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Lack of transparency and collaboration can be detrimental to an organization. There needs to be a culture of transparency, collaboration and openness. This is the second article in the series of 5 articles on Scrum Values about openness.

Besides the practices, the Scrum Framework is built on five core values. These values play a critical role in the success of Scrum Teams and organizations, especially transforming the mindset from doing Agile to being Agile. The values guide different roles how to think, make decisions, and evolve.

The Scrum Guide mentions five values:

1. Focus

2. Openness

3. Respect

4. Courage

5. Commitment

The Scrum Team members learn and explore those values as they work with the Scrum roles, events, and artifacts.

In the previous article, we discussed about Focus. In this article, let us discuss Openness and what it means to different Scrum roles namely Product Owner, Developers and Scrum Master. Out of five Scrum values, openness is critical to creating a culture of transparency in an organization.

What is openness in Scrum?

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Openness refers to'having no enclosing or confining barrier: accessible on all or nearly all sides'.

Openness, like other Scrum values, works hand in hand to maximize the benefits of Scrum. The idea of openness is about being open of the two key aspects: Progress and Problems.

'Progress is about the product, its current state, process being implemented to develop the product etc.

'Problems are the challenges faced and how they are slowing down the progress.

Openness is crucial as it facilitates teamwork and collaboration. It enables team members to share ideas and opinions without the fear of being left out.

All members in the Scrum Team as well the stakeholders must display openness for the efficient functioning of Scrum. Here's what openness means to different Scrum roles.

Openness" what it means to a Product Owner?

A Product Owner must be open to new ideas, open to changes reflecting the market demand and from various stakeholders within and outside the organization. They should ensure a transparent vision is available to all, and demonstrate its value to the organization, along with making sure the stakeholders are aware of the progress and problems. The Product Owner must also ensure the Product Backlog is available and visible to everyone who has to access it.

On the other hand, a Product Owner should be able to provide and accept honest feedback, even if it is regarding with their failure to deliver as per expectations. They should also build trusting relationships with the Developers, Scrum Master and stakeholders.

Openness“ what it means to a Developers?

The Developers requires openness to share progress, to identify unplanned activities, roadblocks, and discuss plans that worked and those that didn't work too. Additionally, they should be open about accepting their failures and consider them as learning events. Openness also allows the Developers to discover why they failed and how to fix.

A Developers also promotes openness by keeping their Sprint Backlog openly and up to date.

Openness“ what it means to a Scrum Master ?

For the Scrum Master, openness translates to creating a trusting work relationship with the Product Owner, Developers, and stakeholders. They should make sure all the good and bad news are clearly communicated to all the members involved in the project.

The Scrum Master should also ensure the Scrum Team is aware of the events that may impact their work.

The Scrum Master also ensures that impediments are openly discussed, and the latest progress on impediment resolution is known to everyone in the Scrum Team, highlights risks early in the cycle. Remember Fail Fast “ Learn Faster.

Openness“ What it means to Scrum Events and Artifacts?

One of the biggest challenges faced by organizations is that they are aware of the significance of openness, but they find it hard to implement it. In some organizations, being transparent and open is not easy, but a long-term lack of openness can hurt Agile teams and the overall organization.

Here's how Scrum Teams can bring openness to their work.

1. The Developers should be open to change the plan for achieving the Sprint Goal. The Sprint Goal is fixed, but the way the Developers achieves it can be altered.

2. The Product Owner should create a transparent Product Backlog that clearly shows what is planned for the product, their value, priority etc.

3. The Sprint should be limited to 30 days or less. Shorter timebox of a Sprint promotes quicker feedback, hence more openness is cultivated.

4. The Daily Scrum promotes openness of the progress and problems faced by the Developers on a regular basis. This eventually leads to achieve the Sprint Goal, the ongoing progress is known to the necessary people.

5. The Sprint Review should show openness to share progress with the stakeholders and be open to getting their feedback.

6. The Sprint Retrospective should focus on the continuous improvement of the Scrum Team's tools, processes, and interactions. Invite the entire Scrum Team, including the Product Owner to discuss continuous improvement measures openly, and each role's contributions.

Benefits of openness in Scrum

Openness allows team members to ask for help and offer help to each other. This improves collaboration and teamwork, which brings the best out of the team.

Besides, openness also allows team members to share their ideas and suggestions. It makes sure all team members consider themselves as a part of the team and look for ways to contribute. Some benefits of openness in Scrum are:

Ask for help

The value of openness allows team members to ask for help. This is a big deal because new team members may need helping hands during the initial learning curve. If they have doubts or questions, they might hesitate to seek help from other team members. This can impede their personal growth as well as that of the Scrum Team, Product, organization etc. Openness eliminates this barrier.

Offer help

New team members require learning and support. For a team to be self-organizing, the senior members should be willing to help and support new members. Openness in Scrum promotes this culture of helping others.

Transparency in progress

Openness creates transparency in work progress. In ensures the entire Scrum team is aware of the progress, plans, and challenges. Openness also brings transparency to accepting failures. If the team fails to turn the Sprint Backlog into an Increment, they should be transparent to admit it. This is how, one of the pillars of Empiricism "Transparency is brought to life in Scrum.

Support team decisions

When all members of a team are heard, the team decisions turn out to be more informed and unified. Openness in Scrum ensures all team members get a chance to provide their point of view and be a part of team decisions.

Develop great products

Openness in product development leads to great ideas, early feedback within and outside the organizations including early adopters of products and hence great products that creates values for the organizations.

Conclusion

Openness is a Scrum value that promotes a helping and transparent culture in an organization. It ensures all team members are heard, and the team's successes and failures are equally addressed. This leads to the overall success of the organization.