We often are asked about the roles of Project Manager and Scrum Master for Agile projects. Are they both needed? What are the boundaries? Should they be combined?

So, last month Equinox IT Principal Consultant Carl Weller deliver the 'Agile leadership roles - let's clear up the confusion between PM & Scrum Master' presentation twice for some of our clients. Carl identified that there can be a role for both Project Managers and Scrum Masters on many Agile initiatives...

Equinox IT has appointed David Reiss to the position of General Manager, Cloud and Auckland.

One of the problems we hear a lot is "it is difficult to get business involvement in our IT project". While this is a problem for any project it is particularly difficult for Agile projects that rely on a fast cycle feedback loops with the business to prioritise work and ensure the project delivers maximum value to the business. Having insufficient business involvement in an Agile project erodes all four core Agile values - individuals and interactions, working software, customer collaboration and responding to change.

A couple of weeks ago we hosted a fascinating executive event where Simon Bennett presented on 'Why the Responsibility Process® is the key to succeeding with Agile'. He concluded that when organisations adopt Agile, either top down or bottom up, it often doesn't work because it is an 'outside in' approach of people trying to control other people. The alternative is 'inside out' where people change themselves. Simon positioned the Responsibility Process as an 'inside out' approach for achieving Agile with responsible individuals having responsible interactions.

Agile projects can often be like a first dance lesson where everyone is treading on each other's toes. We often are asked at Equinox IT about the roles of Project Manager and Scrum Master for Agile projects. Are they both needed? What are the boundaries? Should they be combined?