What is Scrum?

How to Get Better Results Using Scrum

The solution of tasks without a plan, flexibility, a reference point on the market requirements — here is a set of the main characteristics of Scrum — not a full one, but so pleasant for us.

Let’s find out what is it

For descriptive reasons, we will show all process on the picture.

Scrum is a framework that gives a range of opportunities for productive and creative product development with the greatest possible value and solutions of uncommon tasks in the course of work.

The essence of this agile approach can be shortly formulated in:

• the development is conducted by short cycles (iterations), lasting 1–4 weeks;
• at the end of each iteration, the customer receives the needed application (or its part) which can be used in business;
• the development team cooperates with the customer during the whole project;
• the changes in the project are welcomed and quickly get into gear.

Scrum’s basis is the theory of empirical management — empiricism. According to this theory, a source of knowledge is experience, and a source of decisions is real data. The process of empirical management is based on three pillars: transparency, inspection, and adaptation.

For the purpose of improving the level of predictability and managing risks effectively, Scrum uses iterative and incremental approach.

Iterative is based on repeating of transactions to convert the previous stage results.

The incremental approach is an increment of the previous stage results.

Well, briefly and unobtrusively we learned about Scrum’s essence. But we can’t avoid Scrum’s value in any way.

When the Scrum team shares and embodies Scrum’s values — commitment, courage, focus, openness, and respect — the basic principles of a framework — transparency, inspection and adaptation — create the atmosphere of general trust. Participants of the Scrum team learn these values through events, roles, and Scrum’s artifacts. The success of this framework use directly depends on the fact how much people share these five values.

Each participant of the Scrum team is committed to its purposes. People have to have the courage to make difficult decisions. Everyone is focused on the purposes of the Scrum team and work on their achievement within the sprint (more details below!). Interested parties and the Scrum team remain open concerning all performed work and the arising difficulties. Participants of the Scrum team respect each other’s professionalism and independence.

The Scrum team consists of such integral components as the product owner, the development team and the Scrum master. Each of the parties makes a contribution to the common cause!

The product owner bears responsibility for receipt of the maximum product value and the work performed by the development team.

The development team consists of professionals who work on the creation of the product increment (don’t be afraid as it means the product functionality) at the end of each sprint. It independently coordinates the work, so as a result synergy, a growth of efficiency and performance, is observed.

The Scrum master is responsible for the due functioning of the Scrum process, its understanding by all team members and their compliance with the framework theory, rules, and practices.

It is worth mentioning the main advantages of the development team:

• Self-organization. The team independently decides how to turn the product backlog (that logs the remained work) in a product increment (we are already familiar with this term!) without any external instructions (even from the Scrum master).
• The cross-functionality — availability of all necessary skills within the team for team creation of the product increment.
• A developer is a unique role in the development team, despite the type of the carried-out tasks. Scrum doesn’t recognize other roles in the development team, and this rule has no exceptions.
• Lack of subcommands — irrespective of areas where it is necessary to work (for example, testing, design or the business analysis). Rule without any exception!
• Collective responsibility for the creation of the product increment of the highest quality. At the same time, separate team members can have various specialized skills and examination.

The development team predicts the amount of functionality that will be developed during the sprint (that is during a short cycle of development because of which the particular purpose shall be achieved). In turn, the product owner submits two fundamental aspects for discussion.

The first is the business challenges that have to be reached in the sprint; the second is the product backlog items that are needed for the performance of the sprint purpose. Based on these data, the Scrum team forms a uniform understanding of the work in the sprint.

What about planning?

The fundamental data for planning are the product backlog, the last product increment, the predicted availability of the development team in the future sprint, the statistics of its last productivity.

Only the development team defines the elements quantity of the product backlog that can be executed in the sprint. It possesses the exclusive right to estimate the amount of works that can be performed in the current sprint.

Everything is based on full cooperation!

When the development team has made the prognosis, the Scrum team has to create the sprint purpose.

The role of everyone is important!

The product owner promotes correct understanding of the chosen elements of the product backlog. Moreover, he can also meet requirements of the development team, making certain compromises.

For example, in the situation of an excessive amount of work, the development team can correct the quantity and structure of the chosen product backlog items to achieve the goals of the sprint, having coordinated the changes with the product owner.

If necessary, the team can also consult with the third-party experts to obtain additional information in the subject or technical areas.

So now, the only thing that left is to get acquainted with the last notion — the sprint retrospective. It is the opportunity for the Scrum team to investigate themselves and to create a plan of improvements for the following sprint.

Sprint retrospective purposes:

• Inspection of the sprint success level concerning people, the relationships between them, processes, and tools.
• Detection and streamlining of what has gone well and what needs improvement.
• Creation of the introduction plan of improvements in the process of the Scrum team work.

Conclusion

The purpose of this article was to acquaint you with the basic notions of Scrum. As it is enough to understand it and then the process of work based on the flexible methodology will promote achievement of necessary results in the shortest possible time.

However, the only way to fully understand it is to experience it yourself. Therefore, try it!

If you want to know how it works in our company, you’re welcome to challenge us with your idea!

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