What is Agile Methodology?
Agile methodology provides project managers to manage their projects by breaking them up into several phases. This approach involves constant collaboration with other stakeholders with constant improvements throughout each stage. You can also use a project management template to improve your business.
The Agile Manifesto defines four main values: individuals and interactions over processes and tools, working software over comprehensive documentation, customer collaboration over contract negotiation, and responding to change over following a plan.
What is Scrum?
Scrum is an Agile project management methodology that entails a small team managed by a Scrum master whose primary responsibility is to remove any impediments to getting work done. Work is completed in short sprints, and the team meets regularly to review current projects and any impediments that need to be removed. It offers a structure for teams to deliver incrementally and prioritize efficient planning, and continuous improvement.
Even though Scrum is initially created for software and IT environments, it has become widely adapted for industries like product development, manufacturing, marketing, etc. This approach allows different organizations to innovate faster and deliver higher and better customer value.
Scrum building blocks
A Scrum environment defines the full context in which a Scrum is delivered. It involves the people, processes, and platforms that work together to deliver a successful Scrum.
Generally, there are three roles in a Scrum team. It consists of the Scrum Master, the Product Owner, and the Development team. In most cases, there is only one Scrum Master and one Product Owner, with the addition of multiple development team members.
The product owner ensures the scrum team is delivering the most value. The scrum master is responsible for putting everything together and ensuring that scrum is being executed correctly.
A Sprint is defined as a short, time-boxed period in which a scrum team works to complete a set amount of work. In the sprint, the team checks in during the daily scrum or standup about how the work is going. These meetings usually do not last more than 15 minutes.
Sprint planning defines what can be delivered in the following sprint and how the work will be achieved. A good sprint plan will define the what (objective or goal defined by the Product Owner), the how (development team plans the work needed to deliver the goal), the who (usually both the product owner and the development team have their roles and responsibilities), the inputs (product backlog), and the outputs (the goal of the sprint).
A Product backlog is a list of work that has to be done by the development team and is derived from the roadmap. It is ordered in a way to shows the most important items at the top of the backlog.
A Sprint review is used to demonstrate the entire team’s work in the previous sprint. It is good to use this time to ask questions, try new features, and provide feedback.
A Scrum of Scrums is a technique that provides a way to connect different teams who need to work together in delivering complex solutions.
Scrum artifacts are information used by a scrum team and stakeholders to detail the product being developed and the actions needed to produce it.
Finally, Scrum metrics are specific data points a scrum team has to track and use to improve efficiency. Teams use metrics to assist decision-making and be more efficient in planning and execution. A common saying goes: “if you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.”.
Conclusion
If you want to know more details about Scrum and learn all the little things that make Scrum so good, be sure to check out the official Scrum Guide.
