Scrum master and scrum team member

[Tom Castonzo]

We are moving to Scrum and I would like to be the Scrum master but I am also on the development team. What I read about Scrum suggests these roles should be handled by different people.

Is there anyone out there doing both? How is it working for you?

[Luca Miceli · Accepted solution]

Hi Tom,

the important think is that scrum master have the right amount of time to do better it's role:

• protect the team
• remove the impediments
• control that the Agile Scrum process is followed in the right way

In all agile implementation I took part, Scrum Master was also involved in development process for a part of time, directly or indirectly. Checking that the team is on the right track, he sometimes actively help them to solve very difficult problems. He is committed in pair programming tasks sometimes, or he can decide to take a task from the sprint board if he has available time.

[john.pfotzer@verizonwireless.com]

I haven't done both, however, as a JIRA admin I have worked with our scrum masters. The best scrum masters are those who WANT to be one. I believe with your experience in the development role you will bring experience and great insight to the role. Go to youtube and search for scrum master and watch what the role is. Mostly, if you are good with people and have good communication skills you will do great!!! go for it!

[Jaime S]

Hi, Tom.

I don't know what the Agile good practices say about being Scrum master and developer, but as far as JIRA Agile goes, you should be able to have both roles. 

[Malka]

Any follow up? How's it working out? 

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

I've been in teams where it it's been like that, and it can work. The place I'm thinking of had a scrum-master/developer who was very clear about which role he was in when he was speaking, and the planning and retrospectives were quite complex at times as he had to switch between them, but it did work.