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ScrumThatWorks.com

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All our work is Pro-bono: for the public good and free of charge.

Our goal is to promote the best Agile Health for the good of all: we believe Kaizen (Continuous Improvement) is not only for projects and companies but also for each individual and for all of society at large.

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How well are you (really) doing Scrum?

How well is your team doing Scrum? Your organization? Your Management? - Put each to the TEST! (graded certifications available):

Scrum Master Test: -The Scrum Master test is intended as an assessment or self-assessment for Scrum Masters working in both IT and non-IT environments. The test will evaluate your understanding of this accountability and provide you with the required awareness as to where you are on your journey.

Product Owner Test: -The Product Owner test is intended as an assessment or self-assessment for Product Owners working in both IT and non-IT environments. The test will evaluate your understanding of this accountability and provide you with the required awareness as to where you are on your journey.

Developers Test: -The Developers test is intended as an assessment or self-assessment for Developers working in IT and Business Analysts working in non-IT environments which employ SCRUM. The test will evaluate your understanding of this accountability and provide you with the required awareness as to where you are on your journey.

Management Test: -The Management test is intended as an assessment or self-assessment for all management levels working in both IT and non-IT environments. The test will evaluate your understanding of this accountability in the context of an Agile organization or an organization transitioning to agile who is employing SCRUM as their framework of choice and provide you with the required awareness as to where you are on your journey.

Regardless of the test result you can continue to improve your knowledge by taking advantage of the materials and workshops on our site. You can also contact us if you need assistance with any of the challenges you might encounter. We provide one-hour private consultations to those interested.

Is Scrum not working as you expected?

Whatever you have done this far with Scrum, Scrum itself will "tell" what you are doing wrong!

Yes, we can "read" the Scrum flaws in your shop directly from the way you do (or not) your Scrum processes: describe to us what you do, we will ask a few questions and 99 out of 100 times Scrum will "tell us" signs we can interpret for you! Try it: call us RIGHT AWAY with your questions on our private encrypted videoconference line below: we can troubleshoot most scrum problems quickly and in real time: give us a try! (subject to availability: first-come basis).

"Exorcise" your Scrum

If your shop is quite new to scrum, and you read the "bad" sources, you may be under a bad spell. A kind of poisonous spell or hex really. Many Scrum "wizards" try to steal Scrum with pseudo-proprietary schemes and variations to try and appropriate it so they can build themselves a "niche" business, piggybacking on the shoulders of giants.

DETOX YOUR SCRUM of these and other costly and aggravating bad practices and stick to the "Official Scrum Guide"!!! (more on this below).

We can exorcize your failing Scrum and get it back to WORK PROPERLY in no time! Guaranteed.

"If you can't do Scrum, you can't scale Scrum." --Jeff Sutherland, co-creator of Scrum

If you are scaling Scrum "vertically" (many scrum teams within your product development area) then LeSS (Large-scale Scrum - 5% market adoption) is a widely adopted, scrum-orthodox, simple, clear-cut approach you may want to implement and tune-up to perfection --that is where we may be of help.

If you are scaling Scrum "vertically and horizontally" (company wide, from IT and Development to Portfolio Management, Budget, Finance, Suppliers, etc.) and your projects are REALLY big and complex, then SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework - 30% general market adoption and 70% amongst Fortune 500 Companies) is the structured yet flexible framework approach you may want to implement and tune-up to perfection --ask us: it is one of our specialties.

We can tune-up your Scaled Scrum at any level of scaling and get it to WORK OPTIMALLY in just a few sprints (LeSS) or Program Increments/PIs (SAFe). Guaranteed!

Webinar Calendar 2025

• Oct 15, 2025 8:30/9:30pm [3 places left] - Scrum for Scrum Masters - Best Practices
• Oct 30, 2025 8:30/9:30pm [4 places left] - Scrum for Product Owners - Best Practices
• Nov 15, 2025 8:30/9:30pm [9 places left] - Scrum for Developers - Best Practices
• Nov 30, 2025 8:30/9:30pm [12 places left] - Scrum for Management - Best Practices
• Dec 15, 2025 8:30/9:30pm [16 places left] - Scaling Scrum -- Options - a Primer

What is the latest (and greatest) about Scrum?

Scrum is continuously evolving. Find here the latest and greatest about Scrum, and keep yourself up-to-date.

Hi everybody! We are HAPPY to work with you!

My name is Carlos Cheimak. I am located close to the beautiful city of Vancouver on the West Coast of Canada. I am an experienced professional(*) with more than 20 years experience managing software development projects for some of the leading hi-tech corporations worldwide: Intel, Microsoft, Lucent-Bell, Sierra Online, Absolute Software, Arena Online (UK), ScotiaBank and CGI, plus several government and Public Service outfits in Canada, USA and South America (Chile and Argentina).

An early adopter of Agile and Scrum as of 2002, I am a seasoned Agile Coach (and enthusiast), Certified Scrum Master CSM® (Scrum Alliance), Project Manager PMP® (PMI), full-stack Software Engineer, technologist and entrepreneur always eager to share my hard-gained experience with those that can benefit from it.

I hold a Master Degree in Systems Analysis from ESIO Military University in Argentina, a Certificate in Computer Science from the University of Victoria in Canada and a Certificate in Social Psychology from the Wesleyan University in Hartford, MA, plus minor technical certificates in Process Management, Statistics, Operations Research, Mechanical Design and Industrial Electricity.

I enjoy listening to non-fiction books (learning—all sorts of stuff), playing finger-picked guitar, tennis and travelling, however my favourite pastime is solving practical engineering problems for others. I often see things differently from most other people and I enjoy spotting solutions where others don't. It is a very creative activity and the one I enjoy the most.

Helping others improve the way they build great products and services is thus my passion, and I look forward to working with you, whatever your problems are!

(*) For further detail on my work experience please check https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-cheimak

"Kaizen is about changing the way things are. If you assume that things are all right the way they are, you can’t do kaizen. So change something!" --—Taiichi Ohno, creator of Lean



What makes a GREAT Scrum Master? (Jeff Watts, me and others)

A good SM facilitates; a great SM MOTIVATES.
A good SM builds safety and protection for the team; a great SM will also build TRUST within the team.
A good SM grasps the responsibilities of the role; a great SM grasps the skills and MINDSET of the role.
A good SM will be indispensable to the team; a great SM will become both DISPENSABLE and WANTED.
A good SM will help maintain team harmony; a great SM will guide the team through disharmony to reach a NEW LEVEL of team work.
A good SM will hold team members to account if needed; a great SM will hold THE TEAM to acount, while not holding the teammates to account.
A good SM is wary of influencing the team; a great SM can act normally and know the team will still make their OWN decisions.
A good SM will ensure the team has access to a Product Owner; a great SM will ensure the team has access to 'THE' Product Owner.
A good SM serves others; a great SM serves themself so they can serve others.
A good SM removes destructive influences from the daily scrum; a great SM will create an environment where external people (PO?) can attend and not disrupt the behaviour of the team.
A good SM will say what needs to be said; a great SM knows the power of silence.
A good SM ensures the team members share their status efficiently with one another in the daily scrum; a great SM ensures the daily scrum is an ENERGIZING event that teams look forward to.
A good SM helps the team identify improvements; a great SM inspires the team to be adaptive.
A good SM holds a balanced retrospective; a great SM holds a FOCUSED, ACTIONABLE retrospective. (actionable items)
A good SM will ensure scrum process is understood and observed; great SMs are prepared to break the mold (do the RI in Shu-ha-RI).
A good SM encourages teams to share skills; a great SM encourages the team to share RESPONSIBILITIES.
A good SM helps the team meet the definition of done at the end of a sprint; a great SM helps the team EXTEND the definition of done.
A good SM will ensure the team is protected and can work comfortably and creatively; a great SM will encourage the team to challenge themselves beyond their comfort zone. (Sky is the limit attitude).
A good SM facilitates the sprint review to look back and review the product built in the just finished sprint; a great SM facilitates the sprint review to look forward and shape the product in future sprints.
A good SM is realistic; a great SM is optimistic, positive and inspiring.
A good SM creates an environment where raising impediments can occur; a great SM creates an environment where creativity can occur.
A good SM helps ensure the high value backlog items are selected in Sprint Planning; a great SM helps craft an inspiring, engaging and synergistic sprint goal.
A good SM helps keep an up-to-date sprint burndown chart; a great SM helps the team find fun in keeping track and managing their progress visually.
A good SM will do his best to ensure the team delivers; a great SM will look at the team as a continual work in progress and a work of wonder with unlimited potential.
A good SM notices areas and antipatterns for improvement in the team; a great SM recognizes and highlights strengths for the team to build on.
A good SM helps every member of the team grow; a great SM also helps ALL the team grow as a unit.
A good SM helps the team develop and grow; a great SM helps the team develop their OWN growth pathway.
A good SM brings teamn members together; a great SM keeps a sense of togetherness when apart (distributed).
A good SM listens to what is being said, what is being implied and also what is not being said; a great SM helps those they are listening to, understand as well, and help their teams listen and understand.
A good SM facilitates cooperation; a great SM facilitates COLLABORATION. (Cooperation is working together, collaboration is WANTING to work together.)
A good SM will help teams use "yes, but..." effectively ; a great SM helps expand their "yes, AND..." mentality.
A good SM changes people's minds; a great SM helps people change their OWN minds.
A good SM will push for permission to remove impediments to team productivity; a great SM will be prepared to ask for foregiveness.
A good SM protect the team from distractions; a great SM finds the root CAUSE of distractions and eliminates them.
A good SM helps the team survive in an organization's culture; a great SM helps CHANGE the organiization's culture, so scrum teams can thrive.
A good SM helps the team become agile; a great SM helps the team BE agile. (it is not just an empty fashionable word)
A good SM will use scrum to bring out the best in everyone; a great SM will use scrum to bring out A NEW BEST for everyone.

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