In Agile environments, teams areself-organizing, meaning thattechnical decisions should be made by the Developersrather than by external roles such as the manager, Scrum Master, or Product Owner. When a conflict arises, an empirical approach-such as running an experiment-is the best way to determine the most effective solution.
Analysis of Each Answer Option:
#Option A: The Product Owner should decide which approach to take.
* TheProduct Owner's roleis to define and prioritize product backlog items based on business value, not to make technical decisions.
* TheScrum Guide (2020)explicitly states that the Product Owner does not dictate how work is done; that is the responsibility of the Developers.
#Option B: The Developers should run an experiment to test the alternative approaches.(Best answer)
* This aligns with Agile'sempirical approach(inspection, adaptation, and transparency).
* Running an experiment allows the team to gatherreal-world datarather than relying on opinions.
* It supports aculture of experimentation and continuous improvement, a key principle in Agile and DevOps practices.
* This methodresolves conflicts objectively, helping teams align on the best solution without personal biases.
#Option C: You, as a manager, should decide which approach to take.
* Agile leadersempower teams to make decisionsrather than directing them.
* If the manager intervenes in technical decision-making, itundermines self-organizationand reduces the team's accountability.
* This approach reflects acommand-and-control mindset, which contradicts Agile leadership principles.
#Option D: The Scrum Master should decide which approach to take.
* TheScrum Master's roleis tofacilitatediscussions and help teams resolve conflicts, but they donot make technical decisions.
* TheScrum Guide (2020)defines the Scrum Master as a servant leader whocoaches teamsrather than directing them.
* The Scrum Master canencourage an experimentbut should not impose a decision.
References from Professional Agile Leadership (PAL) Documents:
* Scrum Guide (2020)- Defines self-managing teams where Developers make technical decisions.
* Professional Agile Leadership Essentials (PAL-E) Guide- Agile leaders should create an environment that supports experimentation and empirical decision-making.
* Lean Startup (Eric Ries)- Encourages teams to test hypotheses with real data instead of debating theories.
* The Agile Manifesto - Principles Behind the Agile Manifesto- Advocates for self-organizing teams and continuous learning through experimentation.
By applying these Agile principles, the best approach isOption B, as it empowers the team to resolve conflicts through experimentation and empirical evidence.