What are the roles in Scrum? [Product Owner, Scrum Master, Dev Team.]

Does life ever feel like a hack rather than on purpose?

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What if your spaces, moments, and interactions not only felt natural and intuitive but also aligned with your priorities and positively impacted those around you?

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If you want to learn about Scrum, you’re likely wondering.

Who does what in Scrum?

Clarity about the roles of Scrum and the team's culture are central to success. There are only three roles:

There’s a nice simplicity to having just three roles, but there’s a lot to each of them. As we explore them one at a time, remember to keep the three pillars of Scrum (transparency, inspection, and adaptation) in mind by asking these three questions:

How does this make things more visible? (Transparency)
Where does this create space to evaluate? (Inspection)
When does this encourage growth? (Adaptation)

This article will help you understand the scrum roles by explaining:

A Brief overview of the scrum roles
How the roles work together in scrum
How to play multiple roles

A Brief Overview of the Scrum Roles

Product Owner

The Scrum Product Owner's primary responsibility is to maximize the value delivered to the product. They serve as the inflection point between the development team and stakeholders. Empathy and communication are essential qualities for a product owner. They facilitate numerous conversations internally to focus the product around the needs and desires of the end-user or customer.

They are accountable for the product backlog, ordering all features and functionality by priority and balancing when they will be released over time. The product owner leads the way in setting the vision for the product. At the beginning of the sprint, the Product Owner describes the sprint’s vision and goal to the whole team.

The Scrum Product Owner's primary responsibility is to maximize the value delivered to the product.

At the end of a sprint, the team delivers the increment, which is the next phase of a working product ready to be deployed to the customer. The product owner receives this increment by inspecting it according to the original requirements and the team’s definition of done.

For Scrum teams to be effective, the organization must empower the product owner to make the multitude of decisions that come up during product development. This focus on accountability is one of the features of Scrum that allows teams to more quickly and clearly toward their goal.

Empathy and communication are essential qualities for a product owner.

For a deeper dive into being a product owner, check out these resources:

Scrum Master

The Scrum Master is a master of process and an empowerer of people. The development team doesn’t report to them, and the Scrum Master doesn’t tell them what to do. The Scrum Master is there to support the team and remove obstacles such as unclear requirements, interpersonal conflict, organizational impediments, and dependencies on other teams.

The Scrum Master focuses on maximizing the impact of the development team. The Scrum Master is always working toward clarity. In many ways, they act as a mirror helping the team see where they are and how things are going.

A servant leader puts others’ needs first. The Scrum Master provides the team with guidance and direction (where and why, but not what and how) to practice Scrum effectively. This guidance allows the team to work with a healthy level of autonomy and agency, and it also ensures the team has the mastery and purpose needed to do their work.

The Scrum Master focuses on maximizing the impact of the development team.

They help the team understand Scrum processes and principles and help everyone in the larger organization who interface with the team. They may host workshops, write best-practices documentation and facilitate many conversations. Developing this awareness and understanding of Scrum cultivates an organization friendly to Scrum teams.

For a deeper dive into being a product owner, check out these resources:

Development Team

The development team makes up most of the Scrum team. They turn the user stories in the product backlog into a working increment by the end of the sprint.

A development team is self-organizing, meaning they share leadership and accountability as a team. They don’t report to the Scrum Master or Product Owner. They have significant freedom to identify how to solve the problems and deliver the features which the Product Owner has prioritized.

The ideal development team size is between three and nine people. Less than three, and 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. The development team is a cross-functional team and includes the skills necessary to get the work done.

The whole team owns the work in the sprint backlog. If something isn’t done, it’s not one person's fault; it’s the entire team's responsibility. The team checks in each day through the Daily Scrum to stay in sync. They also leverage the Sprint Retrospective to evaluate their team functioning and adapt to improve.

Self-organizing teams choose how best to accomplish their work, rather than being directed by others outside the team. Cross-functional teams have all competencies needed to accomplish the work without depending on others not part of the team.
- Scrum Guide

For a deeper dive into being a product owner, check out these resources:

How the Roles Work Together in Scrum

Scrum Master + Product Owner

The Scrum Master and Product Owner are both part of the overall Scrum team. They are working toward the same end goal but often balance each other in navigating the tension of how to get to that goal.

The product owner works with the Scrum Master to look ahead to future sprints, evaluating significant milestones to ensure they will deliver critical features on time. They also check to see if the work needed to get there matches the capacity or velocity of the team. This zooming out to set the road map and zooming in to set the sprint goal helps keep the team both agile and focused.

The product owner leads the way in setting the vision for the product.

The Scrum Master also protects the team’s health by balancing the product owner’s drive to complete the product with the team's long-term effectiveness. They help the team remove obstacles such as unclear requirements, interpersonal conflict, organizational impediments, and dependencies on other teams.

Scrum Master + Dev Team

The Scrum Master helps the Dev Team practice Scrum effectively. This includes understanding and practicing the meetings and elements of Scrum. The Scrum Master doesn’t tell the team what to do each day, and the team decides together during their daily standup. The Scrum Master helps them hold effective daily standups.

The Scrum Master's interactions with the Dev Team may be more hands-on at the beginning, helping them learn and establish the Scrum process. Over time the relationship shifts from instructor to coach.

The relationship between Scrum Master and Deve Team allows the team to work with a healthy level of autonomy and agency, and it also ensures the team has the mastery needed to do their work. The Scrum Master also helps the team remove obstacles such as unclear requirements, interpersonal conflict, organizational impediments, and dependencies on other teams.

Product Owner + Dev Team

At the end of a sprint, the team delivers the increment, which is the next phase of a working product ready to be deployed to the customer. The product owner receives this increment by inspection according to the requirements in the sprint backlog and the team’s definition of done.

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Playing Multiple Roles

A common question is, “Can someone on the dev team be the Scrum Master?” or “Can the Product Owner and Scrum Master be the same person? In many organizations, people frequently have multiple roles, especially when you don’t have a person for each Scrum role. Some combinations are a better idea than others.

Here are some multiple role situations I have personally experienced:

Being a Scrum Master and part of the Development Team
Being a Scrum Master for multiple teams.
Being a Product Owner and part of the Development Team
Being a Scrum Master and Product Owner at the same time.

I put these in order of most to least doable.

Being a Scrum Master and part of the Development Team

This is probably the most common combo I see. Teams often ask, “Can someone on the team just be the Scrum Master?” 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.

Being a Scrum Master for multiple teams

This one is also pretty doable, depending on the experience of the teams and the frequency of obstacles you need to help remove. I’ve actually been the Scrum Master for two brand new Scrum teams simultaneously. It was a bit more work at first because so much teaching was going on, though it eventually leveled out once the teams learned their new rhythm.

Being a Product Owner and part of the Development Team

One advantage of this combo is that it can produce a high level of shared understanding between the stakeholders and the team. The biggest downside is that being a Product Owner is a pretty big job. If someone is doing it well, they usually don’t have the capacity to be a full-time dev team member. The team can remedy this tension by adjusting their velocity based on a lower capacity for the person who is also the product owner.

Another challenge is when the product owner wants more done in a sprint than the team's capacity. Having the same person in both roles can remove the balance between the dev team and the product owner.

Being a Scrum Master and Product Owner at the same time.

This combo is the least advisable. It’s certainly possible (I’ve done it), but I don’t think it's good either for the SM/PO or the Dev Team. The Scrum Master protects the team’s health by balancing the product owner’s drive to complete the product with the team's long-term effectiveness.

The Scrum Master also protects the team’s health by balancing the product owner’s drive to complete the product with the team's long-term effectiveness.

When the same person plays both of these roles, they are trying to maintain balance within themself on behalf of the team. Even if someone can represent and hold both perspectives in tension, they must be mindful of how they communicate with the dev team. Are they sharing something from their PO role or their SM role?

Learning More about Roles in Scrum

The three roles of Scrum are simple yet nuanced. Like many roles, they are best learned through repetition and practice. If you want to learn more about roles in Scrum, there are some posts below you might like.

To learn more about Scrum, check out my What is Scrum? A Guide for Everyday People to Learn Scrum. If you have more questions, please feel free to reach out on LinkedIn.

Still not sure about your next step with Scrum? I offer a couple of free coaching sessions each month. You can signup for a free 1-hour coaching session, and we can work together to identify a good next step for you.

Does life ever feel like a hack rather than on purpose?

You want your life to have meaning and impact. Daily life is made up of the spaces we gather and the moments we interact with one another.

What if your spaces, moments, and interactions not only felt natural and intuitive but also aligned with your priorities and positively impacted those around you?

Discover your Everyday Design so you can focus on what’s important.

This post is part of an upcoming guide called Everyday Scrum? A Guide for Everyday People to Learn Scrum where I will explore and explain the key elements of Scrum.

Perhaps you have heard about Scrum but are not exactly sure what it is. Or maybe you know some about it but are not sure how to apply it, especially outside a software development context.

You find my my current and future guides on everyday.design. Signup to be the first to know when new guides are released.

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There are a lot of new terms when learning the Scrum essentials, and this post probably introduced you to some of the vocabulary.

If you want to learn more about specific Scrum topics, here are a few to choose from or check out the scrum FAQs.

Applying Scrum

Agile in Everyday Life

Scrum Roles

Scrum Meetings

Scrum General Topics

Scrum Advanced Topics

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To learn more about Scrum, check out my What is Scrum? A Guide for Everyday People to Learn Scrum. If you have more questions, please feel free to reach out on LinkedIn.

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FAQs

Scrum roles

What are the roles in scrum?

Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Development Team.

There are three roles in Scrum:

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

What if I don’t have all the scrum roles on my team?

Someone on the team can play more than one role.

You really can’t run Scrum without a product owner or scrum master, so someone will likely have to wear multiple hats. Here are some recommended combos:

One Scrum Master for multiple teams
Scrum Master + Development Team member
Product Owner + Development Team member

A combo you want to avoid is being both the Product Owner and Scrum Master at the same time.

Learn more about what to do if you don’t have all the scrum team roles. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.

Who are the stakeholders in scrum?

Leaders & Customers

A scrum team has stakeholders on two sides.

Organizational leaders.
Customers or end-users.

Success depends on identifying and serving the goals and motivations of both groups of stakeholders. The product owner is responsible for harmonizing and prioritizing the needs of both.

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

Is an agile coach a scrum role?

An agile coach is not a traditional role on a scrum team.

Often an agile coach serves as someone who can come in from the outside to help an organization evaluate their practice of scrum or implement it for the first time.

An agile coach should also have competency around agile practices beyond just scrum.

Learn more about the roles in scrum or the difference between scrum and agile. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.

Scrum master role

What is a scrum master?

A Scrum Master is a master of process and an empowerer of people.

The Scrum Master is a master of process and an empowerer of people as they focus on maximizing the impact of the development team. They support the team by removing obstacles and representing Scrum to the rest of the organization.

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

Why is a scrum master called a servant leader?

They put the needs of the team first.

A servant leader puts others’ needs first. The Scrum Master provides the team with guidance and direction (where and why, but not what and how). This approach allows the team to work with a healthy level of autonomy and agency and ensures they have the mastery and purpose needed to do their work.

Explore what it means to be a scrum master. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.

Why is a scrum master important?

The scrum master focuses on maximizing the impact of the development team.

They act as a mirror helping the team see where they are and how things are going. The scrum master protects the team’s health by balancing the product owner’s drive to complete the product with the team's long-term effectiveness.

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

Can scrum masters work remotely?

Yes, if the rest of the team is also remote.

A scrum master can definitely be remote, but with a caveat. This situation works best when the whole team is distributed. The scrum master's effectiveness will decrease if the rest of the group is co-located and they are the only remote member.

Explore what it means to be a scrum master. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.

Can one person be the Scrum Master for multiple teams?

Yes, but not ideal for a new Scrum Master.

This combo is possible, depending on the experience of the teams and the frequency of obstacles you need to help remove. I’ve been the scrum master for two brand new scrum teams simultaneously. It was a bit more work at first because so much teaching was going on, though it eventually leveled out once the teams learned their new rhythm.

Learn more about what to do if you don’t have all the roles for a scrum team. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.

Scrum master responsibilities

What does a scrum master do each day?

The Scrum master’s day involves whatever is necessary to help the scrum team thrive.

If you could look at their calendar, you would probably see things like

The daily standup, maybe more than one.
Meeting with other leaders to explain scrum.

Learn more about what it means to be a scrum master. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.

How does a scrum master remove impediments?

The Scrum Master advocates for the team's needs and works with other to resolve the obstacles so the team can focus on producing the highest value possible.

The scrum master helps remove obstacles, such as

The team does not have the tools or resources to do the necessary work.
Functional managers are trying to assign extra responsibilities.
Mix messages or a lack of clarity about a user story in the backlog.
A lack of responsiveness from the Product Owner.
Unrealistic expectations about how long the required work takes.

The Scrum Master advocates for the team's needs and works to resolve the obstacles so the team can focus on producing the highest value possible.

Learn more about how the scrum master removes obstacles. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.

How does a scrum master coach the team?

They facilitate so the team identifies the problem and creates solutions.

The scrum master doesn’t tell the team what to do. Nor do they solve the problems assigned to the Scrum team. But they play a critical role in helping the team identify the problem and create solutions. A scrum master does this through facilitation and practices.

Find out how a scrum master is a coach. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.

How does a scrum master motivate the team?

The Scrum Master focuses on maximizing the impact of the development team.

They act as a mirror helping the team see where they are and how things are going, and they cultivate a space for the team to adjust based on what they see.

They help the team remove obstacles such as unclear requirements, interpersonal conflict, organizational impediments, and dependencies on other teams. This support allows the team to work with a healthy level of autonomy and agency and ensures they have the mastery and purpose needed to do their work.

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

Scrum master and product owner

Can the scrum master also be the product owner?

Technically, yes, but not recommended.

The two roles balance each other, thus placing you in tension with yourself. You you hold both roles, you must be mindful of how you communicate with the development team. Holding both positions can also impact how much agency the dev team feels they have.

Learn more about playing both roles of scrum master and product owner. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.

How does the scrum master help the product owner?

The scrum master balances the product owner’s drive to complete the product with the team's long-term effectiveness.

They help remove obstacles such as unclear requirements, interpersonal conflict, organizational impediments, and dependencies on other teams.

Find out more about how the roles on a scrum team work together. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.

How does the product owner help the scrum master?

The product owner provide current and future direction for the team.

The product owner works with the scrum master to look ahead to future sprints, evaluating significant milestones to ensure they deliver critical features on time. They also check to see if the work needed to get there matches the capacity or velocity of the team.

Find out more about how the roles on a scrum team work together. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.

How is the product owner different from the scrum master?

The product owner is product-focused and team-mindful, while the scrum master is team-focused and product-mindful.

The product owner products the product vision by balancing the needs of both the business and the customer. The scrum master protects the team’s health by balancing the product owner’s drive to complete the product with the team's long-term effectiveness.

Keep exploring the relationship between the product owner and the scrum master or you can look over the role of the product owner and the role of the scrum master.

Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.

Are the scrum master and the product owner part of the scrum team?

Yes, they are key members of the Scrum team.

The scrum team includes the following roles

scrum master
product owner
development team

Either the scrum master or the product owner can also be part of the development team. However, it’s not recommended for the scrum master and product owner to be the same person.

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

Product owner

What is a product owner?

The Scrum Product Owner's primary responsibility is to maximize the value delivered to the product.

They serve as the inflection point between the development team and stakeholders. They set the vision for the product and prioritize all product-related work.

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

What does a product owner do each day?

The Scrum Product Owner's primary responsibility is to maximize the team's value to the product.

They accomplish this goal through 5 habits:

Stakeholder Relationships and Synthesis
Backlog Refinement
Road Mapping
Sprint Vision and Goals
Inspection

Learn more about what it looks like to be a product owner. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.

Scrum master certifications

How to get certified as a scrum master?

CSM vs. PSM

The most common certifications for a scrum master are:

CSM Certified Scrum Master from Scrum Alliance.
PSM Professional Scrum Master from Scrum.org.

The CSM is more common than the PSM but also more expensive. Both offer multiple levels of certification.

You are required to take a class by a certified instructor for the CSM, which will cost you around $1,000. The CSM course includes the test cost and is comparable in difficulty with the PSM test.

The PSM recommends but doesn’t require a course. So you can take the self-study route and then take a cheaper test ($200). This level of affordability can make the scrum.org certifications a more attractive first step for people exploring scrum certifications.

Here is my experience with certifications as a path to growth.

Also be sure to check out the essential Scrum glossary.

Why become a Certified Scrum Master (CSM)?

Knowledge + Job Requirement

The best way to learn to be a scrum master is through practice. However, earning a certificate can provide helpful instruction, and some companies list it as a requirement for scrum master roles.

If you're entering the world of scrum or trying to transfer your skills from one domain to another, having a certification like the CSM can help you get in the door.

Here is my experience with certifications as a path to growth.

Want to learn the essential Scrum terms.

How quickly can I become a scrum master?

2 days to certification. Much longer to Mastery.

Unlike the PMP (Project Management Professional), most scrum certifications don’t require experience. There are pros and cons, though. It makes earning the certifications easier but also makes them a little less valuable.

A typical CSM course will last between 3 and 5 days, depending on how much instruction is done each day. The PSM doesn’t require a course, so if you already have a solid understanding of scrum, you can just take the test today.

To really be a Scrum Master your'e going to need practice.

Here is my experience with certifications as a path to growth.

Want to learn the essential Scrum terms.

Product owner certifications

How to get certified as a product owner?

CSPO vs. PSPO

Scrum certifications are a great way to both grow and demonstrate your knowledge. The most common certifications for a product owner are:

CSPO Certified Scrum Product Owner from Scrum Alliance.
PSPO Professional Scrum Product Owner from Scrum.org.

The CSPO is more common than the PSPO but also more expensive. Both offer multiple levels of certification.

You are required to take a class by a certified instructor for the CSPO, which will cost you around $1,000. There is no test for the CSPO. Completing the class earns you the certification.

The PSPO recommends but doesn’t require a course. So you can take the self-study route and then take a cheaper test ($200). This level of affordability can make the scrum.org certifications a more attractive first step for people exploring scrum certifications.

Here is my experience with certifications as a path to growth.

Also be sure to check out the essential Scrum glossary.

Why become a Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)?

Knowledge + Job Requirement

Like becoming a scrum master, the best way to grow as a product owner is through practice. The CSPO class is helpful as it provides several practical facilitation techniques.

I’ve seen it listed as a requirement for various product owner or product manager roles. It can be beneficial if all other things are equal, but I don’t think it’s a game-changer for landing a PO job.

Here is my experience with certifications as a path to growth.

Want to learn the essential Scrum terms.

Comparing certification

CSM vs. CSPO, how do they compare?

CSM (Certified Scrum Master) vs. CSPO (Certified Scrum Product Owner)

If you’re looking for your first scrum certification, the CSM and CSPO are the most common. Both require you to take a class by a certified instructor and cost around $1,000.

The CSM - Certified Scrum Master requires a test at the end of the course to earn the certificate.
The CSPO - Certified Scrum Product Owner does not require a test, as completing the course provides you with the certificate.

Here is my experience with certifications as a path to growth.

Want to learn the essential Scrum terms.

CSM vs. PSM, how do they compare?

CSM (Certified Scrum Master) vs. PSM (Professional Scrum Master)

The CSM and PSM are the two most common certifications for a scrum master:

CSM Certified Scrum Master from Scrum Alliance.
PSM Professional Scrum Master from Scrum.org.

The CSM is more common than the PSM but also more expensive. Both offer multiple levels of certification.

You are required to take a class by a certified instructor for the CSM, which will cost you around $1,000. The CSM class includes the test cost and is comparable in difficulty with the PSM test.

Here is my experience with certifications as a path to growth.

Want to learn the essential Scrum terms.

How does the PMI-ACP compare to other scrum certifications?

The PMI-ACP requires experience and a great breadth of knowledge.

The PMI-ACP is in its own class regarding scrum certifications. It requires both documented experience as well as knowledge across multiple agile domains.

The test is long and comprehensive. I would place it as similar difficulty to the PMP as compared to the CSM or PSM.

This certification certainly demonstrates much higher agile and scrum competency. However, I don’t see it listed often on job requirements.

Here is my experience with certifications as a path to growth.

Want to learn the essential Scrum terms.

How does the PMP compare to other scrum certifications?

PMP (Project Management Professional)

The PMP is kind of the grandfather of project management certifications. It’s a beast of a test and requires memorizing a ton of information. However, it’s rooted primarily in waterfall rather than agile approaches.

Unless you plan to work in a domain where waterfall is dominant, the PMP probably isn’t the best certification option for those getting started in project management, and certainly not for those getting started with scrum.

Here is my experience with certifications as a path to growth.

Want to learn the essential Scrum terms.

Scrum certifications

Where should I start with scrum certifications?

Your best path and starting point really depends on your goals.

Are you looking for a challenge to motivate yourself to learn scrum better? Are you looking to land a specific job?

If you just want to take the next step in learning, the PSM has a low barrier to entry and should open some doors to allow you more opportunities to practice the scrum master role.

If you’re trying to land a job then it really depends on what that job is looking for certification-wise.

Here is my experience with certifications as a path to growth.

Want to learn the essential Scrum terms.