Agile is one of the most sought-after project management methodologies, especially regarding software development. It allows you to divide the project into smaller segments ( sprints ) and have your team members handle each with precision. The Agile methodology ensures seamless collaboration and prepares you to tackle unforeseen circumstances throughout your project’s course.

To understand Agile, it is important to understand the different Agile roles and responsibilities in a team. Being highly collaborative in nature, Agile requires you to assign dedicated roles and responsibilities to different team members. Members with different roles come together and bring an Agile project to fruition. Each of the Agile roles is performed keeping in mind the principles of self-organization.

Here are some of the most important Agile roles and responsibilities in a team that take your project forward:

Product Owners

These are the professionals responsible for managing the product roadmap and prioritizing the backlog to be covered. They define the core product vision and shoulder the responsibility of managing different stakeholders. They have the authority to make important decisions and ensure that all team members are working on the right project items.

A product owner should be able to communicate effectively with all stakeholders to explain their vision and monitor the team’s progress. They also need to understand what the end users/customers want, communicating their needs to the team members as they work on the Agile project.

Product owners often link the technical/engineering and business teams. They also provide personalized and valuable insights to the marketing and sales teams to achieve common project goals.

Developers

As the name suggests, developers are responsible for developing your product. Depending on your project’s requirements, you may have one or more developers on your team. If you are working on a software development project, you need software developers trained in suitable languages and frameworks.

Developers are responsible for identifying the end user’s needs, designing the product, developing it, and testing it based on the standards set during the planning stage. Some developers provide support and maintenance services after the product is developed and deployed. Developers are required to stick to the project timeline while working in different sprints.

Moreover, developers need to stay in sync with the latest tech trends in the industry while working on Agile projects. This helps you stay relevant and build products that match the industry standards.

Scrum Masters

Scrum is an Agile methodology focusing on experience, experimentation, and observation. It stresses the importance of teamwork, iterative development, and accountability at all project stages. This lets you and your team move towards common project goals.

Scrum masters are the professionals that overlook the application of the scrum methodology within your organization. They act as coaches and managers to ensure that each sprint is performed effectively. They are responsible for holding daily meetings and ensuring seamless sprint planning while keeping the team focused. They also manage sprint reviews, seek feedback, and analyze the same to eliminate roadblocks hampering the project’s progress.

Team Leaders

It is common to confuse Scrum masters with team leaders. While a Scrum master is responsible for managing the application of the Scrum methodology, team leaders overlook the Kanban methodology.

Kanban is an Agile methodology that focuses on real-time communication and complete transparency. It involves visually representing work items on a dedicated Kanban board. This allows all team members to keep track of the project’s status at any point in time.

Team leaders ensure that their teams follow the Agile methodology throughout the project. They also facilitate effective communication within the group to share important ideas, strategies, and courses of action. Kanban team leaders choose the right Kanban tools suited for the project.

Stakeholders

Simply put, stakeholders are people having a vested interest in the project. They may belong to your internal team or be external to your organization. Internal stakeholders are responsible for developing your product and performing business processes important to achieve your inherent goals. These professionals include developers, team leaders, managers, and everyone working within an organization.

On the other hand, external stakeholders often influence your project without working within your organization. These stakeholders include suppliers, customers, partners, investors, and everyone who doesn’t work within your organization.

Stakeholders are considered important Agile roles as they impact your project (direct or indirect). From making important decisions to navigating through crises, stakeholders help keep your Agile project on track.

Integrators

Integrators are professionals managing larger Agile projects. They are responsible for handling projects with multiple teams and sections. As the name suggests, an integrator integrates different aspects of your projects, ensuring everyone is on the same page.

These Agile roles are applicable only in larger projects where multiple teams work together to build complicated products.

Independent Testers And Auditors

Again, these are Agile roles best suited for larger and more complicated projects. Independent testers and auditors are responsible for overlooking the functioning of your teams and identifying mistakes therein. Just like financial auditors assess your financial statements and software testers test your software applications, these professionals assess your Agile projects and ensure that they are performed effectively.

Bringing independent testers and auditors together enhances your product testing stage. They ensure that the product you develop meets the industry standards and is in sync with your initial project plan. They troubleshoot all minor and major issues, keeping your project on track.

Architects

Architects are the professionals responsible for ensuring that any solution throughout your Agile project works within your enterprise structure’s context. They assess the feasibility of solutions before they are implemented, making sure the end users get what they asked for.

The Final Word

These were some of the essential Agile roles and responsibilities in a team. While working on a project, always ensure that clearly defined roles are allotted to suitable team members. This helps you eliminate bottlenecks and bring your project to fruition in the best way possible.

Originally published at https://blog.ones.com on January 18, 2023.