The Scrum Anti-Patterns Guide

Foreword by Dave West xv

Foreword by Janna Bastow xvii

Preface xix

Introduction xxv



Chapter 1. Scrum Master Anti-Patterns 1

Introduction 1

The Scrum Master According to the Scrum Guide 2

Possible Reasons Why Scrum Masters Leave the Path 2

Anti-Patterns from Acting as an Agile (Line) Manager 5

Scrum Master Anti-Patterns by Scrum Events 15

The Sprint Planning 15

The Sprint 17

The Daily Scrum 20

The Retrospective 22

Food for Thought 26

Conclusion 26



Chapter 2. Product Owner Anti-Patterns 29

Introduction 29

The Role of the Product Owner According to the Scrum Guide 30

Product Backlog and Refinement Anti-Patterns 31

Sprint Planning Anti-Patterns 40

Sprint Anti-Patterns 42

Product Owner Anti-Patterns during the Daily Scrum 46

Sprint Review Anti-Patterns 50

Food for Thought 52

Conclusion 52



Chapter 3. Scrum Developer Anti-Patterns 55

Introduction 55

The Role of the Developers in Scrum 56

Developer Anti-Patterns by Scrum Events 56

Sprint Anti-Patterns 56

Sprint Planning Anti-Patterns of the Developers 66

Anti-Patterns during the Daily Scrum 68

Developer Anti-Patterns Concerning the Sprint Review 75

Sprint Retrospective Anti-Patterns of Developers 76

Anti-Patterns at the Product Backlog Level 77

Food for Thought 81

Conclusion 81



Chapter 4. Scrum Stakeholder Anti-Patterns 83

Introduction 83

Common Scrum Stakeholder Anti-Patterns 84

Scrum Stakeholder Anti-Patterns at the Organizational Level 84

Sprint Anti-Patterns of the IT Management 96

Incentivized Scrum Stakeholder Anti-Patterns 98

Stakeholder Anti-Patterns at Scrum Event Level 104

Product Backlog and Refinement Anti-Patterns 105

The Daily Scrum 105

Sprint Planning Anti-Patterns of Stakeholders 106

The Sprint Review 106

The Sprint Retrospective 107

Food for Thought 108

Conclusion 108



Chapter 5. Sprint Anti-Patterns 109

Introduction 109

The Purpose of the Sprint 109

Sprint Anti-Patterns 111

Sprint Anti-Patterns of the Product Owner 111

Sprint Anti-Patterns of the Developers 112

Sprint Anti-Patterns of the Scrum Master 113

Sprint Anti-Patterns of the Scrum Team 113

Sprint Anti-Patterns of the IT Management 118

Sprint Review Anti-Patterns of Stakeholders 121

Food for Thought 123

Conclusion 124



Chapter 6. Sprint Planning Anti-Patterns 125

Introduction 125

Preparing the Sprint Planning 127

Sprint Planning Anti-Patterns 127

Sprint Planning Anti-Patterns of the Developers 127

Sprint Planning Anti-Patterns of the Product Owner 132

Sprint Planning Anti-Patterns of the Scrum Team 134

Sprint Planning Anti-Patterns of the Scrum Master 138

Food for Thought 139

Conclusion 140



Chapter 7. Daily Scrum Anti-Patterns 141

Introduction 141

The Purpose of the Daily Scrum According to the Scrum Guide 142

Daily Scrum Anti-Patterns 143

Daily Scrum Anti-Patterns of the Scrum Team 143

Daily Scrum Anti-Patterns of the Developers 146

Daily Scrum Anti-Patterns of the Product Owner 150

Daily Scrum Anti-Patterns of the Scrum Master 150

Daily Scrum Anti-Patterns of the Stakeholders 151

Food for Thought 154

Conclusion 155



Chapter 8. Sprint Review Anti-Patterns 157

Introduction 157

The Scrum Guide on the Sprint Review 158

Sprint Review Anti-Patterns 159

Sprint Review Anti-Patterns of the Scrum Team 159

Sprint Review Anti-Patterns of the Product Owner 162

Sprint Review Anti-Patterns of the Developers 165

Sprint Review Anti-Patterns of the Stakeholders 167

Food for Thought 174

Conclusion 175



Chapter 9. Sprint Retrospective Anti-Patterns 177

Introduction 177

The Scrum Guide on the Sprint Retrospective 178

Sprint Retrospective Anti-Patterns 179

Sprint Retrospective Anti-Patterns of the Scrum Team 179

Sprint Retrospective Anti-Patterns of the Scrum Master 187

Sprint Retrospective Anti-Patterns of the Organization 191

Food for Thought 194

Conclusion 195



Chapter 10. Product Backlog and Refinement Anti-Patterns 197

Introduction 197

The Product Backlog According to the Scrum Guide 198

Common Product Backlog Anti-Patterns 200

General Product Backlog Anti-Patterns 200

Product Backlog Anti-Patterns of the Product Owner 207

Product Backlog Anti-Patterns of the Developers 209

Product Backlog Anti-Patterns of the Scrum Team 211

Food for Thought 212

Conclusion 213



Chapter 11. Sprint Backlog Anti-Patterns 215

Introduction 215

Sprint Backlog Anti-Patterns 216

Sprint Backlog Anti-Patterns of the Scrum Team 217

Sprint Backlog Anti-Patterns of the Developers 220

Sprint Backlog Anti-Patterns of the Product Owner 225

Food for Thought 228

Conclusion 228



Chapter 12. Increment Anti-Patterns 229

Introduction 229

The Purpose of the Increment According to the Scrum Guide 230

Increment Anti-Patterns 231

Increment Anti-Patterns by the Scrum Team 231

Increment Anti-Patterns of the Stakeholders or the Organization 240

Food for Thought 242

Conclusion 242



Chapter 13. Product Goal Anti-Patterns 245

Introduction 245

The Purpose of the Product Goal According to the Scrum Guide 246

Product Goal Anti-Patterns 247

Product Goal Anti-Patterns of the Product Owner 247

Product Goal Anti-Patterns of the Scrum Team 251

Product Goal Anti-Patterns of the Organization 254

Food for Thought 257

Conclusion 257



Chapter 14. Sprint Goal Anti-Patterns 259

Introduction 259

How to Create Sprint Goals 260

Sprint Goal Anti-Patterns 261

Sprint Goal Anti-Patterns of the Scrum Team 262

Sprint Goal Anti-Patterns Induced by the Organization 267

Sprint Goal Anti-Patterns by the Developers 269

Sprint Goal Anti-Patterns by the Product Owner 271

Food for Thought 272

Conclusion 272



Chapter 15. Definition of Done Anti-Patterns 273

Introduction 273

Creating a Successful Definition of Done 275

Definition of Done Anti-Patterns 277

Definition of Done Anti-Patterns of the Developers 278

Definition of Done Anti-Patterns of the Scrum Team 281

Definition of Done Anti-Patterns of the Organization 289

Definition of Done Anti-Patterns of the Product Owner 290

Food for Thought 291

Conclusion 291



Appendix A. How to Sabotage Scrum Masters and Product Owners at an Organizational Level 293



Appendix B. Toolbox 305



Index 369