Scrum Master 能從學習更多產品管理知識中獲益
2023/06/24閱讀時間約 15 分鐘
共同作者：Shalom Chin 與 KK；譯者：KK
處在「產品」越來越盛行的世界裡的這個事實，幫助了 Scrum Master (SM) 了解更多有關產品管理的知識。
Product Owner (PO) 作為了解顧客的人， 在排定對顧客具有價值的排序工作上，負有重責大任。
一般來講，在許多國家中，產品經理會在 Scrum 團隊中扮演 PO 的角色。 SM 則是凝聚團隊來實現能滿足顧客的 Product Goal 的領導者。他們透過不同形式的領導來做到這些事，比如：僕人式領導（servant leadership，2017年版本的 Scrum Guide 提到 servant leadsership，2020版本的Scrum Guide 已更新為 true leader）、激勵人心的領導力，以及目標導向型的領導方式。
與 PO 的緊密合作，是團隊成功建立團隊目標和其關注點的關鍵。SM 應該和 PO 共同領導團隊，而非帶隊對抗 PO。
下方是我們認為學習產品管理能幫助 Scrum Master 做得更好的一些原因：
- 透過了解 PO 的工作，SM 會對 PO 產生更多的同理心，從而提供更好的幫助。了解 PO 角色的 SM ，能更好地理解 PO 的思維過程，以及 PO 面臨的壓力。這是 SM 與 PO 建立關係，與解決他們在管理利害關係人和顧客方面的挫敗感時，所需的成功要素。
- 為了讓 SM 更好地幫助 PO（例如有效管理 Product backlog 或教練（coach） PO ），若 SM 曾有擔任 PO 的經驗，會對此有所幫助。 擔任 PO 的工作經驗，有助於 SM 了解在理解不同類型的顧客，與 PO 對團隊的貢獻上所面臨的挑戰。具有產品管理經驗的 SM ，能更好地預測後果、了解與產品管理和顧客有關的 PO 決定的排序後的 Product Backlog 與成本背後的原因。更好的建議就能造就成果。
- 由於產品管理與使用者經驗（UX）領域密切相關，具有產品管理背景的 SM 能理解顧客和利害關係人觀點的重要性。對顧客和利害關係人真的感興趣的 SM ，將能更好以團隊的交付管理其期望和需求。透過了解顧客的需求，SM 可以辨識出所做的工作中有哪些能真的帶來了價值且交付商業成果，如此一來就不會浪費任何努力。具有產品管理經驗會讓 SM 更加了解顧客回饋的重要性，以衡量團隊創造的創新和價值，而非只關注在交付速度和消除障礙上。
- Product Backlog items”. 對 Product Backlog 有排序經驗，將使 SM 在了解如何與 PO 分享實務技術來確認 Product Backlog item 是否因考量了最高價值而有正確排序上，有額外的優勢。透過了解 Product Goal ，SM 能仔細查看可能不明確且會阻礙 Sprint Planning 進行的 Product Backlog item 。這點可參照 Scrum Guide 提到的「helping the Scrum Team understand the need for clear and concise Product Backlog items」。
- 產品管理經驗讓 SM 更好地了解開發產品時遇到的障礙。這項經驗讓 SM 從另一個角度看到 PO 在利害關係人動態、顧客需求、資源調配、預算、法規和數據收集上的挑戰。了解這些挑戰的性質，將使 SM 更深入地了解不同的潛在障礙類型，以及能有如何解決它們的一些想法。 SM 將能夠發現如何和 PO 密切合作，以共同解決這些問題。
我們希望這些觀點能鼓勵更多的 Scrum Masters 豐富其知識，並對產品管理產生興趣，從而發揮更大的影響力。 Scrum 需要團隊成員有效協作，尤其是 SM 和 PO。
補充摘錄：
雖然 Scrum Master 並不一定需了解產品管理，但了解更多產品管理的知識會有很大的優勢。在本篇文章中，我們給出了產品管理知識和經驗有助於將 Scrum Master 提升到一個更上一層次的一些原因。
所以，你是否考慮過在 Scrum 團隊中，短暫的擔任 Product Owner 來讓團隊運作的更順暢，以便展現更好的成果呢？
In a world where “products” are becoming more prevalent, it would help the Scrum Master (SM) to learn more about product management.
As someone who understands the customer, the Product Owner (PO) has an important responsibility in prioritizing the work that represents value to the customer.
Generally, in many countries, a product manager would play the role of the PO in the Scrum team. The role of the SM is that of a leader to rally the team towards the product goal of satisfying the customer. They do this by employing different forms of leadership such as servant leadership, inspirational leadership, and goal-oriented leadership.
A strong collaboration with the PO is key to the team’s success to establish the team’s goals and focus. Instead of leading the team against the PO, the SM should lead with the PO.
Here are some reasons why we believe learning about Product Management would help Scrum Masters be better at what they do:
- By understanding the PO’s work, the SM would develop more empathy toward the PO to provide better help. An SM who understands the role of the PO will be able to relate better to the thought process of the PO and the pressures faced in the role. This is an important ingredient needed for the SM to connect with the PO as well as relate to their frustrations in managing stakeholders and customers.
- For the SM to help the PO better, such as managing Product backlog or coaching PO work effectively, it would help for the SM to have experienced a stint as a PO. Experience in PO work would be useful in giving the SM a sense of the challenges faced in understanding different types of customers and the contributions of the PO to the team. An SM with product management experience can better predict the consequences, know the reasons behind the ordering of the backlog and costs that come with the PO’s decisions related to the product and the customers. Better advice can be rendered as a result.
- As Product Management is closely related to the field of user experience (UX), SMs with a product management background understand the importance of understanding the customer’s and stakeholder’s perspectives. The SMs with a genuine interest in their customers and stakeholders will be in a better position to manage the expectations and demands to fit the team’s delivery capabilities. By understanding the customer’s needs, the SM can identify how much of the work done truly brings value and deliver business outcomes, so that none of the efforts goes to waste. Having product management experience would give the SM more appreciation of the importance of feedback from the customers to also measure innovation and value created by the team, instead of focusing solely on the speed of delivery and removal of impediments.
- Experience in prioritizing the backlog will give the SM an additional advantage in knowing how to share practical techniques with the PO in determining if the items in the backlog are in the right sequence and with the highest value in mind. By understanding the goals of the product, SMs can scrutinize the backlog for items that could potentially be unclear and hinder progress during Sprint Planning. Referencing the Scrum Guide, the SM is “helping the Scrum Team understand the need for clear and concise Product Backlog items”.
- Product Management experience gives SMs a better understanding of the impediments that come with developing products. The experience exposes SMs to see another perspective of the PO’s challenges in terms of stakeholder dynamics, customer demands, resource scheduling, budgeting, regulations, and data gathering. Understanding the nature of these challenges would give the SM a deeper understanding of the different potential impediment types as well as some ideas on how to address them. SMs would be able to identify how to work closely with the PO to collectively resolve these issues.
We hope that these points will encourage more Scrum Masters to diversify their knowledge and take an interest in product management so that they can be more impactful. Scrum needs team members to collaborate effectively, especially the SM and PO.
Extract: Although Scrum Masters do not necessarily need to know about product management, there are great benefits in learning more about the topic. In this article, we give some reasons why Product Management knowledge and experience will help take a Scrum Master to the next level.
Have you considered taking up a short stint as a Product Owner in a Scrum Team?
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