Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile Storytelling from the Trenches Episode Summary: Measuring Agile Team Success Through Stable Delivery Flow | Marina Lazovic

In this insightful episode of the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast, host Vasco Duarte engages in a deep conversation with Marina Lazovic, an experienced Agile Coach and Certified Scrum Master. The discussion centers around measuring Agile team success through maintaining a stable delivery flow, offering valuable perspectives for Scrum Masters aiming to enhance their teams' performance and accountability.

1. Introduction to Marina Lazovic

Marina Lazovic brings a wealth of experience as an Agile Coach and Scrum Master, focusing on optimizing team delivery and fostering accountability within Agile frameworks. Her pragmatic approach emphasizes simplicity and effectiveness in Agile practices, making her insights particularly relevant for professionals seeking tangible improvements in their Agile processes.

2. Retrospective Formats: Embracing Simplicity

Timestamp: [01:25]

When discussing retrospective formats, Marina advocates for simplicity over complexity. She notes the abundance of retrospective templates available on platforms like LinkedIn and Miroverse but prefers a straightforward approach that aligns with her team's preferences.

“I like to keep retrospective very simple... My favorite is the Lean Coffee retrospective. It’s so open that you can talk about anything.”
— Marina Lazovic [01:25]

Marina highlights the effectiveness of the Lean Coffee format, where team members propose topics openly, vote on their importance, and discuss the most relevant issues. This method ensures that retrospectives remain focused and relevant, catering to the team's immediate needs without unnecessary embellishments.

3. Action Items: Defining Who, What, and When

Timestamp: [05:07]

A crucial aspect of effective retrospectives, according to Marina, is the clear definition of action items. She emphasizes the importance of assigning responsibility and setting deadlines to ensure accountability and follow-through.

“Every action needs to have like who is going to do it, what the action is, and when it’s going to get done.”
— Marina Lazovic [02:45]

By specifying who is responsible, what needs to be done, and when it should be completed, teams can avoid ambiguity and ensure that action items are actionable and trackable. This structured approach fosters a culture of accountability, encouraging team members to commit to tangible improvements.

4. Defining Success for Scrum Masters: Focus on Delivery

Timestamp: [05:15]

Marina redefines success for Scrum Masters beyond traditional roles of facilitation and coaching. She underscores the importance of delivery as a key metric for success, positioning Scrum Masters as enablers of optimal team performance.

“Scrum Masters really need to be accountable for that delivery... making sure at the end of the day that the teams deliver, get things done.”
— Marina Lazovic [05:15]

For Marina, success involves ensuring that teams maintain a stable delivery flow with an upward trend in output quality and consistency. This perspective aligns Scrum Masters with the tangible outcomes of their teams' work, highlighting their role in driving productivity and ensuring that deliverables meet stakeholder expectations.

5. Understanding Delivery in Agile Teams

Timestamp: [07:07]

The conversation delves into the complexities of defining what constitutes "done" in Agile delivery. Marina acknowledges the challenges in measuring delivery beyond mere completion of tasks, emphasizing the importance of delivering value that is actually utilized by customers.

“Delivery is a little bit of a tricky issue... it opens up, you know, product owner topics, flow of work, end-to-end topics.”
— Vasco Duarte, Host [07:07]

Marina explains that delivery should not only be about task completion but also about ensuring that the product is used and valued by customers. This broader definition necessitates collaboration between Scrum Masters, Product Owners, and development teams to align on meaningful deliverables that drive user engagement and satisfaction.

6. Circle of Influence: Focusing on Controllable Factors

Timestamp: [10:25]

A significant part of maintaining a stable delivery flow involves understanding and delineating the team's circle of influence. Marina advocates for teams to concentrate their efforts on factors they can control, enhancing efficiency and reducing frustration.

“What does it mean? But we need to... what is in our influence or what is in our control...”
— Marina Lazovic [10:25]

By identifying what aspects of their work environment and processes they can influence, teams can prioritize actionable items and avoid expending energy on external factors beyond their control. This strategic focus not only optimizes performance but also fosters a sense of empowerment and ownership within the team.

7. Managing External Factors Affecting Team Delivery

Timestamp: [11:03]

Marina shares a practical example illustrating the impact of external factors on team delivery. She recounts a scenario where unclear processes for second-level support were disrupting her team's workflow, highlighting the importance of distinguishing between controllable and uncontrollable issues.

“There is a problem with not really clear process of the second level support... it was very influencing the team and they had a lot of complaints...”
— Marina Lazovic [11:03]

In such cases, Marina advises bringing these issues to the attention of leadership or management without expecting the team to resolve them directly. This approach ensures that the team remains focused on their primary responsibilities while also contributing to organizational improvements through appropriate channels.

8. Implementing Circle of Influence in Retrospectives

Timestamp: [10:25]

Integrating the concept of the circle of influence into retrospectives helps teams prioritize their action items effectively. Marina utilizes this framework to guide discussions, ensuring that the team addresses issues within their control while also recognizing the need to escalate or delegate external challenges.

“We are clear on what is in our influence or what is in our control... we can’t take ownership because it’s outside our circle of influence.”
— Marina Lazovic [11:03]

This strategic focus not only streamlines the retrospective process but also enhances the team's ability to implement meaningful changes that directly impact their performance and delivery outcomes.

Conclusion

Marina Lazovic's insights provide a pragmatic approach to measuring Agile team success through a stable delivery flow. By emphasizing simplicity in retrospectives, clear action item definitions, and a focused understanding of the team's circle of influence, Scrum Masters can effectively support their teams in delivering consistent, high-quality results. Her experiences highlight the importance of balancing accountability with strategic focus, ensuring that teams remain productive and engaged while navigating both internal and external challenges.

For Scrum Masters and Agile professionals seeking to enhance their team's delivery capabilities, Marina's strategies offer actionable guidance to foster sustained success and continuous improvement.

Notable Quotes:

• Marina Lazovic [01:25]: “I like to keep retrospective very simple... My favorite is the Lean Coffee retrospective. It’s so open that you can talk about anything.”

• Marina Lazovic [02:45]: “Every action needs to have like who is going to do it, what the action is, and when it’s going to get done.”

• Marina Lazovic [05:15]: “Scrum Masters really need to be accountable for that delivery... making sure at the end of the day that the teams deliver, get things done.”

• Vasco Duarte, Host [07:07]: “Delivery is a little bit of a tricky issue... it opens up, you know, product owner topics, flow of work, end-to-end topics.”

• Marina Lazovic [10:25]: “What does it mean? But we need to... what is in our influence or what is in our control...”

• Marina Lazovic [11:03]: “There is a problem with not really clear process of the second level support... it was very influencing the team and they had a lot of complaints...”

This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights shared by Marina Lazovic, providing valuable takeaways for Agile practitioners aiming to measure and enhance their team's success through effective delivery practices.