Proposed Open Space for Apprentice-SM-Mentor issues

 

 

 

Please feel free to improve. I guess if you want a TOTAL re-write, that would go on a different page.

Just comments? Then go to the bottom.

 

I think we need to address the following questions. My main concern now is NOT the details (much less the answers), but just...what is our scope. Maybe this is too much scope (product backlog?).

 

I feel pretty strongly that most of these questions (or issues) are inter-linked. And the rough order in which we address these topics can greatly assist in more effective work.

 

THE SM

1. What is an SM in the company? (not including the Mentor role) Differences between internal and external SMs? (Other than the Mentor role, typically.) What does an SM do in the company? Why is it a job anyone would want? How important is it? (eg, some want to marginalize the role.) What are its limits? Typically how much time does an SM need to fulfill SM responsibilities?

 

(Aside: This last one might seem dumb, but I think some people are seeing: 15 mins for standups per day, 4 hours for IPM, 4 hours prep time, 2 hours for "talking/coaching", DONE! Over a 2 week sprint. Plenty of time to do lots of other roles as well!!)

 

1b. How crisp is the SM "brand"? Or do we have "types" of SMs? (eg, SMs that were never trained to be able to do the same types of projects as other SMs) Are all SMs supposed to be able to take a new (to them) Team, a new PO, a new project, a new (to them) business area, and start and complete a successful project? (Hey, I couldn't make this stuff up!)

 

2. In the company, how is an SM different than (or similar to) other roles, such as PM? (This is hard, because using vague words will be mis-understood by current PMs.)

 

2b. What happens to internal SMs (once they become one)? Full-time SM? Part-time? Do they (dotted-line??) report to an "agile champion" or someone else? What happens to their former role?

 

2c. What's the framework in which an SM does/will work? Who "owns" project delivery or project success? (The Team? the SM? The PM? The PO? The "IT lead"? All of the above?) What authority or power (if any) does an (internal) SM have? If a PM has X authority, and that person also plays SM, how does that work?

 

3. What are the "probable" characteristics for an apprentice ( someone who is likely to be a good SM)?

 

3b. What does a good SM "look like"? What would a bad SM "look like"? (Getting pretty near our conditions of satisfaction here, I think.)

 

APPRENTICES

4. How should we identify apprentices? How much observation time before selection (for both sides)? Who chooses exactly?

 

5. What are the prerequisites for starting an apprenticeship? (Just, you start once you take the CSM course?)

 

5b. How are apprentice and Mentor married up? (Maybe this comes earlier?) (For an Albuquerque divorce lawyer, see below.)

 

6. What are all the things that should happen / are likely to happen before you graduate to SM? Not just the gates, but also a fair insight into the full process, effort, range of timeframes.

 

6b. What kinds of training situations (projects) should apprentices be put in (or not put in)? Are there situations that would distort their training? How do we know they understand the variability of Agile?

 

6c. Will existing apprentices be "grandfathered" on any "new" requirements? Or what exactly?

 

THE MENTOR

7. What is the role of the Mentor in this? Does this Mentor have a circle of apprentices (perhaps also including other SMs)? Etc. etc. Where does the mentor role end and other roles/people come into play? What power or authority (if any) does the Mentor have?

 

8. If the Mentor does not have "full control" (whatever that means), how will success as a Mentor be evaluated?

 

OTHER

9. What is the (soft) exit path for some apprentices (as in "I don't want to do this anymore")? What's the "re-assign" path if an apprentice and Mentor are not working well together? (Oh yeah! Two easy ones. Not.)

 

10. Do we WANT to have flavors of SM across the different business areas? Or aim for more consistency?

 

11. What is the role of a manager who calls himself an "agile champion" in all this? (Hey, I think I can answer this one!)

 

 

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GOALS / VISION

 

Maybe should have started here. (Do you think?)

 

1. A set of clear definitions, that existing Mentors & SMs understand. That potential or existing apprentices understand. That the Agile Champions understand. (And other roles can understand.)

 

2. An approach... that we believe will support developing X apprentices at Y quality level of SM within Z timeframe (roughly). Across multiple business areas.

 

3. ... That is workable within the framework of "first, deliver good projects now".

 

 

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