Scrum Master vs. Technical Lead: What Are the Differences?
Learn about the two careers and review some of the similarities and differences between them.
The roles of Scrum Master and Technical Lead are both important in the software development process. A Scrum Master is responsible for leading a team of developers and ensuring that the team adheres to the Scrum methodology, while a Technical Lead is responsible for overseeing the technical aspects of a project.
In this article, we compare and contrast the Scrum Master and Technical Lead roles, and discuss the skills and experience necessary for each.
What is a Scrum Master?
A Scrum Master is a facilitator and servant leader for a Scrum team. They are responsible for ensuring that the team adheres to the Scrum framework and principles. They help the team to self-organize, self-manage and continuously improve. The Scrum Master also protects the team from external distractions and impediments. They work with the product owner to help them prioritize the product backlog and ensure that the team is working on the most important items. The Scrum Master also facilitates Scrum ceremonies, such as sprint planning, sprint retrospectives and the daily stand-up.
What is a Technical Lead?
A Technical Lead is responsible for the technology direction of a project or product and provides guidance to a team of engineers. They collaborate with other leads, managers and stakeholders to come up with high-level plans and make decisions about technology choices. Technical Leads also oversee the day-to-day development work, ensuring that engineers are productive and meeting deadlines. They provide mentorship and support to engineers, helping them to grow their skills and career. In some cases, Technical Leads may also be responsible for hiring new engineers.
Scrum Master vs. Technical Lead
Here are the main differences between a scrum master and a technical lead.
Job Duties
Although both a scrum master and a technical lead help teams function more efficiently, their job duties can differ. A scrum master’s primary responsibility is ensuring the team follows the correct process to develop software. This involves helping the team overcome challenges and encouraging them to improve. Technical leads often have similar responsibilities, but they also may oversee certain technical aspects of the project. For example, they might monitor the progress of coding or ensure that the software meets user requirements.
Job Requirements
A Scrum Master is a facilitator and coach for an Agile team. They are responsible for ensuring that the team adheres to the Scrum framework and helps the team to be as productive as possible. A Scrum Master does not need any specific qualifications, but it is helpful if they have experience working in a Scrum environment and have a good understanding of the Scrum framework.
A Technical Lead is a software engineer who has the technical expertise and leadership skills to guide a team of engineers. They are responsible for mentoring and coaching team members, as well as making sure that the team meets its deadlines. A Technical Lead usually has a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field. They also have several years of experience working as a software engineer.
Work Environment
Both scrum masters and technical leads work in office environments, but the type of environment they’re in can differ. A scrum master often works in an office setting with other teams to help them achieve their goals. They may also travel to different locations to meet with clients or attend meetings.
A technical lead typically works in a more traditional office setting where they have access to computers and other resources. They may also need to travel to visit clients or attend conferences.
Skills
Both scrum masters and technical leads need to have excellent communication skills. They both also need to be able to work with people from different departments and levels within an organization.
A scrum master needs to be very organized so that they can keep track of the various tasks that need to be completed within a sprint. They also need to be able to motivate team members and help them solve any problems they are facing. A technical lead needs to be able to understand complex technical problems and find solutions for them. They also need to be able to mentor other engineers on the team and help them grow their skills.
Salary
The average salary for a scrum master is $104,205 per year, while the average salary for a technical lead is $118,295 per year. Both of these salaries can vary depending on the size of the company, the location of the job and the level of experience you have prior to pursuing either position.