Our project manager is getting her scrum master certification. She reminded me of the classic pig and chicken story. Here it is for the record:
A Pig is someone who has skin in the game. Mike Cohn aptly refers to the people in that role as, “Having their Bacon on the line.”
Pig roles are considered core team members. Performers. People who “do” work.
Get it?
I would consider the roles of both Product Owner and the ScrumMaster to be pigs on a team.
A Chicken is someone who has something to gain by the Pigs performing, but in the end, really do not contribute day to day to “getting things done.” Their “eggs” are a renewable resource, and many get laid (eggs that is).
I get asked the following question by many people when starting to use Scrum:
“Can I be a Pig and Chicken at the same time?”
No.
You cannot be a Pig and a Chicken at the same time.