Team Agreements: the ground rules for successful collaboration

A Scrum Master is not the manager who dictates what everyone should do. Instead, the Scrum Master creates an environment where the team can excel on its own. Team agreements are an essential part of this. They lay the foundation for how you interact with each other, which communication channels you use, and how you pursue common goals. At Spark Academy, we see that clear agreements, supported by the team, foster a culture of mutual trust and respect.

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Why are team agreements so important?

In an Agile environment, everything revolves around collaboration and open communication. When agreements are not explicit, misunderstandings can arise regarding responsibilities, goals, or working methods. By jointly making agreements on, for example, core values, decision-making procedures, and feedback moments, you provide the team with a clear framework. This creates more trust and clarity, which improves team dynamics and results.

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Making Agreements as a Scrum Master

As a Scrum Master, you facilitate this process, but you don't single-handedly determine the content of the agreements. Consider:

• Organizing a (workshop) session to discuss this.
• Using creative methods (such as mind mapping or an open fishbowl) to discover what team members find important.
• Developing concrete agreements and documenting them in a central location, such as a ‘Team Charter’ or in a digital channel.

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Examples of team agreements

Communication: Which tools do we use (Slack, email, face-to-face)? How quickly do we respond to messages?

Time and attendance: What time and how often do we hold the Daily Scrum, and what do we do if someone is late or absent?

Feedback culture: How do we address each other regarding behavior or results? How do we ensure feedback remains constructive and safe?

Process: What process do we follow for code reviews, test scenarios, or delivering documentation?

Decisions: How do we make decisions as a team, and who is responsible for what?

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Keeping Team Agreements Current

Once these ground rules are established, it's not 'done'. Situations change, people come and go, and team dynamics evolve. That's why it's wise to regularly evaluate these agreements, for example, during a Retrospective. The Scrum Master can then ask: “Are these rules still working? Are new agreements needed, or are old ones no longer relevant?”

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Team agreements form the foundation of a well-functioning Scrum team. As a Scrum Master, you facilitate the process where the team collaboratively establishes and maintains these ground rules. This not only strengthens collaboration but also interpersonal relationships and the speed at which the team can deliver value. With clear agreements, everyone knows what is expected of them, creating space for true self-organization and growth.

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