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Impediment Log

An Impediment Log is a transparent, continuously updated list of obstacles that slow or block the Scrum Team's progress. It records each impediment's description, impact, owner, and status so the team and Scrum Master can remove them quickly. It is created when impediments are raised in events like the Daily Standup and is used across Scrum processes to track, prioritize, and resolve them.

Key Points

  • Single, visible list of team blockers maintained throughout the project.
  • Typically owned and facilitated by the Scrum Master, but anyone can raise or update items.
  • Prioritized by impact on the Sprint Goal and delivery flow, not by who reported it.
  • Acts as an output of Daily Standup and Remove Impediments, and an input to Remove Impediments, Scrum of Scrums, and Retrospect Sprint.
  • Each entry has a clear owner, next action, and due date to drive resolution.
  • Includes status and aging so lingering impediments get escalated quickly.

Purpose

The Impediment Log ensures transparency and flow by making blockers visible, actionable, and time-bound. It supports empirical control by allowing the team to inspect impediments daily and adapt plans to protect the Sprint Goal. Over time, it highlights systemic issues that require organizational or process improvements.

Key Terms & Clauses

  • Impediment: Anything that slows or stops the team from meeting the Sprint Goal, especially issues outside the Development Team's direct control.
  • Blocker: A high-severity impediment that halts work on a user story or task.
  • Owner: The person accountable for driving the next action to remove the impediment, often coordinated by the Scrum Master.
  • Priority/Impact: Ordering based on effect on the Sprint Goal, throughput, or critical dependencies.
  • Aging/Target Resolution Time: How long an item has been open versus the team’s expected response window, used for escalation.
  • Escalation Path: Agreed steps for external or cross-team blockers, including Scrum of Scrums or management support.
  • Scope Note: Impediments are not Product Backlog Items and are not estimated in story points.

How to Develop/Evaluate

Build and maintain the log with a lightweight, shared format the team can update quickly.

  1. Agree on fields (ID, description, impact, owner, status, next action, due date, links to backlog items/sprint goal).
  2. Create the log at project start; capture new impediments immediately during Daily Standup or as they occur.
  3. Triage by impact and urgency; place the most harmful items at the top.
  4. Assign an owner and a specific next action with a clear date.
  5. Link related epics/user stories or dependencies to provide context.
  6. Review status and aging daily; escalate items breaching time targets.

Evaluate quality by checking:

  • Entries are specific, actionable, and have a single owner.
  • Aging trends are monitored; duplicates are merged; root causes are captured upon closure.
  • Metrics such as open count, average age, and resolution rate are tracked.
  • Recurring items lead to improvement actions or enabling backlog items.

How to Use

  • Daily Standup: Capture new blockers, reorder by impact, and confirm next actions for top items.
  • Remove Impediments: The Scrum Master coordinates actions, negotiates with stakeholders, and escalates as needed.
  • Scrum of Scrums: Surface cross-team impediments and synchronize resolutions across teams.
  • Retrospect Sprint: Analyze patterns and root causes; create improvement actions to prevent recurrence.
  • Backlog Refinement/Planning: Convert systemic impediments into enabling work (e.g., spikes, automation tasks) when appropriate.
  • Sprint Review/Release: Communicate unresolved organizational constraints and seek support.

Example Snippet

  • ID: IMP-024.
  • Description: Access to external API pending; blocks two user stories in Sprint 7.
  • Impact: High — threatens Sprint Goal if not resolved by Wednesday.
  • Owner: Scrum Master (coordinate vendor and security team).
  • Next Action: Submit expedited access ticket and schedule call with vendor today.
  • Due Date: Tue, 14:00.
  • Status: In progress; escalated to vendor manager.
  • Links: US-310, US-315; Sprint 7 Goal.

Risks & Tips

  • Risk: The log becomes a graveyard of stale items. Tip: Review aging daily and escalate anything breaching targets.
  • Risk: No clear ownership. Tip: Every entry must have a single owner and next action.
  • Risk: Mixing tasks with impediments. Tip: Keep delivery work in the Sprint Backlog and only blockers in the log.
  • Risk: Reduced transparency. Tip: Make the log visible to the whole team and stakeholders.
  • Risk: Short-term fixes only. Tip: Capture root causes and create improvement actions to prevent recurrence.
  • Risk: Late escalations on external dependencies. Tip: Escalate early via Scrum of Scrums or agreed management channels.

PMP/SCRUM Example Question

During the Daily Standup, a developer reports that vendor API access is still not granted and is blocking two user stories, putting the Sprint Goal at risk. What should the Scrum Master do next?

  1. Record the impediment in the Impediment Log, prioritize it by impact, assign an owner, and begin escalation.
  2. Add a new user story to the Product Backlog to track the access request.
  3. Ask the Product Owner to swap Sprint Backlog items so the team stays busy.
  4. Extend the Sprint by two days to allow time for the vendor to respond.

Correct Answer: A — Record the impediment in the Impediment Log, prioritize it by impact, assign an owner, and begin escalation.

Explanation: New blockers are captured and actioned through the Impediment Log, with the Scrum Master driving removal and escalation. Changing scope or extending the Sprint is not appropriate for addressing impediments.

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