Is your organization about to design new workplace for your scrum teams? If so, you may have many questions about how to create the best space possible, such as
- How can we balance the need for individual focused work with group collaborative work?
- How can we address challenges of noise, distraction, technology, and long-term flexibility?
- What settings and furniture should we use to optimize function and costs?
- How should our teams be organized on the floor plan?
- How can we make sure everyone is on board with the new plan?
- How can we make sure everyone knows how to use their space effectively?
- How will new concerns for personal safety and reducing the spread of infections affect our plans?
Dr. Margaret Serrato, an architect and Certified Scrum Master, has a simple but effective process for addressing these and other questions. She starts by asking fifteen key questions about roles, ceremonies, artifacts, space use, and technology of your agile teams. Then she develops floor plans using five key settings that are arranged to balance focused and collaborative work and reduce the spread of infection.