Scrum in the context of lean and agile project management

Abstract

Scrum is originally an iterative and incremental agile software development procedure model to manage the product development process. Even though Scrum was developed as an agile software development framework, it developed since the 1990's to a general project management method.

Scrum was mentioned for the first time in the Harvard business Review article “New New Product Development Game” from 1986. In this article Takeuchi and Nonaka compared the work processes in high-performing and cross-functional teams with the scrum formation used in Rugby.

Scrum is based on three pillars :

1) Transparency

2) Inspection

3) Adaption

As Scrum is an agile approach it is close connected to the agile movement. The agile movement is summarized in the “agile manifesto” (2001), which states: “Individuals and interactions over processes and tools;
Working software over comprehensive documentation;
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation;
Responding to change over following a plan”. [1]

This article will explain Scrum as a project management method in relation to the agile movement. Moreover, this article puts Scrum in the context of lean project management. Scrum with its independent origin from the Toyota production system, is not a transfer of Toyota production methods to project management.