Agile Scrum Methodology
Written by Océane Haddad - s212838
Abstract
Scrum is an agile method that was invented in the early 1990s by Ken Schwaber & Jeff Sutherland that aims at developing complex products in a different way than the classic Waterfall Method. [1] [2]
Scrum is based on the division of a project into "time boxes", called sprints that typically last one to three weeks. The team is composed of a Product Owner, a Scrum Master and a small team of developers. [3] Before each sprint, the Product Owner writes the “Product Backlog”, a prioritized list of features known as user stories that could go into the product. Each sprint starts with a Sprint Planning Meeting where all the members of the Scrum team can commit to the number of tasks they will be able to perform, as well as the creation of the “Sprint Backlog”, which is the overall list of tasks to be carried out during the sprint. During the sprint, the Scrum Master hosts daily 15-minute Stand-up Meetings where all members of the developer team can share what they did the day before, what they are working on today and identify any difficulties encountered that could hinder the smooth running of the sprint. Each sprint ends with a Sprint review, which consists of a demonstration of what has been completed and a discussion of what could be improved. Before starting a new sprint, a Retrospective Meeting takes place where all the Scrum team members work on what they can do to improve their process. By working incrementally, the team can learn from previous sprints to optimize the next. [4]
Even though the efficiency of this method had been proved by its important use in different companies, implementing it for the first time is challenging. It beyond others requires extensive training and major changes within the organization. [5]
Contents |
Scrum methodology
Definition
Origin of the method (date, and where it comes from)
Purpose of this method
Structure of the method
The Scrum roles
Definition of Product Owner, Scrum Master, team and Customers&Stakeholders: their roles and interactions with each other
The Scrum documents
Definition of the Product Backlog, the Sprint Backlog and Burndown charts
The Scrum events
Definition of the Sprint planning, the Daily Scrum, the Sprint Review and the Sprint Retrospective
The typical conduct of the Scrum method
Step 1: Writing the Product Backlog
The Product Owner creates a list of ideas and features that could go into the product and prioritise them. Definition of user stories
Step 2: Sprint planning meeting
The Product Owner, the Scrum Master and the team discuss the content of the next sprint based on the top priority user stories.
Step 3: Writing the Sprint Backlog
List of user stories that have been committed to for the next sprint. The entire team and product owner have a solid understanding of what each of the user stories involves based on the discussions from the sprint planning meetings.
Step 4: Sprint
1 to 3 weeks.
During the sprint, daily scrums occur as a stand-up meeting where the team discusses what they have completed, what they are working on and any difficulties.
Outcome of the sprint = potentially shippable product
Step 5: Sprint review and Sprint retrospective meetings
- Sprint review: where the team showcases their work to the product owner
- Retrospective: where the team works on what they can do to improve their process
Concrete case: how to implement Scrum method in an organization
Example of a Scrum Master in GlobalProducts that had to convince the organization and the clients of the efficiency of Scrum method.
Limitations & Challenges
References
- ↑ Schwaber K., SCRUM Development Process, in: Proceedings of the 10th Annual ACM Conference on Object Oriented Programming Systems, Languages, and Applications (OOPSLA), 1995.
- ↑ Schwaber K., Sutherland J., The Scrum Guide, 2020
- ↑ Uzility, Introduction to Scrum - 7 Minutes, 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TycLR0TqFA
- ↑ Lopez A., Milmine L., Agile Implementation Lessons Learned from Practical Application, 2012
- ↑ Indeed Editorial Team, List of Scrum Advantages and Disadvantages, in: indeed, 2021
