Heard the phrases “Scrum calls”, “Daily Standups” or “Scrum Teams”?
These are commonly used terms not only IT industry but also in other industries that use the Scrum Framework.
Let us understand in detail what exactly Scrum Framework is.
What is Scrum Framework?
Scrum is an Agile framework that helps in managing software/product development. It is a framework for building products.
Product development teams use it for solving complex problems. The scrum teams are self-organizing & motivated.
Don’t get confused between Agile & Scrum!
Agile is a philosophy. It is a mindset. While Scrum is a framework that practically helps implement the values and principles of the Agile manifesto.
As per ScrumAlliance, “Agile is an umbrella term that refers to a family of approaches that share common values and principles. Scrum is a commonly used agile framework that offers suggestions for how work can be organized to maximize value to the end-user.”
If you read the above sentence correctly, the end goal is to maximize value to the end user.
What exactly is this value? Value is the benefit the user gets for the cost he pays.
Let’s see how Scrum helps in maximizing this value for the end users.
Scrum Framework has 3 Scrum Roles, 3 Scrum Artifacts, 5 Events & 5 Values.
3 Scrum roles
#1. Product Owner
The Product Owner represents stakeholders, ensuring alignment with the product vision and effectively prioritizing items in the product backlog.
Their primary responsibility is to maximize the value derived from the work of the Development Team.
Serving as the voice of the customer, they make key decisions regarding the product’s direction and features, ultimately shaping its success in the market.
#2. Development Team
The Development Team is a key part of the Scrum process and works closely with the Product Owner and Scrum Master to deliver a high-quality product increment at the end of each Sprint.
The Development Team is a cohesive, cross-functional group of individuals with diverse sets of skills, who work together to deliver a product
The Development Team might include programmers, testers, tech architects, tech writers, build and release engineers, etc.
#3. Scrum Master
A Scrum Master is a facilitator and leader for the Scrum team, responsible for ensuring the team adheres to Scrum values, practices, and rules.
They help the team to continuously improve and deliver value to the customer.
A Scrum Master is responsible for maximizing the effectiveness of scrum teams
3 Scrum Artifacts
#1. Product Backlog
A product backlog is a prioritized list of features or requirements for a product, used in the Scrum framework to guide the development of the product.
It is continually updated and refined by the product owner and serves as input for the team’s sprint planning meetings.
#2. Sprint Backlog
A sprint backlog is a list of items selected from the product backlog that the team commits to completing during the upcoming sprint.
It is owned and maintained by the development team and serves as the plan for the sprint, with the team working to complete the items on the list during the sprint.
#3. Product Increment
A product increment is a delivery of new or improved functionality to a product, created during a sprint in the Scrum framework.
It is an accumulation of all the product backlog items completed during all the sprints, representing an ongoing version of the product that is potentially releasable.
5 Scrum Events
#1. Sprint
The sprint is a time-boxed period, typically lasting 2-4 weeks, in which a cross-functional team works to create a potentially releasable product increment.
The sprint is the basic unit of development in Scrum, and all work during a sprint is focused on completing a specific set of goals, defined during the sprint planning meeting.
#2. Sprint Planning
The sprint planning meeting is held at the beginning of each sprint and is attended by the entire Scrum team, including the product owner, development team, and Scrum Master.
The purpose of this meeting is to plan the work that will be completed during the upcoming sprint.
The team reviews the product backlog and identifies the items that will be worked on during the sprint. They also establish a sprint goal, which is a clear statement of what the team intends to achieve during the sprint.
#3. Daily Scrum
The daily Scrum, also known as the “daily stand-up,” is a 15-minute meeting that is held each day at the same time and place.
The purpose of this meeting is to give the team a chance to discuss their progress and plan for the next 24 hours.
Each team member answers three questions:
- What did I do yesterday?
- What will I do today?
- Are there any obstacles in my way?
#4. Sprint Review
The sprint review is a meeting held at the end of each sprint, attended by the entire Scrum team and other stakeholders, such as the product owner and customers.
The purpose of this meeting is to demonstrate the work completed during the sprint and receive feedback. The team shows the product increment they have developed and discusses any challenges or lessons learned during the sprint.
#5. Sprint Retrospective
The sprint retrospective is a meeting held at the end of each sprint, attended by the entire Scrum team.
The purpose of this meeting is to reflect on the sprint that has just ended and identify ways to improve for the next sprint. The team evaluates its process and looks for ways to optimize its workflow and increase its efficiency.
Scrum events are designed to keep the team focused on the sprint goal, review progress, and continuously improve the process. These events are time-boxed and mandatory, providing a framework for the team to work efficiently and effectively in order to deliver a product increment on time.
5 Scrum Values
#1. Commitment
This value encourages the team to be fully dedicated to the project and to each other. It involves taking ownership of the work and striving for excellence.
#2. Courage
This value requires individuals to speak up and challenge the status quo. It encourages the team to embrace new ideas and take risks.
#3. Focus
This value promotes the ability to stay focused on the sprint goal and to prioritize the work that needs to be done. It involves eliminating distractions and completing the most important tasks first.
#4. Openness
This value encourages open communication and the sharing of information, both within the team and with stakeholders. This includes sharing progress, obstacles, and goals, as well as making the work visible.
#5. Respect
This value promotes mutual respect among team members and stakeholders. It involves valuing the contributions of each team member and treating everyone with dignity and courtesy.
How does Scrum work?
Any product development starts with creating a product vision. The product owner interacts with stakeholders to craft the product vision.
The product owner (PO) then does a competitive analysis to create product positioning, promotion, and pricing strategy. He conducts user research and comes up with a list of product features. This list is the product backlog.
PO then works with sponsors to understand the revenue and margin goals to prioritize the backlog.
During the Sprint Planning meeting, the team selects items from the product backlog that they will work on during the upcoming sprint.
The team then works on completing these items during the sprint, which is a time-boxed period of 2-4 weeks. The team meets daily to discuss progress and plan for the next day, this is called Daily Scrum.
At the end of the sprint, the team demonstrates the work they completed during the Sprint Review and receives feedback from stakeholders.
Then in the Sprint Retrospective meeting, the team reflects on their process and identifies ways to improve for the next sprint. This process repeats for each sprint until the project is completed.
The scrum process is designed to be flexible and adaptable, allowing the team to quickly respond to changes and deliver a high-quality product. The scrum values help to ensure that the team is always working towards the best possible outcome.
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