Scrum of Scrums
A coordination mechanism where representatives from multiple Scrum teams meet regularly to share progress, surface cross-team dependencies, and resolve impediments.
What it is
Scrum of Scrums (SoS) extends the Daily Scrum to multiple teams. Each team sends one or more representatives to a regular coordination meeting. The format mirrors the Daily Scrum but focuses on inter-team concerns rather than individual progress.
The three questions are adapted for cross-team communication:
- What has my team done since we last met that affects other teams?
- What will my team do before we meet again that affects other teams?
- What is blocking my team that requires help from other teams?
Scrum of Scrums is a coordination practice, not a full scaling framework. It can be used alongside Scrum, Kanban, or any other agile approach. Many organisations adopt it as their first scaling step before committing to Nexus, LeSS, or SAFe.
When to use it
| Use SoS when… | Consider alternatives when… |
|---|---|
| You have 3 or more Scrum teams with interdependent deliverables | Teams are fully independent with no cross-team dependencies |
| You need lightweight coordination without a formal scaling framework | You need integrated increments with strict accountability (consider Nexus) |
| Teams already have healthy Scrum practices | Teams are not yet proficient at single-team Scrum |
| You want to experiment with scaling before committing to a framework | You have more than 9 teams and need structural scaling (consider LeSS or SAFe) |
Key concepts
Representatives
Each team sends one or more representatives. These are typically Scrum Masters, technical leads, or rotating team members. The key is that they have enough context to speak for their team and enough authority to commit to actions.
The Three Questions
Adapted from the Daily Scrum, the questions focus on impact across team boundaries. The goal is not to report status but to identify and resolve cross-team issues.
Decision Authority
Representatives must have authority to make decisions or commit to actions on behalf of their team. Sending someone who must "check and get back to you" defeats the purpose.
Nested SoS
At larger scale, Scrum of Scrums can be nested. Multiple SoS groups each send a representative to a higher-level coordination meeting. This pattern scales to large programmes while keeping individual meetings small.
Common pitfalls
| Pitfall | Why it happens | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Turning it into a status meeting | Management wants visibility into all teams | Keep focus on inter-team dependencies and blockers; take other reporting elsewhere |
| Sending representatives without authority | Team leads are too busy; juniors are sent instead | Ensure attendees can make commitments and remove impediments |
| Including too many people | Everyone wants to be informed | Keep it small; 2–3 representatives per team maximum |
| Focusing on updates rather than dependencies | Habit from traditional project management | Use the three cross-team questions explicitly |
| Not following through on actions | No one owns the outcomes | Track actions visibly; review them at the next SoS |
NZ context
New Zealand organisations with 3–8 agile teams commonly use Scrum of Scrums as their primary scaling mechanism. The local preference for informality and direct communication makes this lightweight approach particularly effective.
A single Scrum of Scrums held 2–3 times per week is often sufficient for NZ product teams. Daily meetings can feel excessive when teams are small and co-located; the key is matching frequency to actual dependency density.
Career level guidance
| Level | What to know | What to demonstrate |
|---|---|---|
| Junior | Understand what SoS is and why teams use it | Can describe the three cross-team questions |
| Intermediate | Know how to represent your team effectively | Can attend SoS, raise relevant dependencies, and report back accurately |
| Senior | Understand how to keep SoS effective and lean | Can facilitate SoS, prevent status-meeting drift, and drive action follow-through |
| Test Lead / QA Lead | Understand quality and testing dependencies across teams | Can raise cross-team quality risks and coordinate integration testing needs |