The Most Important Agile Delivery Roles: Explained Simply

Agile ways of working have brought with them so many roles: Agile Delivery Lead, Agile Delivery Manager, Scrum Master. Which of these roles are the same and which are different? And if they are different, what is the difference between them? Let’s clear up the confusion about agile roles!😎

Agile Delivery Roles are the roles involved in delivering value to customers and stakeholders using agile methods and practices. In most cases, these roles are based on the proposed Scrum-Roles:

• 👩🏽‍🏫Scrum Master: The person who facilitates the Scrum process and helps the team follow the values, principles and practices of Scrum.
• 🗣Product Owner: The person who represents the voice of the customer and stakeholders and is responsible for defining and prioritizing the product backlog.
• 👨🏽‍🔬Development team: The group of people who work together to deliver potentially deliverable increments of the product or service.

However, these roles can be mixed with other roles from different agile frameworks, such as in the SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework):

• 🚅Release Train Engineer: The person who facilitates and leads the Agile Release Train (ART), which is a group of teams that deliver value in a program increment.
• 💻System Architect/Engineer: The person who defines the technical vision and architecture for the system or solution delivered by the ART.
• ⭕Business Owner: The person representing the business interests and needs for the system or solution provided by the ART.

Or also in the Spotify model:

• 👩🏽‍💼Group Leader: The person who leads and provides guidance and support to a group of people with similar skills or competencies, such as developers, testers, designers, etc.
• 🤹🏽‍♀️Squad Lead: The person who leads a cross-functional team providing a specific function or product area and provides guidance and support to them.
• 🤵🏽Tribe ladder: The person who leads a group of squads working on related functions or product areas, providing them with strategic direction and coordination.

In addition to these framework-specific roles, we also often see “Agile Coaches” who train Scrum Masters and the other roles.

Before we go any deeper, a quick note: If you want to become a really good leader, a servant leader, I recommend the following video. It explains 21 scientifically proven behaviors that distinguish mediocre leaders from excellent leaders - feel free to check it out.

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One of the most frequently asked questions in connection with the role of the Agile Delivery Manager is: “What is the difference between an Agile Delivery Manager and a Scrum Master? Are they identical or different? And if they are different, what is the difference between them?”👀

The answer is not simple, as different organizations may have different definitions and expectations for these roles. However, here is a general comparison based on some common aspects:

What is an Agile Delivery Manager anyway?

An Agile Delivery Manager is someone who leads Agile delivery teams and ensures that they can deliver value to customers and stakeholders. They are not only coaches or facilitators, but also responsible for the delivery process and results.

You will be responsible for ensuring teams follow agile principles and practices while adapting to the changing needs and expectations of the business and users.

Some of their Main tasks are:

• 📝Planning and priority setting
• 🎤Coaching and mentoring
• 🗣Moderate and communicate
• 🦸‍♀️Removing obstacles and solving problems
• ⏱Measurement and improvement

Differences between Scrum Master and Agile Delivery Lead:

	Scrum Master	Agile Delivery Lead
Responsibility	Continuous improvement of Scrum	Responsibility for completion
Activities	Coaching & Moderation	Coaching & Moderation
Scope	A team or project	Multiple teams & projects
Framework	Scrum	All agile frameworks
Focus	Team Performance & Processes	Added value & results

As you can see from the table above, there are some similarities and differences between an Agile Delivery Manager and a Scrum Master. Both roles involve coaching and moderation activities, but they have different responsibilities, activities, a different scope, use different frameworks, and have a different focus when it comes to results.

A quick piece of information, regardless of what role you have or will have: Managing software developers in regular one-to-one meetings is absolutely key. This can also be seen clearly in the graphic above. They are your most important meeting as an agile manager. Do you see it that way too?

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Another common question people have about the Agile Delivery role is: What is the difference between an Agile Delivery Lead and a Scrum Master? Is it the same role or different roles? And if they are different, what is the difference between them? 👀

The answer is: Scrum Master and Agile Delivery Lead are They are different roles.

An Agile Delivery Lead is something like the “Head of Scrum Masters” or “Chief Scrum Master” in the new formulation. They are responsible for leading and managing multiple agile delivery teams or projects within an organization or program. They are also responsible for aligning the vision and goals of the organization or program with the teams or projects they lead. They also coach and mentor other agile roles, such as agile Delivery Managers or Scrum Masters.

Some of their Main tasks are:

• 🤵🏽Leading and guiding
• 🎤Coaching and mentoring
• 🗣Moderate and communicate
• 🦸‍♀️Remove obstacles and solve problems
• ⏱Measurement and improvement

The difference between a Agile Delivery Lead and a Scrum Master therefore lies mainly in the Scope and in the responsibility.

An Agile Delivery Lead works at a higher level and oversees multiple teams or projects, while a Scrum Master works at a lower level and focuses on one team or project.

An Agile Delivery Lead also has more authority and influence over the organization or program, while a Scrum Master has more autonomy and authority within the team.

An Agile Delivery Lead may also have more experience and expertise in agile delivery, while a Scrum Master may have more knowledge and skills in Scrum.

If you want to learn even more about the activities of an Agile Delivery Manager/Lead, read our article:
👉🏽 Agile Delivery 1x1

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How to become an Agile Delivery Manager?👩🏽‍🎓

If you are interested in becoming a manager for “agile delivery”, you need to make two essential changes in your mindset and approach to agile delivery:

1. Accept that Scrum is not the only right solution for working agile. It is much more about the pragmatic application of agile principles and values (see agile values ).
2. Accept that you are not just a coach/moderator, but also the responsible owner of the delivery process and the results.

Of course, these changes are not easy or quick to make. You may need training, mentoring, or coaching to acquire the skills and knowledge you need to become an agile Delivery Manager.

You may also need some practical experience to learn from your successes and failures and to receive feedback from your colleagues and supervisors (More on this: 360 degree feedback).

Outlook: The future is “Agile Delivery Manager”, bye bye Scrum Master👋🏽

“Agile Delivery Managers” have been a trend in the agile community since 2023 at the latest, as interest rates rise and many companies can no longer afford a Scrum Master who often becomes more of a “team coach/feel-good manager”.

Instead, companies want to know that their entire budget is going to actual implementation, to people who are responsible for the results.

Senior management will have far fewer problems having “Agile Delivery Manager” on their payroll than cryptic “Scrum Masters” who refuse to take responsibility for team results.

We will see how this change plays out over the next few years. Let’s hope that this change is a good thing for both the teams and the customers.

That’s all I have for now. I hope this article has helped you learn more about the roles in Agile development, especially the difference between an Agile Delivery Manager and a Scrum Master. If you have any questions or feedback, please let me know 😊.