Scrum Quick Guide
Scrum is a framework to create and maintain complex products. There are several parts to Scrum including roles, events, artifacts and guidelines that make them work in harmony. When utilized correctly scrum can achieve the highest possible value during the product lifecycle. The results observed using scrum are due to the fact that this framework is lightweight, simple to understand. However it is difficult to master.
Transparency
In order to make Scrum transparent a shared language referring to the framework is needed among team members. Also, a definition of “Done” needs to be stablished between people doing the work and people approving results.
Assessments
Artifacts and advancement towards a spring goal are assessed to eliminate variances. If a deviation is encountered a modification must be made immediately to reduce additional abnormalities. Scrum assessments are performed in four events sprint planning, daily scrum, sprint review and sprint retrospective.
Scrum Team
A self-organized and cross-functional team consisting of a product owner, development team and a scrum master are needed in this framework. This allows the team to create products iteratively and incrementally to make the most of the opportunities for feedback.
• Product Owner is responsible for handling the Product Backlog.
• Development teams are small enough to remain agile. They establish and handle their own work empowered by their organization. The product owner and scrum master are not part of the development team unless they are also working on tasks from the sprint backlog.
• Scrum Master is a servant-leader for the scrum team. The scrum master helps product owner with techniques to handle the backlog, clear communications to the team about backlog tasks and maximize product backlog value. The scrum master helps the development team by coaching them and removing obstacles.
Scrum Events
Events in scrum are time-boxed providing the opportunity to review and adapt something.
• Sprints are one month or less where a “ Done”, usable and possibly releasable product increment is created. Sprints occur back to back and include the sprint planning, daily scrums, development work, sprint review and retrospective.
o Sprints can be canceled by the product owner
o Sprint planning outlines the work to be completed in the sprint. During the planning two questions must be answered. One, what can be done this sprint? And two, how will the chosen work get done?
• Spring goal is an objective target for the sprint that can be accomplished through the execution of product backlog tasks.
• Daily Scrum is a 15 minute meeting to synchronize activities and create a plan for the next 24 hours.
• Spring Review takes place at the end of the sprint to assess the increments and make changes to the product backlog as needed.
• Spring Retrospective takes place after the sprint review and before the next sprint planning. This event gives the team the opportunity to reflect on their work and implement improvements for the next sprint.
Scrum Artifacts
Artifacts are designed to maximize transparency and opportunities for easements and adaptations.
Product Backlog
The product backlog is a prioritized list of tasks that might be needed in the product and is the safe source of requirements for any changes to be made to the product.
Sprint Backlog
The sprint backlog is the items from the backlog selected to be implemented for the sprint and the plan delivering the product increment and realizing the sprint goal.
It is very important to understand that implementing a framework is just the first step for a team to maximize their creativity and productivity. Also, there is no magical framework to make a team work as desired. The important thing is to have a framework and utilize it properly. Also, in order for any framework to be implemented correctly support from top management, culture change and change management are needed.
REFERENCES:
https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-scrum
http://scrummethodology.com/
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