Scrum(geons) and Dragons with Michael O’Reilly

Agile Coaches' Corner

This week, Dan Neumann is joined by Michael O’Reilly, SVP in IT within the financial services industry.

In this episode, Michael, an avid board game player, shares the similarities between Dungeons and Dragons and potentially the Scrum Framework. Michael and Dan explore this interesting analogy. The entertainment world is huge and very profitable; it is a serious business for a lot of people who are employed in this field. Also, some fun games make work much more entertaining and the learning experience easier.

Key Takeaways

• Scrum has a framework and Dungeons and Dragons has rules and infinite possibilities to take.
• Session Zero in Scrum can have a bad reputation due to how it is characterized. In gaming, it also has similar features.
• • Session zero is showing what we need to do before trying to do it, is this planning step really needed?
• Everyone wants everybody to be successful, but there is this expectation of the role each one plays, the abilities, and how each member contributes. A session in DandD is like the increments of value in Scrum.
• Transparency is always valued in Scrum as well as in any “good” constructed game.
• House rules work for games and Scrum:
• • If you don’t follow certain rules, you are not doing Scrum.
  • Table rules and house rules are like the Team’s working agreements.
• The Dungeon Master has a role that goes beyond the fun and the profits; his role is to arbitrate the rules and facilitate the adventure. What role is that in Scrum?
• • The Scrum Master could be the one facilitating the Scrum values on the Team but it is not quite the same as what a Dungeon Master does.
  • What does it take for a Game master to create a sense of agency? Michael explains how.
• How do you plan for your session/sprint?
• • If you are the Game master, you need to make sure you have the characters there that will be introduced or met.
  • Players can prepare ahead for a game; oftentimes there is homework.
  • Everybody could decide to go one way and then change their minds.
• Safety tools:
• • A lot of games provide safety tools for people to check in with their players while they are going.
  • In Scrum, a Team activity is about sharing what each member can offer and what they need, which is an effective way to clarify what each can bring to the Agile Team and in exchange ask for what is needed.
  • In the game, you attack the problem, not the people. In Scrum it is the same, you address a problem together as a Team to solve the challenges in the way to achieve the goal.
• Fun activities are valuable opportunities to learn.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Improv for Gamers, by Karen Twelves

The Art of Agile Development, by James Shore

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