Agile Coaching vs Being a Certified Scrum Master: Which Is Better?
What does an Agile coach do? How about a certified Scrum master? Can you be both? Let’s talk about the differences between Agile coaching and being a certified Scrum master to know which role suits you best.
Business owners and project managers are hearing the phrase “agile coaching” more often as this effective approach transforms productivity for many small-teams-based companies.
But it’s important to note that Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches, while related, aren’t the same thing.
Discover the difference below to better determine which kind of expert your business needs.
Scrum vs. Agile: What’s the Difference?
The terms “Scrum” and “Agile” may seem interchangeable but in reality, the two terms define various parts of a formula for efficient .
The best way to describe the two is this: Scrum refers to a specific framework for a unique style of process management. More specifically, it illustrates the steps that break down a large software development project into various, smaller portions called “sprints”.
Scrum remains on a more intimate level than Agile, as it’s utilized specifically by the project manager, the software development team, and the client.
Agile is much broader in nature. It encompasses multiple processes, including Scrum, in order to assist with multiple facets of software development and business operations.
Discerning Agile Coaching from a Scrum Master’s Role
So if Scrum is a facet of Agile, why do you have both Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches? What does each of them do that makes it necessary to have two types of professionals?
A Scrum Master‘s role aligns with that of a project manager. He or she will work directly with a single or handful of teams in order to facilitate a project’s movement through the pipeline.
This includes mediating communication between the team, the business owners, and the client.
An Agile Coach works with multiple teams within a company, and on a much higher level. Typically, they work more closely with management or Scrum Masters than they do with the teams themselves.
As an Agile Coach, your responsibility is to make sure all the moving parts of the company are working cohesively together. He or she will then make decisions based on his or her observations, including changes to processes or reward programs.
When comparing a Scrum Master and an Agile Coach side-by-side, an Agile Coach will almost always be the more experienced of the two. This is necessary because he or she must understand the inner workings of a Scrum Master’s job in order to coach that individual when needed and provide guidance from their elevated position within the company.
So which is better? The truth is that both Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches have their role to play. In order to determine which is best for your business, you need to identify which role offers a solution to your needs.
While these two roles may see overlaps, you will find that an Agile Coach is more beneficial for overseeing the overall operation of your company process while Scrum Masters will tend specifically to individual teams.
In some cases, businesses may benefit from having both.
Discover More Tips and Resources for Your Business Processes
Agile coaching, though beneficial, isn’t the only thing your company needs to succeed. Dig into a wealth of helpful resources and tips via our .
There you will discover various tools to help you succeed, including forms and templates as well as articles geared toward training and legal advice.
