Assignment 3 Resolve Conflicts And Promote Collaboration As An Agile ✓ Solved

Assignment 3: Resolve Conflicts and Promote Collaboration as an Agile Coach The following resources may be helpful when completing this assignment: · “Handling Conflict on Agile Teams: What to Do When a Team Member Complains†(You may view the article at .) · “Unsolvable Conflict on Agile Teams†(You may view the article at .) Determining how to build a high-performing agile team, while managing conflicts, is a considerable task for any agile coach. In this assignment, you are asked to explore and discuss various conflict resolution methods and determine when and how to use them as an agile coach. You must discuss the techniques in the context of an agile project team environment with various scenarios, and must also demonstrate approaches to turning the high-contention situations into high-collaboration situations.

For example, the project team has consistently encountered changes of scope by the product owner. The QA team also emailed the whole team on how poorly the developers have done in their coding. The developers escalated to their manager about the documentation errors from the architects. Write a four to five (4-5) page paper in which you: 2. Identify and evaluate at least three (3) conflict resolution techniques that can be used by the agile coach to change the dynamics of the team in the example provided.

2. Speculate on two (2) common causes of conflicts in teams. Suggest two (2) approaches that agile coaches can take in order to mitigate or prevent these conflicts. 2. Analyze the major pros and cons of two (2) conflict resolution techniques.

Determine at least three (3) different situations (e.g., levels of conflicts) where these conflict resolution techniques would be useful. 2. Suggest at least three (3) strategies where an agile coach can use conflict to propel team members to achieve higher performance. 2. Recommend at least five (5) best practices for collaboration and cooperation within agile teams.

Support each best practice recommendation with one (1) example of collaboration within agile teams. 2. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note : Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources. You may use the resources above or others of your choosing.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: · Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. · Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

Paper for above instructions

Resolving Conflicts and Promoting Collaboration as an Agile Coach
Introduction
In an agile project environment, teams are encouraged to be self-organizing, and collaboration is at the heart of the agile manifesto. However, conflicts are inevitable among team members due to diverse perspectives, roles, and communications styles. This paper explores various conflict resolution techniques, their application in agile projects, common sources of conflict, strategies for overcoming these challenges, and best practices for collaboration.
Conflict Resolution Techniques in Agile
1. Negotiation:
Negotiation involves discussing differing points of view to reach a mutually acceptable solution. In the scenario where the project team has faced scope changes by the product owner and complaints between the QA team and the developers, negotiation could be employed. An agile coach might facilitate a discussion where all parties can present their positions and work toward a compromise (Fowler & Highsmith, 2001).
Pros: Negotiation fosters open communication and understanding among team members.
Cons: It may require significant time and can be ineffective if team members are too entrenched in their positions.
2. Collaboration:
Collaboration entails working together to achieve a common goal. An agile coach can encourage teams to engage collaboratively in finding a solution that addresses the concerns of both QA and developers, shifting from blame to shared ownership of responsibilities (Schmidt, 2014). For instance, holding a collective brainstorming session can illuminate the root causes of issues and lead to collaborative fixes.
Pros: Collaboration often results in innovative solutions and strengthens team bonds.
Cons: It can be challenging to manage if team dynamics are poor or if some members are less willing to participate.
3. Mediation:
Mediation involves bringing in a neutral third party to facilitate conflict resolution. In instances of escalating tensions, an agile coach might perform the role of mediator to ensure that discussions remain constructive. For example, they could assist in addressing documentation errors pointed out by developers and the underlying communication breakdown with architects.
Pros: Mediation can provide an impartial viewpoint and structure to complex discussions.
Cons: It requires time, and individuals may resist input from outsiders.
Common Causes of Conflicts in Teams
Common sources of conflict in agile teams often include:
1. Miscommunication: Misunderstandings due to unclear expectations, especially around roles regarding scope changes, can lead to frustration and blame-shifting (Moe et al., 2010).
2. Divergent Goals: When team members have conflicting objectives, such as the QA team’s goal to ensure high-quality product delivery versus developers’ pressures for quick releases, it can breed tension.
Mitigating and Preventing Conflicts
1. Establishing Clear Communication Protocols: Agile coaches should implement frameworks to ensure team members engage in regular communication, including daily standups and retrospectives that address issues before they escalate (Cockburn & Highsmith, 2001).
2. Encouraging Empathy and Understanding: Team-building exercises can promote trust and understanding between members, enabling them to appreciate each other's contributions and viewpoints, thereby reducing the likelihood of conflicts arising from divergent goals (Schmidt, 2014).
Analyzing Pros and Cons of Conflict Resolution Techniques
1. Negotiation:
- Pros: Fosters transparency and promotes buy-in from all parties.
- Cons: Can be time-consuming and dependent on the willingness of all parties to compromise.
2. Collaboration:
- Pros: Encourages teamwork and often leads to innovative solutions.
- Cons: May struggle in teams with poor dynamics or level of trust.
Situations for Applying Conflict Resolution Techniques
1. Performance-Based Conflict: When developer performance issues arise, mediation can help address underlying causes and encourage a supportive response.
2. Resource Allocation Conflict: If team members prioritize their assignments over collective goals, negotiation can help balance workload equity.
3. Strategy Misalignment: During a retrospective meeting, collaboration can be used to generate strategies for alignment toward project goals.
Strategies for Leveraging Conflict for Performance Gains
1. Transforming Negative Feedback into Constructive Discussions: Encourage team members to express concerns openly without fear of reprisal to learn and grow from conflicts.
2. Using Conflicts as Opportunities for Learning: Each conflict should be treated as a chance to analyze weaknesses in processes, resulting in improved methodologies.
3. Promoting Diverse Opinions: Encourage discussions that bring in various perspectives, leveraging conflict to enhance creativity and problem-solving abilities.
Best Practices for Collaboration in Agile Teams
1. Daily Stand-Ups: Facilitating quick, daily meetings to check in on progress and identify potential roadblocks promotes transparency and accountability (Schmidt, 2014).
Example: A team might use daily stand-ups to collectively adjust priorities in light of new developments or urgent issues.
2. Open and Honest Communication: Establishing a culture where team members feel safe to express concerns fosters a more supportive atmosphere.
Example: Implementing anonymous feedback mechanisms encourages contributions from team members who might hesitate to speak up.
3. Team-Building Activities: Engaging in fun team-building exercises improves teamwork and reduces tension (Schmidt, 2014).
Example: Organizing hackathons encourages members to collaborate outside their usual roles, reinforcing team spirit.
4. Regular Retrospectives: Performing regular reflections on process and teamwork helps identify improvements and reinforces a learning culture.
Example: After each sprint, the team may hold a retrospective to identify what worked or did not work, leading to actionable improvements.
5. Collective Ownership of the Work: Encouraging a sense of shared ownership facilitates commitment to team goals over personal interests.
Example: Teams that adopt pair programming practices often experience a heightened sense of collective ownership of project outcomes.
Conclusion
An agile coach plays a crucial role in resolving conflicts and fostering collaboration within a team. By employing various conflict resolution techniques, such as negotiation, collaboration, and mediation, coaches can navigate conflicts and turn them into opportunities for growth. Understanding common sources of conflict, employing preventative strategies, and committing to best collaboration practices lead to a healthier and more productive agile team environment.
References
1. Cockburn, A., & Highsmith, J. (2001). Agile Software Development: The People Factor. Computer, 34(11), 131-133.
2. Fowler, M., & Highsmith, J. (2001). The Agile Manifesto. Software Development, 9(8), 28-35.
3. Moe, N. B., Dingsøyr, T., & Ragnar G. (2010). A Team-Level Perspective on Agile Software Development. Journal of Systems and Software, 83(3), 490–502.
4. Schmidt, K. (2014). Effective Agile Software Development Team Collaboration.
5. Jørgensen, M. (2004). The role of communication in agile software development. Software Quality Journal, 12(3), 237-258.
6. Sutherland, J., & Schwaber, K. (2011). The Scrum Guide. Scrum.org.
7. Beck, K., & Andres, C. (2005). Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change. Addison-Wesley Professional.
8. Boehm, B. W. (1976). Software Engineering. IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, 1(1), 4-16.
9. Larman, C., & Vodde, B. (2008). Scaling Lean & Agile Development: Thinking and Organizational Tools for Large-Scale Scrum. Addison-Wesley Professional.
10. Highsmith, J. (2000). Agile Software Development Ecosystems. Addison-Wesley Professional.
This assignment explores the complexities of conflict resolution and collaboration within agile project teams, providing insights into strategies that can transform challenging scenarios into collaborative successes.