Scrum on a page

According to many experts, the Scrum framework is a form or subset of Agile. But to me it is much more. Scrum is the most successful and popular framework of all the Agile techniques and methodologies. Its beauty is in its simplicity; a lightweight framework that you can apply to the most complex of projects.

Characteristics of Scrum

• Scrum is a lightweight and versatile framework used mostly for Agile development.
• Scrum is the most widely used framework of all forms of Agile.
• Scrum is simple to use, but difficult to master. It’s beauty is that is has such scope, depth and mastery. You can easily have a career being a Scrum specialist.
• Scrum is designed to address the most complex of projects, hence Agile development.
• Scrum is now being embraced in other industries outside of software. These include technology sectors, marketing and manufacturing to name a few.
• It is based on an empirical measurement, meaning you can only forecast progress and estimation based on passed progress.
• The three main elements of Scrum is divided into the three categories of Roles, Artefacts, and Time Boxes.

How it works

Simply put, this list highlights the main points of scrum, it is ordered in a basic sequential order, which mainly bares truth.

Remember, there is an old adage about Scrum, it is simple to do, difficult to master!

1. A product owner creates and prioritises a wish list called a product backlog.
2. During sprint planning, the development team pulls a small chunk from the top of that wish list, called a sprint backlog. The development team decides how to implement those pieces — all in a cross-functional and self-governing team.
3. The development team has a certain amount of time — a sprint (usually one, two to four weeks) — to complete its work. It meets every day to assess its progress (this meeting is called a daily Scrum, a 24 hour team plan).
4. The Scrum Master manages this process, they aims to keep the team focused on its goal and remove any impediments that may block them.
5. At the end of the sprint, the work should be “potentially shippable:. Meaning it is: ready to hand to a customer or show to a stakeholder.
6. The sprint ends with a sprint review (show and tell to the stakeholders) and a retrospective (meeting where the dev team meet to discuss their internal process).
7. As the next sprint begins, the team chooses another chunk of the product backlog and begins working again.

Scrum uses both iterative and incremental practices. It significantly increases productivity and reduces time greatly over other practices.

The Scrum framework enable organisations to adjust smoothly to rapidly-changing requirements, and produce product to meet ever changing targets and business goals. Scrum is now embraced as part of the new digital movement, and other revolutionary methods such as Lean, Design Thinking all connect and gel well with Agile and Scrum practices. It is part of a new evolution in the digital space. I will talk about these more in future blog posts.

Benefits of Scrum

• An increase in the the quality of deliverables.
• Ability to create an environment where the team can cope better with change (and expect changes).
• Provide better estimates while spending less time creating them.
• Enable teams to be more in control of the project.

Fore more information, refer to the Scrum Guide.

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