Scrum Breakfast: Team Building and the Daily Scrum

Todays Scrum Breakfast set a new record for attendance both on site and on the webinar: 28 registered on site, 19 registered for the webinar and unfortunately some people who wanted to come had to consoled with the webinar, because there just wasn't enough room.

Was it because of the speaker, the interesting topic, or being anchored into the largest IT assocation in Switzerland? Surely a combination of all of the above!

Hans-Peter Korn led us through an interesting discussion about how teams form - under the right circumstances, they do it themselves, but you can't make them do it!

Most provocative was his proposal to modify the 3 questions of the daily Scrum:

1. What did I finish since yesterday's meeting?
2. What was particularly helpful?
3. What will I finish by the next meeting?
4. What do I need in addition or differently to accomplish that goal?
5. When was that help available previously?

Question 2 reminds me of an appreciative retrospective and I can see how some daily stroking of the other team members could be a good thing. Question 4 is a much more open and positive formulation of the of the tradtional 'what's is getting the way' (impediment) question. I actually think this might get better answers. If I had to pick just one to try, that would be it.

Thank you Hans-Peter, for an interesting and provocative discussion.

Materials

A short version of the presentation is available for download. More information is available from www.korn.ch. Pictures are available on flickr (Thank you Marcello for finding a camera and taking the pics!)

Next Event - Mark you calendars!

Dana Stoll, former IT Manager at web.de will talk about Agile Methods and  Crisis Management in IT. Wednesday, March 4, 8.00 to 10.00 (with Lean Agile Scrum meeting from 10.30 to 12.00). Mark your calendars - as soon as the event is online at SwissICT, I will publish the announcement.