What’s the right scrum team size?

The ideal development team size is between three and nine people.

With less than three, you don’t get much of the benefit of collaboration or shared momentum. More than nine, and the logistics of coordination start to eat away at the benefits of coordination.

Learn more about how a scrum team works together. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.

This question comes from the FAQ section of the Everyday Scrum guide.

Related FAQs

Scrum team

How does a scrum team work?

The scrum team is made up of the product owner, scrum master and development team. They each play important roles.

  • The product owner maximizes the value delivered by the product.
  • The scrum master maximizes the impact of the development team.
  • The development team transforms the product vision into reality.

Learn more about how a scrum team works together. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.

Is a Scrum Master a project manager?

Project managers and scrum masters differ in where they focus and what they emphasize. 

The project manager is focused first on the work. Does the project have everything it needs to get done? The scrum master is focused first on the people. Are they the best team they can be to get projects done?

Continue learning about the relationship between a scrum master and a project manager. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.

Can a scrum master be a developer?

This combo is very doable, but it depends on the person. Some people are great team contributors but are not good scrum masters. 

Often, people suggest the type A personality to be the Scrum Master because they seem like the typical leader type. Unfortunately, what usually happens here is that person begins to act like the team's boss, which is not the role of the scrum masters.

Learn more about the roles of a scrum team. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.

What’s the right scrum team size?

With less than three, you don’t get much of the benefit of collaboration or shared momentum. More than nine, and the logistics of coordination start to eat away at the benefits of coordination.

Learn more about how a scrum team works together. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.

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