentially shippable product increment", definition of done, planning for testing within a Sprint, limiting Work In Progress (WIP), team volunteerism, and commitment-based planning. This interactive module continues the scenario introduced by the previous module, placing the learner in the action.

Legacy (old) YouTube version + further info.

 

Daily Scrum Meeting


Module 4: Daily Scrum Meeting
Duration: 9 minutes - excluding quizzes

This module covers the second and most frequent meeting in the Scrum cycle. Subtopics include effective use of the taskboard, team self organization, how to incorporate varying skills on one team, the Scrum Master role during Sprint Execution, pros and cons of involving the Product Owner each day, the three questions, and keeping the meeting short. The module briefly touches on the Agile engineering practices of Test Driven Development (TDD), pair programming, refactoring, and continuous integration.

Legacy (old) YouTube version + further info.

 

Sprint Review Meeting


Module 5: Sprint Review Meeting
Duration: 13 minutes - excluding quizzes

This module covers the meeting held after the execution of each Sprint in which the team conducts a live demonstration of the working product increment for the Product Owner. For those outside the team, this is the most visible part of Scrum. Subtopics include: Acceptance criteria and definition of done, velocity, transparency, how to involve external stakeholders, and emergent requirements in the Product Backlog. This is an interactive, scenario based module. The learner observes a team and is prompted to make decisions as they progress through the Sprint Review Meeting.

Legacy (old) YouTube version + further info.

 

Sprint Retrospective Meeting


Module 6: Sprint Retrospective Meeting
Duration: 15 minutes - excluding quizzes

This module covers the final meeting associated with each Sprint. In this meeting, the team reflects on the Sprint to raise its own awareness of what transpired. It ends with agreements about specific adaptations for future Sprints. Subtopics include: checking for safety, "classic" retrospectives, focused conversation principles, timeline retrospectives, reaching agreements that stick, and how to learn more about facilitation.

Legacy (old) YouTube version + further info.
日本語 スクラム研修パート6:スプリントレトロスペクティブ

 

Product Owner Pitfalls


Elective A (OPTIONAL): Product Owner Pitfalls
Duration: 9 minutes. OPTIONAL for CSM/CSPO/CSD training. RECOMMENDED for CLB/CLP training.

Should we have one Product Owner per team? One per product? One Product Backlog per team? One per product? This video was endorsed by Alistair Cockburn, one of the original authors of the Agile Manifesto.

Large Scale Scrum (LeSS) Complete Picture


Elective B (OPTIONAL): Large Scale Scrum (LeSS) Complete Picture Overview
Duration: 3 minutes. OPTIONAL for CSM/CSPO/CSD training. RECOMMENDED for CLB/CLP training.

If we have more than a dozen people, it's time to learn about Large Scale Scrum. Craig Larman and Bas Vodde developed Large Scale Scrum (LeSS) after hundreds of documented experiments. It has been used with up to 6000 people on an enormous product and is more aligned with Lean/Agile realities than any other "Scaled Agile" framework I've seen. The obstacles that are preventing you from doing Scrum are addressed head on by LeSS and LeSS Huge.


Script

 

Large Scale Scrum (LeSS) Framework


Elective C (OPTIONAL): Large Scale Scrum (LeSS) Framework
Duration: 7 minutes. OPTIONAL for CSM/CSPO/CSD training. RECOMMENDED for CLB/CLP training.

A quick overview of the Large Scale Scrum (LeSS) Framework. LeSS uses a single Product Owner, a single Product Backlog, and multi-team self management to get the work done. This video covers planning, refinement, inter-team collaboration, and the reduction of handoffs, dependencies, program/portfolio management, separate architects, separate analysis, release train engineers, stabilization phases, and unnecessary hierarchy.


Script
LeSS and LeSS Huge rules card

 

Common Misconceptions About Large Scale Agility


Elective D (OPTIONAL): Common Misconceptions About Large Scale Agility
Duration: 32 minutes. OPTIONAL for CSM/CSPO/CSD training. RECOMMENDED for CLB/CLP training.

If you really pay attention to this video you'll be able to call B.S. on 90% of Agile Coaches.

 


Tweet

If you are taking anyone's Scrum class, any type of Scrum Master certification test, Agile certification, or you just want to improve your knowledge and dispell popular hype and misconceptions, you'll have a much better time if you also study the Scrum Reference Card, the four values of the Agile Manifesto, and the twelve principles of the Agile Manifesto. Paying close attention to these resources and this e-learning series provides all the information you'll need to pass Scrum Master certification tests such as Certified Scrum Master (CSM). Statistically, non-native English speakers (often people who grew up outside the US, UK, Canada, etc.) have more difficulty with these tests and classes, requiring more study time to overcome the language barrier.

If you are an Agile trainer, coach, or consultant, I recommend having your clients complete these modules before your visit. Informed clients get much better value for their limited time with you.

Good luck, and please keep in touch!

There is no Scrum methodology, no Agile methodology.

--mj
Michael James (Software Process Mentor, Scrum Trainer, and B.S. Eliminator)
Public Scrum Certification (CSM) course listings.
Rude Twitter feed. (WARNING: Rude.)


Scrum/Agile Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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