What Is Scrum?

Introduction to Scrum - An Agile Process Scrum is an agile way to manage a project, usually software development. Agile software development with Scrum is often perceived as a methodology; but rather than viewing Scrum as methodology, think of it as a framework for managing a process. In the agile Scrum world, instead of providing complete, detailed descriptions of how everything is to be done on a project, much of it is left up to the Scrum software development team. This is because the team will know best how to solve the problem they are presented. This is why in Scrum development, for example, a sprint planning meeting is described in terms of the desired outcome (a commitment to a set of features to be developed in the next sprint) instead of a set of Entry criteria, Task definitions, Validation criteria, Exit criteria (ETVX) and so on, as would be provided in most methodologies. Scrum relies on a self-organizing, cross-functional team. Within agile development, Scrum teams are supported by two specific roles.

Scrum Methodology & Agile Scrum Methodologies Scrum Master in Under 10 Minutes! - Scrum Methodology Video In Scrum, product features are known as user stories, and they are written from the perspective of the end-user. The product backlog contains the wish list of all the user stories that would make the product great. The product owner represents the users and customers of the product and decides which user stories or items make it into the product backlog. The goal of a given release is to deliver a subset of the product backlog, known as the release backlog. Each sprint (or short duration milestone) takes a manageable chunk of the release backlog and gets it to a ship-ready state! The progress of the team is monitored using a burndown chart—one of the best project visibility tools. Short daily standup meetings (also known as the Daily Scrum) ensure everything is on track and everyone has the tools they need. After each sprint, a longer sprint retrospective meeting helps fine-tune the process.

Learning Scrum through Games While this is the session I ran in 2011 it has been replaced by: Learning Scrum Through Games – Goldilocks Iterations II. Last week at Agile Tour Toronto I had the privilege of working with my friend Paul Heidema to help introduce the basic concepts of Scrum in 60 minutes. This is a really interesting challenge, what’s the minimum amount you can teach people and still give them a taste of Scrum. In end we opted for about ~10 minutes of talking heads (spread throughout), ~30 minutes of simulation time and 15 minutes of debrief. We invited our teams to create Children’s Books of the Goldilocks story. Comments from participants: A number said it was surprising how well teams of complete strangers came together after two sprints.Several didn’t like the way I set them up for a mini “failure” by not playing the Product Owner role poorly and not communicating my needs. Attached below – are our materials: Feel free to use this simple simulation to help teach the very basic concepts of Scrum.

Principles behind the Agile Manifesto We follow these principles: Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale. Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project. Build projects around motivated individuals. The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation. Working software is the primary measure of progress. Agile processes promote sustainable development. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility. Simplicity--the art of maximizing the amount of work not done--is essential. The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams. Return to Manifesto