BONUS The Scrum Master's AI Prompt Library With Joshua McDonald

BONUS: The Scrum Master's AI Prompt Library, with Joshua McDonald

In this BONUS episode, Joshua McDonald shares how he uses AI in the daily work of a Scrum Master, from team summaries and leadership updates to retrospectives and coaching preparation. The conversation is practical and grounded in one clear warning: AI can give Scrum Masters time back, but it cannot replace their judgment.

When AI Stops Being a Toy and Starts Saving Real Time

"It would have to be when it started to save me about one to two hours per day."

Joshua's turning point came when AI moved from curiosity to practical assistant. He began using tools like Microsoft Copilot to analyze reports, prepare communication, and package updates for different audiences. The value was not that AI did the thinking for him. The value was that it helped him reach useful coaching conversations faster, especially when working with reports on predictability, volatility, and cycle time.

Turning Flow Data Into Better Coaching Conversations

"It was able to pinpoint where the bottlenecks were, and where I should look."

One of Joshua's first high-value AI workflows combined screenshots of team metrics with exported Jira stories. Instead of spending half a day scanning acceptance criteria, transitions, and bottlenecks, he used AI to identify patterns and suggest where to look next. From there, he would ask follow-up questions from the perspective of a Scrum Master, using AI as a sparring partner to prepare coaching talking points before speaking with the team.

AI as a Communication Coach, Not a Replacement for Judgment

"I like to use AI as my coach to help me in my communication style."

Joshua is careful with sensitive communication. When he needs to bring data, feedback, or a difficult pattern to an individual or team, he asks AI to help him test the wording. He might ask how a message could land with someone who has reacted defensively before, or request phrases to avoid. In that sense, AI becomes a preparation space: a place to roleplay, refine tone, and make sure the human conversation starts from care rather than accidental bluntness.

A Weekly AI Workflow for Scrum Masters

"I use it pretty much at everything I create."

Joshua's weekly rhythm includes AI-generated summaries from standups, backlog refinement, and retrospectives. He uses templates that identify who shared which updates, what action items emerged, and what the team should be able to review later. For retrospectives, he keeps a prompt library on a whiteboard, with prompts adapted for Scrum teams, Kanban teams, and team interests. A hiking team might get a Big Bend retrospective; a car enthusiast might get a BMW-themed one. The point is not novelty for its own sake, but creating retrospectives that feel more connected to the people in the room.

The Prompt Library as a Scrum Master Asset

"I save them. I reuse them. I refine them."

Joshua does not treat prompts as throwaway text. He keeps them visible on a whiteboard, labels them by purpose, and refines them over time. That library helps him preserve the structure of useful workflows while adapting the output to the team and context. For Scrum Masters and agile coaches, this is one of the practical takeaways: a prompt library becomes part of the working system, just like a facilitation kit, retrospective catalog, or coaching journal.

Faster Is Not the Same as Better

"I don't lean on it to do critical thinking for me."

Joshua connects AI adoption to a deeper risk: using it to produce more work without asking whether that work matters. He validates AI output, checks the data, and stays responsible for conclusions. AI helps him get to an end point faster, but the Scrum Master still owns the thinking, the interpretation, and the impact on people. That distinction matters when teams are being pushed to adopt AI without clear guidance.

What Scrum Masters Should Try on Monday

"Have it coach you. Say, this is my role. This is what's on my agenda for today."

Joshua's recommended first experiment is simple: do a personal standup with AI. Share what you did yesterday, what you want to do today, and the challenges in front of you. Then ask AI to act as your coach and help you identify focus, priorities, and possible next steps. Within a week, a Scrum Master can see whether this creates more clarity, better communication, and more intentional use of time.

Learning AI Without Waiting for Permission

"Start there with basic AI fundamentals."

For Scrum Masters who are new to AI, Joshua recommends beginning with practical courses on platforms like Udemy, Coursera, or LinkedIn Learning. Then, connect with peers who are already experimenting with prompt creation. The goal is not to become an AI expert overnight. The goal is to understand what AI can support, what it should not replace, and how to build a prompt library that improves your own work.

About Joshua McDonald

Joshua is endlessly curious about better ways of working. He helps teams grow by blending experimentation, creativity, and AI with practical coaching. When a meeting feels routine, he's already testing a new approach to make it more valuable. Energetic and inventive, he turns everyday collaboration into opportunities for team growth.

You can link with Joshua McDonald on LinkedIn.