Article

Scrum of Scrums (SoS) remains one of the oldest and, at the same time, widely used techniques in Agile.

Origin

The Scrum of Scrums technique was first applied in 1996 by Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schwaber, pioneers of the Scrum methodology. Later, in 2001, Jeff Sutherland described Scrum of Scrums in his article “Agile Can Scale: Inventing and Reinventing Scrum in Five Companies”:

Scrum of Scrums, as I’ve used it, is responsible for delivering working software of all teams in accordance with the Definition of Done by the end of the sprint or by the release during the sprint.

Purpose

Scrum of Scrums (also known as Meta Scrum) is a scalable Agile technique used to integrate the actions of multiple Scrum teams working on one project. SoS helps teams interact with each other, integrate the results of their work, and coordinate their actions to achieve a common goal. This is particularly crucial in projects with dependencies and/or where the sequence of work is essential.

Scrum of Scrums Meetings

In regular Scrum of Scrums meetings, representatives from different Scrum teams are present, usually the Product Owner or Scrum Master. The discussions cover work status, dependencies, obstacles, and issues related to synchronization and coordination.

Advantages of Scrum of Scrums

Scrum of Scrums has many advantages, including collaboration, information exchange, problem-solving, and more. Here are additional benefits of Scrum of Scrums:

Inter-team collaboration

Dissemination of information across Scrum teams through their representatives

Alignment of teams that have deviated from the course

Creating a platform for issue resolution

Application of Scrum of Scrums

Organizations typically use Scrum of Scrums as a technique when working on large projects and complex products. This technique is commonly employed as part of scalable Agile framewor

Do you know what Poka-Yoke is? It is one of the most effective methods of work standardization that can be used in any organization.

Lean Management adopted various principles and methods that originated as part of the Lean Manufacturing methodology, and Poka-Yoke became one of the most effective methods of work standardization, applicable in any sphere of production or services.

The idea used in this method, the prevention of errors and defects, is very versatile and has proven its effectiveness.

Meaning and Origin of Poka-Yoke

The term Poka-Yoke (ポカヨケ, poh-kah yoh-keh) was coined in Japan in the 1960s by Toyota industrial engineer Shigeo Shingo. Shingo also developed and formalized Zero Quality Control, a combination of Poka-Yoke methods to rectify potential defects and check the source to prevent defects.

Initially, the term was pronounced as “baka-yoke,” meaning “protection against foolishness,” but it was later changed due to offensive connotations. Poka-Yoke now means “error-proofing” or, more literally, the prevention (yokeru) of unintended errors (poka).

Poka-Yoke ensures that the correct conditions exist before performing a step in any process, primarily preventing the occurrence of defects. Where this is not possible, Poka-Yoke serves a detective function, eliminating defects at the earliest stage of the process.

Poka-Yoke is any mechanism in a lean production process that helps avoid mistakes. Its goal is to eliminate product defects by preventing, correcting, or drawing attention to human errors as they occur.

Examples of Poka-Yoke Application

In a broader sense, this is also a constraint defining behavior, like a step in a process that prevents incorrect work.

One of the most common examples is a driver of a manual transmission car having to press the clutch pedal (a process step – Poka-Yoke) before starting the engine. The interlock prevents unintended movement of the car.

Another example is an automatic transmission car with a selector that requires the car to be in “Park” or “Neutral” before starting.

They act as constraints defining behavior because there are actions that must be performed before the car is allowed to move. Over time, the driver’s behavior adapts to the requirements through repetition and habit.

Other examples can be found in childproof electrical outlets or a washing machine that won’t start unless the door is properly closed to prevent water leakage. These types of automations do not allow errors or incorrect operation from the very beginning.

In Summary

The Poka-Yoke technique is one of the most valuable gems in the crown of Lean Management. It is a way to ensure quality without the actual quality assurance process, primarily aimed at preventing defects.

Poka-Yoke can be implemented in any industry and has numerous advantages, the most important of which are:

– Helps get it right the first time
– Over time, makes errors impossible
– It is cost-effective

Errors are normal; just don’t repeat the same mistake again and again. To avoid repeating the same mistakes, specific checks or procedures need to be implemented, and that’s where Poka-Yoke techniques come in.

Voice of the Customer (VoC) is a method of researching the expectations and needs of users. Companies use it to understand customer needs for products and services. This process covers everything that users say and write about the business and helps bridge the gap between expectations and the actual experience of interacting with the company.

An organization “can hear many voices” (customer, business, employees, process), but it is the voice of the customer (VoC) that is the driving force regarding what should be important to the organization and what the organization should focus on. While satisfaction with VoC needs to be balanced with the voice of the business, process, and employee, it remains the dominant voice.

First, let’s define what a customer is. A customer can be defined as an individual, organization, or entity that is a direct recipient of the production (product or service) produced by your organization. Sometimes the term stakeholder is used as a type of customer, but in reality, they are rarely direct recipients (although they are “interested” in the well-being of your organization).

An external customer directly receives your production and is the main source of your income. An internal customer is a specific department or employee in your organization who will receive your work or the work of your department. Usually, they do not pay you for your work product or services.

Now that you understand the definition of a customer, what is the voice of the customer? The voice of the customer is a structured process of directly requesting and collecting specifically stated needs, desires, expectations, and customer experience regarding the products and/or services you have provided to them.

Customer needs can usually be classified as related to quality, cost, safety, service, and delivery, and today, more and more, with social responsibility. Meeting these needs should drive the organization. The challenge is how the organization collects and synthesizes all the voices, many of which may contradict each other.

There are several sources that the organization can use when collecting VoC, including:

Direct observations

Surveys

Interviews

Focus groups

Complaints

Customer support representatives

Sales department representatives

Information collected within the organization

Industry data

Until the organization and the customer together determine what is truly important, the organization may deliver products and services that do not provide the value the customer wants and needs.

Despite the fact that the first version of the Scrum Guide was formulated in 2010, ideas of such a flexible approach were applied long before this date. And like around anything “old” and “unclear,” various myths circulate around Scrum as well. Let’s list just some of them:

Sprint Review is just a Demo

You can only release at the end of the Sprint

Scrum Master is the technical leader of the team

The maximum size of a Scrum team is 7… or 9… or 10… people

There is no planning in Scrum

Working with Scrum will make your team work faster

The role of Scrum Master is a full-time position

Everyone must stand during the Daily Scrum

You have to choose between Scrum or Kanban

Working with Scrum automatically makes you “Agile”

Because Agile and Scrum are the same thing

You need to start the project with a Zero Sprint (Sprint Zero)

**How to Conduct Remote Retrospectives and Enjoy the Process**

Let’s face it: Agile was not created for distributed teams. Early Agile teams were mostly co-located, mainly because video conferencing, chat, and other technologies that make remote work possible were primitive and clumsy at that time. Nowadays, with so many people working remotely, gathering a team in one room is unrealistic. However, this doesn’t mean that remote retrospectives are impossible; they are just a bit different.

Moreover, regular retrospectives are particularly important for distributed teams. Without everyday chatter by the coffee machine and lunchtime conversations that typically happen in the office environment, problems affecting team productivity and morale might go unnoticed until they become severe. Retrospectives are a tried-and-tested way to address these issues.

**What is a Remote Retrospective?**

A remote retrospective is simply a remote variation of the classic Agile retrospective (or “sprint retrospective” in Scrum terminology). Using video conferencing, team members reflect on what is working well and what isn’t, and then, with this in mind, determine how they can improve the situation. It’s classic continuous improvement: duplicate successes and learn from failures.

Don’t forget about team cohesion. While retrospectives are not “team-building” per se, finding solutions to problems you face together and celebrating your victories does help team members bond.

**How to Conduct a Remote Retrospective with Your Team**

**Step 1: Create a Atmosphere of Psychological Safety**

For the retrospective to be worth the effort, the entire team must be involved. As challenging as it may seem, for example, due to time zone differences, it is essential to have everyone present because every voice deserves to be heard.

Ensure that everyone is comfortable sharing their opinions without fearing judgment or punishment. While the retrospective should be effective, the goal is not to point fingers but to figure out how the team can get better.

**Step 2: Set the Agenda**

Retrospectives rely on a sense of interconnectedness and collaboration among team members, but this is often lost in a distributed environment. To address this, use Zoom or a similar video conferencing tool, and make sure everyone has their cameras on. Remember that face-to-face communication is the most practical and effective way to exchange information both within and outside the team. We communicate more efficiently when we can see each other’s faces, and since retrospective discussions can sometimes become intense, maximum team engagement is needed.

Why not experiment with virtual backgrounds on Zoom? You can even choose a session theme: colors, places you want to visit, favorite movies, etc. If virtual backgrounds aren’t popular with your team, you can try other methods:

– Ask everyone to wear their favorite hat during the conversation.
– If you use a format involving individual brainstorming, take turns choosing music for background playback during that time.
– Open the retro with a short icebreaker. Even a mundane question like “What did you have for lunch today?” can elicit a smile and make team members feel more connected.
– People might turn off their microphones when not speaking to reduce background noise. Still, encourage (or require) everyone to turn on their cameras to maintain a high level of interaction and facilitate closer communication.

You will also need to record all the ideas you share. In the office, boards are usually used for this purpose, but in a virtual retrospective, you’ll need some digital equivalent. Miro, Jira or Confluence plugins, Trello, or Mural are good options.

As for the agenda, there are many retrospective variations, but the basic format is: what went well, what didn’t go well, and what changes we’ll make in our work. However, any format gets old after a while, so don’t forget to change it. Be inventive and surprise your team. And don’t forget to ask for feedback afterward. You could even have a retrospective of your retrospectives once a year!