A Scrum Master is still officially called a Scrum Master. While their fundamental title remains unchanged within the Agile Scrum framework, they are often described or referred to by another term that highlights a core aspect of their unique responsibilities.
The Enduring Role of a Scrum Master
The official designation for this critical role in agile project management has not changed. A Scrum Master is the facilitator for an agile development team, responsible for upholding the Scrum framework, guiding the team, and ensuring that Scrum principles and practices are followed. Their primary goal is to help the team perform at its highest level.
"Servant Leader": A Key Description, Not a New Title
You will frequently hear the Scrum Master referred to as a "servant leader". This term is not a new official title but rather a description of the strong, supportive, and facilitative leadership style they embody.
The concept of a servant leader emphasizes:
- Focus on the Team: The Scrum Master's primary focus is on serving the development team and the Product Owner.
- Removing Impediments: They work to clear obstacles and impediments that hinder the team's progress.
- Coaching and Mentoring: They coach the team in self-organization and cross-functionality, ensuring they understand Scrum values, principles, and practices.
- Facilitating Collaboration: They facilitate Scrum events (like the Daily Scrum, Sprint Planning, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective) and help foster a collaborative environment.
This leadership approach differentiates them from traditional project managers who typically focus on directing and controlling.
Core Member of the Scrum Team
The Scrum Master is one of the three foundational roles within a Scrum Team, working in close collaboration with the other two roles to deliver value.
The three roles on a Scrum team are:
- Scrum Master: Responsible for ensuring Scrum is understood and enacted, removing impediments, and serving the team and organization.
- Product Owner: Accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Development Team.
- Development Team: Composed of professionals who do the work of delivering a potentially releasable Increment of "Done" product at the end of each Sprint.
Understanding the Role Dynamics
The table below summarizes the official title versus a common descriptive term for the Scrum Master:
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Official Title | Scrum Master |
| Common Descriptor | Servant Leader |
For a deeper dive into the distinctions between these roles and more, resources like Scrum Master vs. Project Manager: Differences Explained from Coursera provide comprehensive insights into the Scrum framework.
