Your child is ugly!

I was recently asked what tools a team should have to support SCRUM.

1. As many big whiteboards as you can make space for in the developer area
2. Lots of whiteboard markers, never be in a position where it is hard to find a marker
3. Open communication channels.
4. A developer ego extraction utility ( this is the hardest tool to find IMO)
5. A developer passion insertion tool ( somewhat easier to come by)

4 is important, let me expand on this.

Software creation with passion becomes very personal, the creation is a child of the developer. Flaws found and pointed out in peoples children are often not taken well by the parents. Developers often take suggestions for improvement very personally because they see it as an attack on their ability.

The product created needs to be an output of the team. A team that works great together will deliver great software. Often the weakest part of a team is the team member with the biggest ego. If you find you have a team where certain members of the team are not performing as well as they could it be, you often find the ego of another team member blocking their growth. The team member that wants to be the hero in the team is commonly blocking the growth of others, as it helps them feel more important.