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Scrum has three primary roles, Scrum Master, Product Owner and Dev Team. But when you’re starting out in Scrum, you might not have someone to play all the roles, and you may be wondering:
Can someone play multiple roles in Scrum?
This is a common question I usually get when new teams are getting established, and there isn’t someone to fill the product owner or scrum master role. I’ve never been asked about now having a development team. Until an organization sees the effectiveness benefits of Scrum, they can be a little hesitant about committing two people to these new roles.
You really can’t run Scrum without a product owner or scrum master, so someone will likely have to wear multiple hats. This situation is typical, and there are a few options to consider.
- One Scrum Master for multiple teams
- Scrum Master + Development Team member
- Product Owner + Development Team member
Before diving into each option, let me address the one clearly missing from the list. People frequently want to combine the scrum master and product owner, and I don’t recommend this.
It’s hard on the person playing the two roles, hard on the development team. It reduces clarity in a way that can be problematic, especially for organizations just learning to implement Scrum. I go into more detail in “Why can't the scrum master and product owner be the same person?”
Now let’s dive into the other three options. I’ve ordered them, starting with the combos I would most recommend it.
Being a Scrum Master for multiple teams
This one is actually pretty doable, 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 there was so much teaching going on, and it eventually leveled out once the teams learned their new rhythm.
One of the key benefits of this option is focus. The scrum master is still only a scrum master; they are just playing the role for more than one team. It’s more work, but it’s the same kind of work. If they are helping one team effectively run a retro, they can bring that same instruction to the other team.
Let’s be clear. The scrum master is not a manager.
The biggest issue is scheduling, particularly at the beginning and end of sprints. The sprint begins with sprint planning and ends with a sprint review and retrospective. It takes more coordination for the two team’s meetings not to overlap. But it’s definitely doable.
Being a Scrum Master and part of the Development Team
This setup is probably the most common combo I see. Teams often ask, “Can someone on the team just be the Scrum Master?” This combo is also very doable, but it does depend on the person. Some people are great team contributors but are not good Scrum Masters.
A similar thing happens when the best performer gets promoted to manager but isn’t a good fit because managing is a totally different kind of work. Often, people suggest the type A personality to be the Scrum Master because they assume the scrum master is Scrum’s equivalent to a manager.
Let’s be clear. The scrum master is not a manager. Unfortunately, what usually happens here is that person begins to act like the team's boss and not the one serving the team.
So again, combining these two roles can work well if you choose the right person. And this requires understanding the role well enough to know who would be a good fit.
Related Guides
Being a Product Owner and part of the Development Team
I held this combination of roles for about a year. It wasn’t always easy, but it had its benefits for the team. I enjoyed being a part of shaping the whole and getting and doing the creative work.
The most significant advantage of this combo is that it produces a high level of shared understanding between the stakeholders and the team. The product owner is responsible for synthesizing all the stakeholder desires into a set of features in the backlog. In a typical team, the product owner attends the daily scrum meeting as the team prioritizes and plans the next day of work. They learn how progress is going and add any clarity needed for the product. When you’re on the team, doing the work, you have a deeper understanding of how the product is being built.
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. This tension is helped if the team adjusts 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 development team and the product owner.
Leaning Scrum for the first time can be a bit overwhelming. There are many new terms and concepts in Scrum.
Well we’re here to help.
Learning the Scrum Roles
As new people take on any of these roles, especially when they take on multiple new positions, they will need coaching. An Agile Coach can be a critical resource to organizations learning to implement Scrum. They can help identify the right kind of people for roles, and they can train and coach them and help the organization understand the best practices for supporting these new roles and teams.
Related Guides
Action Plan
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 30-minute coaching session, and we can work together to identify a good next step for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Scrum roles
What are the roles in scrum?
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?
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?
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?
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.
Product owner
What is a product owner?
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?
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 role
What is a scrum master?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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 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?
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?
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?
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?
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 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 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?
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.
