Intro to Scrum Method 2

WHAT IS THE SCRUM METHOD? Scrum refers to a framework within which people can employ various techniques, methods and processes to address complex and adaptive problems, while productively delivering products of excellent value. Resulting Scrum Teams are highly flexible and adaptive and work with other teams within the same organization to develop, release, operate and sustain work and work products.

WHO IS INVOLVED?

Scrum Team: consisting of a Product Owner, Development Team and Scrum Master.

• Self-organizing and self-sufficient teams have all necessary tools and support systems to accomplish their work.

• Team model is designed to increase flexibility, creativity and productivity.

• Teams deliver products repetitively and incrementally to allow for multiple opportunities for feedback.

SCRUM EVENTS:

• Events are prescribed and time-boxed.

• Once a Sprint begins, its duration is fixed.

• Remaining events end whenever the purpose of the event has been achieved.

• Each event is an opportunity to inspect and adapt something.

1. The Sprint:

• Occurs once a month or less to achieve a “Done” status (a useable, releasable product increment)

• A new Sprint starts immediately after the previous Sprint has been achieved.

• Sprint steps: Sprint Planning, Daily Scrums, Development Work, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective

• Consider a Sprint to be like a one month project to accomplish something: reach the goal of what is to be built, a design and flexible plan to guide the building process, the work and resultant product increment.

• Enables predictability through routine inspections and adaptation of progress towards a Sprint Goal once per month.

• Reduces risks in overall costs to one month (trial period).

2. Sprint Planning:

• Exists to plan the work performed in the Sprint.

• Everyone from the Scrum Team pitches in their opinion.

• Occurs for a maximum of 8 hours for one-month Sprint.

• Guided by the Scrum Master.

• Discuss what is the next step in the Sprint?

• Discuss work involved in Sprint increment to reach “Done” status/Sprint Goal.

Sprint Goal: an objective set for the Sprint met through utilizing the Product Backlog.

3. Daily Scrum:

• Guided by the Scrum Master.

• Essentially a 15-minute meeting for Development Team held every day.

• Development Team plans workflow for the next 24 hours.

• An opportunity to reflect on work completed since last Daily Scrum and plan for upcoming Sprint work.

• A meeting that is held at the same time and place every day.

• A key inspect and adapt meeting to improve communications, identify obstacles to development and remove them, highlight quick decision-making and improve everyone’s knowledge.

4. Sprint Review:

• Guided by the Scrum Master.

• Held at the end of the Sprint to inspect the Increment and revise the Product Backlog.

• Scrum Team and Stakeholders discuss achievements in the Sprint.

• Attendees collaborate to identify the next steps to optimize product value.

• Facilitates feedback and encourages collaboration.

• Essentially, a four-hour meeting that occurs once per month/Sprint.

DISCUSSION TOPICS DURING A SPRINT REVIEW:

• Product Owner explains what Product Backlog items have been delivered and what remains to be delivered.

• Development Team discusses Sprint successes, problems encountered and solutions.

• Development Team showcases work completed and answers questions about the Increment.

• Product Owner discusses Product Backlog- target dates, delivery dates revised based on progress to date.

• Entire Group discusses next steps.

• Revision of how the marketplace or use of product might have changed.

• Review timeline, budget, potential capabilities and marketplace for next Sprint.

• Revision of Product Backlog to meet new opportunities.

5. Sprint Retrospective:

• Scrum Team re-evaluates and creates a plan for improvements to be implemented during the next Sprint.

• Occurs after the Sprint Review.

• Essentially a three-hour meeting, once a month.

• Guided by the Scrum Master.

• Discuss how the last Sprint went regarding people, relationships, process and tools.

• Identify and order major items and acknowledge successes and failures to be improved upon.

• Plan for improvements in workflow (development processes and practices).

SCRUM ARTIFACTS:

• Represented by work or value that is inspected and thereby adapted.

• Offers documentation that serves the purpose of being a part of a knowledge-based center for all involved.

PRODUCT BACKLOG:

• An ordered list of everything known to be needed in the product.

• Product Owner is responsible for the Product Backlog.

• Evolves from the initially defined product requirements.

• Lists all features, functions, requirements, enhancements and fixes of product for future releases.

• Items are described, ordered, estimated and valued.

• Includes test descriptions to prove product is complete or “Done” at each stage of its development.

SPRINT BACKLOG:

• A set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint.

• Includes a plan for delivering the product increment and achieving the Sprint Goal.

• Created by the Development Team to document steps taken in next Increment and to identify what work needs to be delivered in the present Increment to reach “Done” status.

• New work is added to the Sprint Backlog.

• Estimated remaining work is updated as work is completed.

• Defined as a visible, realistic picture of the work the Development Team plans on accomplishing during the Sprint.

DEFINITIONS:

Increment:

• The sum of all Product Backlog items completed during a Sprint.

• Represents the value of increments of all previous Sprints.

• Defined as measurable evidence of completed work leading towards the overall vision or goal of the encompassing project.

Done Status:

• Defined as work completed during a product increment.

• Development Teams must deliver an increment of product functionality (Done status) for every Sprint.

SOURCE:

Schwaber, Ken, and Jeff Sutherland. “The Scrum Guide.” The Scrum Guide, Scrum Alliance, 2016, www.scrumalliance.org/why-scrum/scrum-guide.