My journey into the world of Agile began in 2020 when I joined the University of East Anglia Marketing team, focusing solely on managing and improving the UEA website and internal portal. From the outset, I was driven by the desire to improve working processes and enhance collaboration across teams. I couldn’t help but notice the silos and inefficiencies that were costing the organisation time and effort. Unfortunately, not using Agile to its full potential was one of them. Little did I know that this mini obsession with process improvement and enthusiasm for automations would lead me to become a Scrum Master today, steering the ship of Agile transformation within the university.

Embracing Agile Principles

Agile methodology, established in America in the early 2000s, swiftly gained traction as a modern approach to project management, seeking to replace traditional waterfall-style project management. In some professional services at UEA we use Agile because of its iterative approach to managing projects that focuses on continuous releases and incorporating customer feedback with every iteration.

Setting Sail with Kanban

As part of the in-house Marketing team, I spearheaded the implementation of Kanban framework alongside the Web Development team in IT. Despite the obvious challenges of navigating multiple teams and personalities, I was fortunate to gain the backing of my colleagues and the positive impact of our efficiencies was evident, with 100% take-up, satisfaction and vast improvements on overall delivery. Of course, change isn’t easy, but Agile methodologies have proven successful due to its structure for inclusive planning, feedback gathering, and visibility at every stage of our work cycle. Using Kanban provided valuable communication across teams that was otherwise lost.

Seizing the Scrum Master Role

Having dipped my toe into creating change at my workplace, I dug a little deeper and pursued a Scrum Master qualification in 2021, eager to deepen my understanding and contribute further to Agile practices at the university. When the opportunity came up to become a Scrum Master for a new CMS web migration project at UEA, I applied immediately. Armed with my Changemaker award from Norfolk Women’s Marketing Network (2023), strategically placed in the background of my video call, I was able to use my nomination and award to explain the reasons why being a changemaker is important in a fast-paced, digital world. The recognition from NWMN certainly bolstered my application, and has opened new doors for my career.

A Day in the Life of a Scrum Master

So, what is a Scrum Master, I hear you cry..! Picture a servant leader, a facilitator, a motivator, a communicator, a negotiator, and a mentor all rolled into one. From facilitating daily stand-up meetings to removing blockers and translating technical jargon for stakeholders, my role is varied. I do the ‘invisible work’ that makes things seamlessly easy so other people can do their job well. I may not be an expert in Web Development by any means, but I can remove bottlenecks in my team’s work, use empirical learning to make forecasts for the overall project, and celebrate successes alongside the team.

Embracing Change and Collaboration

Agile methodologies such as Kanban and Scrum place teamwork at the forefront, making our work more visible and adaptable to changing needs. I still work closely with my old team to enable effective collaboration between Marketing and IT. I ensure that we all foster a customer-focused mindset and use our collective strengths to deliver the best product we can for the university, its staff and students, and those who are looking to study.

Looking Ahead

As we look forward to the 2024 Norfolk Women’s Marketing Network awards, I am grateful for the opportunity to share my journey. And who knows where the Changemaker award and Scrum Master experience might take me. It has already uncovered new opportunities for me, and given me the confidence I needed to grow. I believe that change is important for businesses to adapt and survive. It’s even better when you have a team that supports you, believes in your vision, and puts up with my many, many test automations!

Connect with my LinkedIn profile if you’re interested in learning more about Agile, Scrum Mastery, or our digital initiatives at UEA.