The ScrumMaster is the most controversial position in agile. Is a ScrumMaster a natural leader within the team or is the role a profession in itself? Here, Mariya Breyter takes a look at what a ScrumMaster actually does and writes that it is a state of mind based on a strong commitment to agile values and a dedication to the team and its success.

This is a common misconception of those inexperienced with agile, who choose this methodology on the basis of thinking that their project can be delivered more quickly and easily by avoiding documentation. But agile is not an excuse for skipping documentation. While some information will always need to be captured in written words, there are techniques that can be used to reduce documentation but will still give the customers what they want.

Johanna Rothman gives the rundown on what exactly is agile. Remember, agile is not just an approach. It is a system and a cultural change to your organization. Agile creates high visibility and transparency in the projects, which permeates the entire organization.

Alexey Krasnoriadtsev has been managing globally distributed projects for more than ten years, applying agile methods to improve process efficiency, increase team productivity, and deliver quality products to market faster. With teams split across the globe, he shares with us his approach he's adopted to overcome the communication, process, and quality assurance obstacles facing team members who are a date line and time zone away.