I would like to touch upon an actual topic — how to conduct a process audit and initiate changes based on the insights gathered.

As a wise Scrum Master, you are the guardian of the process, entrusted with the task of auditing and driving change based on the collected data.

Let us embark on the journey of audit and transformation, making it simple, inspiring and effective.

The first step — Preparation

• Define the audit goals and gather data: focus on identifying bottlenecks, team engagement levels, communication quality, and adherence to Scrum practices. 

For example, if velocity is dropping – it may be a signal of issues with productivity, overload, blockers, team composition changes, or external obstacles.

A sharp change in velocity (a sudden rise or drop) usually indicates process instability. 

A sudden increase may be linked to underestimated tasks or artificially inflated workload. 

A sudden drop could be caused by complex tasks, illnesses, team members’ vacations, shifting priorities, or hidden problems within the team.  

• Examine how Planning, Sprint Reviews and Retrospectives are conducted; study metrics such as velocity, burndown and lead time; and conduct team surveys.

Like gathering ingredients for a spell, each piece of data sharpens the accuracy of your analysis, making the transformation effective and inspiring.

The second step – Audit

• Speak with participants and stakeholders to learn about their experiences and identify problems.
• Conduct individual or group interviews with team members, the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and other involved parties.
•  Ask questions about work difficulties, obstacles, communication, understanding of goals, and reasons behind velocity changes.  
• Record key complaints, suggestions, and observations for further analysis.
• Analyze artifacts: backlog, presence and use of Definition of Ready (DoR) and Definition of Done (DoD). 
• Check the backlog’s structure and relevance: are there priorities, detailed task descriptions and up-to-date estimates?  
• Evaluate whether formal DoR and DoD exist, if they are applied in practice, and if all participants agree on them.  
• Ensure that tasks entering the Sprint meet the DoR, and completed tasks meet the DoD.
• Attend all major team meetings across several iterations.  
• Note participant engagement, focus, transparency of discussions, and the quality and frequency of feedback.  
• Make observations on decision-making processes, responses to issues, work planning and result discussions.

The third step – Analysis

• Compare the facts with the standard Scrum practices
• Identify bottlenecks: communication, processes, roles, technical debt.

This is the moment of enlightenment, where data transforms into a treasure map highlighting growth opportunities.

The fourth step –  Change plan

• Choose priorities that deliver maximum impact.
• Formulate specific, measurable, and achievable goals.
• Discuss the plan with the team, inspiring them to embrace transformation.
• Document the initial steps.

The fifth step – Implementing changes

• Proceed gradually, through small iterations, with result monitoring—ideally aligned with sprints.
• Leverage retrospectives for feedback and fine-tuning.
• Act as a mentor and guardian, aiding in overcoming resistance.

Always monitor metrics and team mood, adapt the plan dynamically and grow a culture of continuous improvement. 

This transforms challenges into triumphs, guiding your team to peaks of efficiency.

In this way, you convert chaos to order and lead the team to heights of efficiency and harmony. 

However, I would like to emphasize that audit and change are not one-time events, but a continuous journey toward mastery, where every Scrum Master becomes the architect of the team, transforming data into real improvements and achieving harmony between efficiency and innovation.

Please share your experience and thoughts: which aspect of your Scrum process will you improve or have already improved first? How do you measure the success of the changes you’ve made?  

Do not hesitate to contact me on Telegram or at LinkedIn – just click one of these words.