What is scrum?

Let us imagine this scenario –

You are responsible for building a product and its management. Basically, you are the one who starts with an idea and is responsible to deliver the final product. BUT you are not the only one working on it. You have been handed over the responsibility of managing teams — teams that specialize in specific aspects of the product.

Now, when there are too many minds, there are many ideas. Some hiccups. And all leads to one solution — being as adaptive and collaborative as one can be to deliver the best product for the consumer.

Here enters ‘Scrum’ — a framework that will make it easier for you and your team to address complex problems, and collaboratively deliver the best product possible.

Much like a rugby team (from where it literally gets its name from) training for a BIG game, this framework encourages teams to come together, learn through their experiences and reflect on their wins and losses to continuously address complex problems, in a rapidly changing world.

Who are the main players involved, you ask…. Specifically the Product Owner, the Scrum Master, and the Developer.

Now, let me take you through the key scrum ceremonies in brief –

1. Sprint Planning

• Defining the Sprint Goal: Once the idea of the product is locked, the Product Owner discusses the idea, how the product would increase value, and its utility in the current sprint with the dedicated Scrum team. Based on it, the team defines the Sprint Goal communicating how the Sprint would be valuable to the stakeholders. It is here that the Sprint Goal has to be finalized before moving further.
• Components of the Sprint Goal: The Developers select items from the Product backlog that would be included in the current Sprint. During the review, the team refines these items leading to more clarity. Discussions may range from an evaluation of past performances to their current and upcoming capacity, the team’s Definition of Done — this creates a shared understanding amongst team members.
• Getting it done: Once the Definition of Done is finalized, for each Product Backlog item selected, the Developers along with their team plan the workout. This is often done by decomposing Product Backlog items into smaller work items of one day or less as per their capacity and requirements.

The Sprint Goal, the Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint, plus the plan for delivering them is together referred to as the Sprint Backlog.

2. The Daily Stand-Up (DSU)

Consider this on the lines of a daily ritual where the team meets at a set timing to discuss the progress towards the defined Sprint Goal, and to understand their progress towards completing the Sprint Backlog.

• Coordinating the team’s activities
• Identifying impediments for a quick solution
• Finding opportunities to help each other
• Improving the Development Team’s level of knowledge

Team members often meet immediately after the Daily Scrum for detailed discussions, to adapt/re-plan the rest of the Sprint’s work, or to identify a systemic approach to resolve a critical issue.

3. Sprint Review

At the end of each Sprint, a Sprint Review meeting is held to understand what the team accomplished against the goals it set.

Attendees: Scrum Team and key stakeholders invited by the Product Owner

The process:

• The Product Owner explains what Product Backlog items have been ‘Done’ and what has not been ‘Done’
• The Developers discuss what went well during the Sprint, what problems it ran into, and how those problems were solved
• The Developers demonstrate the work that they have accomplished and answers questions about the Increment
• The Product Owner discusses the Product Backlog as it stands. He/She projects likely target and delivery dates based on progress to date (if needed)
• The entire group collaborates on the way forward, so that the Sprint Review provides valuable input to subsequent Sprint Planning;
• Review of how the marketplace or potential use of the product might have changed, what is the most valuable thing to do next, etc.
• Review of the timeline, budget, potential capabilities, and marketplace for the next anticipated releases of functionality and capability of the product.

4. Sprint Retrospective

During this phase, the team focusses its discussion on the following key points to increase its effectiveness –

• What went well in the Sprint with regard to defining goals, tools, processes, and interactions, the ‘Definition of Done’, etc.?
• What could be improved — were there any assumptions that they should avoid, any set of processes that did not work out, how problems were solved or if there are better ways to solve the same issues, etc.?
• What will the team commit to improving in the next Sprint — an opportunity to re-focus and re-learn as well as inspect and adapt.

Follow me on Instagram