Scrum is a framework, which contributes to collaborations among team members working on a complex product. While software development team members use it mostly, Scrum might be helpful to everyone who is working towards common goals.
In simple terms, Scrum can be a collection of tools, meetings, and roles, which work in collaboration to help team members manage their workload and achieve a better structure.
Following an Agile approach, Scrum normally includes an additional step between the implementation and backlog phase. This step is referred to as sprints.
Using sprints enable teams to cut up the main project into manageable and smaller chunks. Plus, teams will decide which part of projects to concentrate on, then choose the right tasks from the backlog.
Scrum Vs. Agile
Today, there are numerous methodologies you may choose from, and each is suited to various kinds of projects. The most common ones include Scrum and Agile.
On the surface, it is simple to understand why people confuse between a Scrum and Agile as they depend on collaborative decision-making, iterative process, and frequent customer interaction.
However, the major difference between the two is that, while Agile is basically a project management philosophy, which uses a set of principles or values, Scrum refers to a specific Agile approach that project managers use to facilitate tasks.
How Scrum in Project Management Works
Scrum methodology in project management allows software developers to focus on the work, which matters a lot, and break it into easy-to-handle tasks.
It is all about communicating and collaborating with project owners and project management companies. It is also about improving business value, responding to feedback, and delivering more often by ensuring customers get what they need.
Structure of Scrum Projects
Since Scrum is a comparatively lightweight framework, the Scrum structure is straightforward. It introduces three different roles, including:
1. Scrum Master
This is an individual serving as a leader to the organization, team, and product owners. A Scrum master also works with product owners and handles the reduction of impediments of projects to increase the ROI. The leader is also responsible for updating Scrum, mentoring teams, and providing coaching.
2. Self-Organizing Development Team
They are a group of experts with technical skills and knowledge to develop projects. While people can join Scrum-organizing development teams with different job titles, those titles are not significant in Scrum.
3. Product Owners
Product owners are responsible for maximizing products’ value. They serve as customers using software or representative of stakeholders. They are also tasked to translate project visions to the team while validating benefits in stories to get incorporated into a product backlog.
Scrum Framework
The framework of Scrum is basically heuristic. This means it depends on adjustment to changing factors and continuous learning. It acknowledges the fact that the team members don’t have everything and will grow through experience.
Scrum is there to enable team members adapt to user requirements and changing conditions naturally. Although Scrum is structured, it’s not completely rigid. You can tailor its execution depending on the organization’s needs.
Major Artifacts
The major artifact when it comes to Scrum development is the product itself. A model of Scrum expects team members to bring the system or product to a shippable state at the end of every sprint.
The product backlog is also another Scrum artifact. Product owners prioritize backlogs, so that every team member enjoy the benefits of burndown chart and always work on valuable features.
The most successful and popular way to make product backlogs using the Scrum approach is to populate with user stories that are short descriptions of functionality from customers’ or users’ point of view.
Development of Scrum Team
A group of dedicated teams is responsible for carrying out the main work in the Scrum framework. This group of people collaborates to deliver and develop products. One team may comprise around six individuals, including developers, business analysts, and product testers.
To collaborate together effectively, team members should have one common goal. In addition, they need to adhere to Scrum principles and rules so as to attain goals. Try CSM Certification in lasvegas.
Every member of a Scrum group is also expected to report daily progress, along with challenges and successes of daily standup meetings.
Advantages of Scrum Approach
Scrum has a lot of benefits over an Agile development methodology. Currently, it is the most trusted and used framework of reference when it comes to the software industry.
With the Scrum approach or framework, you can complete projects simultaneously instead of sequentially. Things in Scrum are also flexible – meaning you can change them as projects continue.
Apart from giving your development team a high level of autonomy that leads to faster decisions, the Scrum approach guarantees the following benefits:
- High software quality
- Expectation compliance
- Easily scalable
The Takeaway!
While Scrum is a great framework when it comes to project management, it’s basically not the only methodology available today.
Based on the nature of your project, you might also require a more traditional and structured methodology. If you could, you may mix and match different approaches to guarantee more success.