BUS 4300 · Agile and Scrum: Team Accountabilities

Led by Douglas McGregor Simulacrum

The Scrum team structure is a Theory Y design. Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developers — their accountabilities, their failures, and the conditions they require.

1. Module 1

   Theory X, Theory Y, and the Design of the Scrum Team

   Led by Douglas McGregor Simulacrum

   The question

   "People will seek responsibility rather than avoid it." "People will exercise self-direction when committed to objectives." These are Theory Y assumptions. The Scrum team is built on them. What happens to a Theory Y design under Theory X management?

   Outcome

   The student can explain the Theory X/Y distinction and its implications for Scrum team performance.

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 1.1 Theory X in the Sprint Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Begin the course → Print certificate of completion
2. Module 2

   The Product Owner

   Led by Douglas McGregor Simulacrum

   The question

   The PO owns the backlog and maximises value. But the most common PO failure is not incompetence — it is insufficient authority. A PO who must get committee approval before changing the backlog is not a PO. What authority does the role require — and what does Theory Y stakeholder management look like?

   Outcome

   The student can describe PO accountability and identify the three most common failure modes.

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 2.1 PO Authority Analysis Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Open this module → Print certificate of completion
3. Module 3

   The Scrum Master

   Led by Douglas McGregor Simulacrum

   The question

   The Scrum Master is a servant-leader — they serve by removing impediments to self-organisation. They do not assign tasks, write status reports, or manage the team's work. How do you explain this role to a manager who expects a project manager?

   Outcome

   The student can describe the Scrum Master's three service accountabilities and distinguish them from PM behaviours.

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 3.1 Scrum Master vs Project Manager Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Open this module → Print certificate of completion
4. Module 4

   The Developers

   Led by Douglas McGregor Simulacrum

   The question

   Authority and responsibility should be located at the point of greatest knowledge. The Developers know how to do the work. Self-organisation means the team decides how to turn backlog items into Increments. What does "cross-functional" mean for a specific team — and what is the right team size?

   Outcome

   The student can describe Developers' accountability, explain self-organisation, and design a cross-functional team.

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 4.1 Team Design Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Open this module → Print certificate of completion
5. Module 5

   The Scrum Team as a System

   Led by Douglas McGregor Simulacrum

   The question

   McGregor published in 1960. The Agile Manifesto was written in 2001. Most organisations are still Theory X. Why has Theory Y been so hard to implement — and what does this tell you about why Agile transformations so often fail to change anything fundamental?

   Outcome

   The student can describe the Scrum team as a system and analyse a Scrum failure through the Theory X/Y lens.

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 5.1 Final Essay: The Theory Y Organisation Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Open this module → Print certificate of completion