Role of the design authority in large scrum of scrum multi-team-based programs

Abstract

This paper discusses the vital role of the Design Authority (DA) within large Military Scrum of Scrum multi-team-based programs, in assuring that systems would support a military operation according to organizational and administrative procedures. It is a matter of fact that multiple teams and progressive technology can create a thwarting environment leading to implementation fatigue; finding balance between agility versus standardization or functionality versus intuitiveness often leads to discussions among the stakeholders. The DA manages these problems and maximizes opportunities, taking the responsibility for ensuring a solution that meets goals, needs, and specifications during the entire Agile process. A discrete DA will act in coordination with the teams sprint-by-sprint, defining and communicating portfolio vision, technical strategies, architecture standards, and design methodologies. DA maintains an end-to-end view with a mission-focused perspective, ensuring the delivery of business value and providing timely and useful information to team members and stakeholders; absence of a DA yields uncertainty among project participants on their tasks and roles.