Technical Communication at UAHuntsville

There’s a high probability that entry-level technical writers will work in an agile environment on a scrum team. Many companies, especially software companies, are adopting the agile model. Agile is a way to involve more people from different areas of expertise into a single setting when developing a product. The basic idea is that team members will have more efficient communication and input through various stages of project development than they had before being placed into agile teams. Scrum groups are usually comprised of the product owner, the development team (3-9 individuals of cross-functional skills), and the scrum master. The overall objective of an agile environment is to create a better product and increase revenue for the company.

New situations can be intimidating. If you’ve never been a part of a scrum team or worked in an agile environment, you don’t really know what to expect. Sure, you can do some research and be somewhat aware of what a scrum team is and what it does, but you don’t have experience until you’ve been a part of a scrum team. Besides researching, what else can you do to prepare yourself? You can start by practicing good manners and etiquette.

Before stepping foot into your first agile or scrum meeting, even if you’re not sure what to expect, you can still prepare yourself to make a good impression. The following are five tips to help you do this. There are several other ways in which you can display good manners and proper etiquette in the workplace, but this is a good place to start.

1. Electronic Devices
If you bring an electronic device into a scrum meeting, use it in an appropriate way and at appropriate times. Make sure your phone is on silent. If you get a call, don’t disrupt the meeting. I’m not referring to emergencies here. There are times (sick child, accident, etc.) when you must take a call. Don’t text. Save that for after the meeting and after work is over for the day, if possible. If someone is speaking to you, don’t have your nose stuck in your device. Look them in the eye and pay attention. There aren’t many things more rude or annoying than trying to have a conversation with someone while they’re lost in a cell phone or iPad.
2. Attire
It should go without saying that in professional environments one should dress professionally. Most companies usually have a dress code or standard for employees. If the dress code is outlined in an employee manual, the guidelines for work attire will be clearly defined. Sometimes, however, the dress code can be less formal. If the latter is the case, pay attention to how everyone else is dressed and follow their example. Avoid clothing that is too revealing. You want to present yourself by the way you dress as someone who is ready to work, not someone who’s ready for a night at the club.
3. Listen
You’re the new guy. This is your first scrum meeting. Don’t try to impress everyone with the world-changing idea you have for the company. There’ll be time to share that later. Listen. Pay attention. Take notes. Learn.
4. Unnecessary Noise
Because this is your first meeting, chances are you’re going to be nervous. Anxiety affects people in different ways and at different levels. Some people seem to never get nervous in any situation. For others, anxiety can be crippling. Be careful to not make any extra noise that might distract others. Tapping a pen on the table, making audible noises with your mouth, tapping your foot on something, etc., all of these can be very distracting to some people. Be aware if you do these things when you’re nervous and make a conscious effort to avoid such habits.
5. Punctuality
Be at least five minutes early to the meeting if you can. If the meeting starts at 9:00, don’t be walking in the door at 9:00. That would make you late. The meeting might already be in progress at that point. You could be a distraction if you’re jostling around for a seat while everyone else is already settled in. Arriving early will give you a chance to get acclimated to your surroundings and will help you relax.

How not to conduct yourself in a scrum meeting

Remember when your high school teacher assigned a group project? You didn’t mind as long you got to pick the members of your group. If your teacher picked the members, then you knew it was a recipe for disaster. You hoped that at least one member of the group would be the quintessential over-achiever, that person who always had to make the perfect grade and never settled for less than perfection. That would’ve been a bonus. On the other hand, you could virtually be assured that at least one person in the group would be the lazy guy who never did anything in class. You could always count on that guy to do absolutely nothing. But the one person, above all, you did not want in your group was the guy nobody got along with. He never listened to anything anyone else tried to say. He bullied his ideas into being accepted by the group. He showed up late for assignments. He made the whole project unbearable and unproductive. Don’t be that guy.

Links provided if you want to learn more about proper etiquette and manners in business meeting environments. A general business meeting isn’t the same thing as a scrum meeting, but the settings are similar.

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/10-rules-proper-business-meeting-etiquette-2857.html
http://www.metroatlantachamber.com/news/mac-membership/2013/10/15/mind-your-manners-tips-for-business-meeting-etiquette
http://www.advancedetiquette.com/blog/tag/meeting-manners/

Matt Williams