Distributed Scrum Teams can be a challenge on many different levels. In the past, I’ve attempted to explain this by deep diving into all of their idiosyncrasies while citing Jeff Sutherland’s excellent White Paper on the issue. I’d then draw communication diagrams and illustrate how bi-directional, high bandwidth communication is important instead of using uni-directional, low bandwidth channels. Next I would stress how discipline and not protocol is the key to success. (and so on…)

Today, many of the distributed scrum scenarios include U.S & Indian team members. I’ve decided to take a step back and explain this adventure in very simple terms that any Scrum Master can easily relate.

A typical, Collocated Scrum Team begins their Daily Stand Up with the following:

What did you do yesterday?
What will you do today?
What is blocking progress?

Simple enough right? You are all face to face, and within 15 minutes should be wrapped up and back to work. The Scrum Master may follow it up with a Daily Sit Down to learn more about the impediments, but all-in-all it should be collaborative and efficient.

In contrast, a Distributed Scrum Team that includes U.S & Indian team members is now at least 9 1/2 hours apart. Your early morning Stand Up will instead begin with the following questions:

What did you do today?
What will you do tomorrow?
What is blocking progress?

Can you feel the efficiency and collaboration begin to seep out of the process with that subtle shift from today to tomorrow?

Forget the high tech video conferencing and online agile software for a moment, and try to wrap your head around the impacts of your Daily Stand Up agenda.

Do you mind keeping your team members from their families as you sit down and try to better understand the impediments?

Are you able to remove those impediments while half of your team is asleep?

I’d suggest that all aspiring Distributed Scrum Masters understand those questions before deep diving into white papers or focusing on the tools and technology.