A scrum team refers to a group of individuals who work together to achieve a common goal, typically in software development. The key to a successful scrum team lies in effective communication and collaboration among team members. To facilitate this, it is important to have a clear and comprehensive scrum team agreement that outlines the expectations and responsibilities of each member. In this article, we will provide you with a sample scrum team agreement that you can customize for your team.

The Purpose of a Scrum Team Agreement

A scrum team agreement serves as a guide for the team to follow, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goal. It outlines the roles and responsibilities of each team member, the communication and decision-making processes, and the expectations around the quality of work and meeting deadlines.

Sample Scrum Team Agreement

Here is a sample scrum team agreement that you can use as a starting point for creating your own agreement:

Roles and Responsibilities

Product Owner: The product owner is responsible for defining and prioritizing the product backlog, reviewing sprint goals and progress, and ensuring that the product meets business objectives and customer needs.

Scrum Master: The scrum master is responsible for facilitating the scrum process, removing any impediments that may hinder the team’s progress, and ensuring that the team follows the scrum framework.

Development Team: The development team is responsible for delivering the sprint goal and ensuring that the product meets the definition of done.

Communication and Decision-Making

Daily Scrum: The team will have a daily scrum meeting to discuss progress and plan the day’s work.

Sprint Review: The team will review the sprint results with the product owner and stakeholders at the end of each sprint.

Sprint Retrospective: The team will hold a retrospective meeting at the end of each sprint to identify areas for improvement.

Decision-Making: Decisions will be made based on team consensus. If consensus cannot be reached, the scrum master will facilitate a discussion to resolve the issue.

Quality of Work and Deadlines

Quality of Work: The team will strive to produce high-quality work that meets the definition of done.

Deadlines: The team will adhere to sprint deadlines and strive to deliver the sprint goal on time.

Conclusion

A well-written scrum team agreement can help your team work more cohesively and effectively. Use the above sample as a starting point and customize it to meet the needs of your team. Remember, the scrum team agreement should be a living document that is updated regularly as the team evolves and grows.