Obstacle escalation process

1. OBSTACLE
ESCALATION
PROCESS
How obstacle moves on an Obstacle Board
1

2. 2
OBSTACLE OVERVIEW
• Obstacle card has
data associated
with it, such as:
• Name
• Owner
• Due Date
• Detailed Log
(datewise actions)
• Types of obstacles
• Physical (e.g. server/access)
• Organizational (e.g. DP env)
• Skill (e.g. not enough x in y) : see notes for an example
• Domain (e.g. business issues)
• Levels of obstacles & ownership
• Team level (scrum master)
• Program (manager)
• Portfolio (exec)

3. OBSTACLE MOVES ACROSS 3 LEVELS
• Team-level:
• Scrum Master tries to resolve obstacle with help of team.
• Obstacle is logged on an obstacle board.
• Management-level:
• When the team cannot resolve it, or when it is org-level escalation, SM gets
manager involved.
• For business escalation, PO gets manager involved.
• It shows up on management-level obstacle board.
• Exec-level:
• When manager cannot resolve the obstacle, it shows up on exec-level
obstacle board.
• This board is similar to the team level, except that last column mentions
“resolved”, as it cannot be placed “on hold” at exec level.
• Owner can resolve/dismiss obstacle at regular interval.

4. 4
EXECUTION PLAN
• Team-level:
• Scrum Master will ensure that each obstacle is logged on an obstacle board.
• This can be physical board in team area or team room, marked with “Do Not Remove” sign.
• Management-level:
• For org-level escalation, functional manager will use online obstacle board (virtual kanban board)
• For business escalation, PO/manager will use similar obstacle board.
• Management-level online obstacle boards:
• This level obstacle board can be a kanban board with the following value stream:
• Entire middle-management should have access to this board.
• Exec-level:
• Exec-level obstacle board
can be physical board
outside exec room.
Alternately execs can
access management level
virtual board for escalations
of obstacle(s) in-progress.