Effective facilitation is the secret ingredient for successful Scrum Teams. This "Mastering the Art: Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills (PSF) Training Course" is designed to transform you from a meeting participant into a skilled and confident facilitator. Over 10 days, you will learn the critical skills to guide teams through the complex dynamics of Scrum events, ensuring that every session is productive, engaging, and achieves its intended outcome. This course goes beyond theory to provide practical techniques for handling conflict, fostering collaboration, and creating a safe environment where teams can openly inspect and adapt their work.

Through a blend of hands-on exercises, simulations, and real-world case studies, you will gain the expertise to elevate your team's performance. You will master the art of asking powerful questions, actively listening, and using visual tools to unlock a team's potential. This program will empower you to lead every Scrum event—from the Daily Scrum to the Sprint Retrospective—with purpose and clarity, enabling your team to self-organize, innovate, and deliver high-quality products more efficiently than ever before.

Duration: 10 days

Target Audience:

• Scrum Masters
• Agile Coaches
• Team Leads
• Project Managers
• Product Owners
• Business Analysts
• Organizational Leaders
• Anyone involved in leading Scrum events
• Team members seeking to improve collaboration
• Individuals preparing for the Professional Scrum Master certification

Objectives:

• Understand the mindset and principles of a professional facilitator
• Master techniques for facilitating all Scrum events
• Learn to handle conflict and navigate difficult conversations
• Develop skills to foster collaboration and team autonomy
• Use visual tools and techniques for effective communication
• Create a safe and inclusive environment for team interaction
• Master the art of asking powerful and open-ended questions
• Learn to manage time and keep meetings on track
• Help teams inspect and adapt their processes
• Understand the nuances of facilitating distributed teams

Course Modules:

Module 1: Foundations of Professional Facilitation

• What is professional facilitation?
• The role of the facilitator vs. the leader
• Core principles and mindset of a great facilitator
• The importance of impartiality and neutrality
• Building trust and rapport with the team

Module 2: Facilitating the Sprint Planning Event

• Understanding the purpose of Sprint Planning
• Techniques for helping the team define a Sprint Goal
• Guiding the team through backlog refinement
• Facilitating the creation of the Sprint Backlog
• Handling common challenges in Sprint Planning

Module 3: Facilitating the Daily Scrum

• The importance of the Daily Scrum as a team-owned event
• Techniques for keeping the Daily Scrum focused and efficient
• The role of the facilitator in resolving impediments
• Fostering a culture of accountability and transparency
• Visual techniques for tracking progress

Module 4: Facilitating the Sprint Review

• Understanding the purpose and format of the Sprint Review
• Techniques for preparing the team and stakeholders
• Guiding the team in demonstrating the Increment
• Facilitating effective feedback and discussion
• Handling difficult conversations with stakeholders

Module 5: Facilitating the Sprint Retrospective

• The importance of the Sprint Retrospective for continuous improvement
• Setting the stage and creating a safe environment
• Techniques for gathering data and generating insights
• Guiding the team in creating an action plan
• The role of the facilitator in driving change

Module 6: Handling Difficult Situations

• Techniques for managing conflict and disagreement
• Handling disengaged or silent participants
• Addressing team members who dominate conversations
• Dealing with resistance to change
• The importance of self-awareness and emotional intelligence

Module 7: The Art of Asking Questions

• The power of open-ended and powerful questions
• Using questions to stimulate critical thinking
• Techniques for questioning assumptions
• Guiding the team to find their own solutions
• The importance of silence and allowing space for thought

Module 8: Visual Facilitation and Tools

• The value of visual communication in Scrum
• Using whiteboards, sticky notes, and drawing
• Techniques for creating visual models and diagrams
• An overview of digital collaboration tools
• The importance of a visual backlog

Module 9: Fostering Team Collaboration

• Building a high-performing, self-organizing team
• Techniques for encouraging participation and engagement
• The importance of a shared understanding
• Facilitating cross-functional collaboration
• The role of the facilitator in building psychological safety

Module 10: Facilitating Distributed Teams

• The unique challenges of facilitating virtual meetings
• Techniques for keeping remote teams engaged
• Using technology to enable collaboration
• Best practices for asynchronous communication
• Overcoming geographical and cultural barriers

Module 11: The Facilitator as a Coach

• The difference between facilitating and coaching
• The role of the facilitator in coaching the team
• Techniques for helping the team improve their processes
• Coaching the Product Owner and stakeholders
• The importance of a coaching mindset

Module 12: Advanced Facilitation Techniques

• Using consensus-building techniques
• Facilitating decision-making processes
• Techniques for managing complex topics
• The role of the facilitator in large group meetings
• Experimenting with new facilitation methods

Module 13: Preparing for a Successful Session

• The importance of preparation and planning
• Creating a clear agenda and purpose
• Understanding the goals of each event
• The role of the facilitator in setting expectations
• The importance of a "Plan B"

Module 14: Practical Application and Simulations

• Leading a full Sprint simulation
• Role-playing different scenarios and challenges
• Receiving peer and instructor feedback
• Analyzing video recordings of facilitation sessions
• Creating a personal development plan

Module 15: Ethics and Professionalism

• The importance of ethical behavior as a facilitator
• Confidentiality and trust
• The role of the facilitator in upholding Scrum values
• Continuous learning and self-improvement
• The importance of a professional demeanor

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org Tel: +254 702 249 449

Training Venue

The training will be held at our Skills for Africa Training Institute Training Centre. We also offer training for a group at requested location all over the world. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, and buffet lunch.

Visa application, travel expenses, airport transfers, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Skills for Africa Training Institute certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org Tel: +254 702 249 449

Terms of Payment: Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 10 working days before commencement of the training.