You’ve probably heard the term “Scrum” buzzing around, especially if you’re in the development world. Borrowed from rugby, where teams hustle and sprint to score, Scrum in software development is all about agility and teamwork. The agile scrum framework embodies this philosophy, focusing on incremental progress and clear, manageable goals. In this article, we’ll dive into the core pillars of the agile scrum model and explain why having a structured framework for tracking tasks and managing the product backlog is crucial for productivity.
In Scrum, the backlog is divided into manageable tasks that fit within a sprint, typically lasting two to four weeks. Each day, the team holds a quick 15-minute meeting to track progress and address any issues. These daily check-ins ensure everyone is on the same page. At the end of the sprint, the team conducts a review to analyze the completed work and a retrospective to identify improvements for future sprints. The completed work is then showcased to stakeholders, providing clear feedback on the team’s achievements and areas for growth. This process allows the team to deliver visible progress while remaining adaptive and flexible.
Agile SCRUM’s adaptability is crucial in navigating volatile circumstances, including risks, impediments, dependencies, and assumptions (RIDAs). This flexible framework isn’t just for software development; it’s also embraced by research, sales, and marketing teams. Its principles are particularly effective for small teams of 10 or fewer members, maximizing efficiency and collaboration. At Twelfth Dream, we’ve leveraged this approach to deliver consistent, high-quality results. As you read further, you’ll discover how agile SCRUM can be applied to various projects, helping your team stay productive and responsive to change. The versatility of SCRUM might just be the key to unlocking new levels of efficiency in your own work.
Agile software development is all about being ready for the unexpected. It’s about identifying needs, taking initiative, and working cross-functionally. Collaboration is at the heart of this framework because a well-coordinated team outperforms even the best tools. The focus in Agile Scrum is on creating software, not just documenting it. While documentation is important, getting bogged down in it can shift priorities away from the actual development. Agile also promotes working closely with customers instead of sticking rigidly to contracts. This ensures that the team delivers what users really need, making the final product more practical. The most crucial principle of Agile is its responsiveness to change. In the ever-evolving world of software, platforms and coding languages change frequently. Agile prepares teams to pivot effectively.
Agile’s secret weapon is its emphasis on adaptability over rigid planning. This principle is rooted in the 2001 Manifesto for Agile Software Development, authored by seventeen experts. The manifesto outlines 12 principles, many of which form the foundation of the Agile Scrum framework. Other methodologies like Kanban also adopt Agile practices to enhance productivity. Key aspects include consistent software delivery, using change as a competitive advantage, and maintaining customer satisfaction. Daily stand-up meetings, trust in the team, sustainability, simplicity, and self-organization are core to Agile. The Agile Manifesto’s principles have a global impact and are available in multiple languages, showcasing its wide-reaching influence and versatility.
A sprint is a focused period of two to four weeks where a series of tasks are tackled. At the end of this period, a software demo allows the team to showcase what they have accomplished, providing a tangible result of their efforts. Each sprint begins with a planning meeting where acceptance criteria and workload are established. The SCRUM Master determines the time frame based on the tasks at hand, ensuring alignment with the agile scrum framework. Throughout the sprint, the team continues with daily 15-minute meetings to recap what happened yesterday, plan for today, and address any potential roadblocks. Team members also highlight any problems they foresee, which the SCRUM Master then logs on a shared risk board. This structured approach ensures that impediments are identified and assigned to someone for resolution promptly, aligning with the agile scrum framework’s focus on continuous improvement.
At Twelfth Dream, we use Team As A Service (TAAS) to delve into details outside the daily scrums. These sessions are crucial for creating a unified understanding of the project’s status and direction. The SCRUM Master takes feedback from the team, maintaining a pulse on how the project is perceived and progressing. If the team finds that any goal is losing its value, they must address the situation immediately, embodying the agile scrum framework’s principle of adaptability. Each sprint concludes with a review to analyze the completed work and a retrospective to identify improvements for future sprints. If new circumstances make a sprint’s goals redundant, the project manager and SCRUM Master have the authority to stop the sprint. They will then hold a new planning meeting to set fresh objectives, ensuring the team remains focused and productive.
The “sprint” structure brings a lot of versatility and resourcefulness to the table. If a team starts heading in the wrong direction, they can quickly regroup and rethink their approach. This flexibility not only saves time but also reduces costs. A key tool in this process is the sprint burndown chart, which tracks the remaining tasks and helps both the team and stakeholders monitor progress. This transparency is crucial for maintaining trust and ensuring everyone is on the same page. At Twelfth Dream, a Vancouver-based mobile app development company, we’ve deployed this agile scrum framework to keep our customers satisfied and involved. By consistently delivering visible progress and adapting to feedback, we ensure our projects stay on track and meet client expectations. The sprint structure, with its emphasis on incremental progress and regular reassessment, has been instrumental in our success.
The question is relevant, given the difference in approach to traditional planning. In traditional software development, a plan is created and strictly followed, with changes made only when something goes drastically wrong. The beauty we’ve seen at Twelfth Dream with the agile scrum framework is its versatility. If a certain path seems doomed, we can catch and modify it at a much earlier stage. Constant feedback and collaboration ensure maximum efficiency. The code is tested continuously, allowing us to resolve bugs or conflicts much sooner, preventing the frivolous use of time and resources. This adaptability in the agile scrum framework is a major factor that sets it apart, particularly in valuing time and money.
In a traditional environment, the project remains constant while time and money are variable, leading to volatility and the risk of losing ground in the market. As time changes rapidly, projects only release upon completion, which can affect schedules and budgets. What might have been planned for two weeks could end up taking four. In the agile scrum framework, coders are paired and constantly aware of the ongoing work, making the project the variable instead. This ensures that adjustments can be made swiftly, keeping the project on track.
The to-do portion of sprints ensures tasks are completed based on priority, yielding a higher return on investment in the initial sprints. This leads to better user satisfaction or, at the very least, constructive feedback. The team can then implement this feedback efficiently, maintaining the agile scrum framework’s emphasis on continuous improvement and adaptability. Furthermore, this structured approach to handling tasks in sprints allows teams to be more responsive to changes in customer needs or market conditions. By regularly assessing progress and incorporating feedback, the agile scrum framework helps teams stay aligned with their goals and deliver high-quality results consistently. This ongoing cycle of planning, executing, reviewing, and refining keeps the team agile and the project dynamic, ultimately leading to greater success and satisfaction for all stakeholders involved.
As stated earlier, the agile scrum framework has uses beyond the world of software development. Many projects with teams of 4 to 9 people can benefit immensely from implementing the framework. Because it promotes independence, it can help small teams with modern structures thrive. The era of a single entrepreneur running a team is coming to a screeching halt, as investors now prefer well-developed teams over one-man shows. Even though a team can have a natural leader, the idea of one person running everything makes investors hesitant. The adaptability of the agile scrum framework fosters an environment of collaboration and consistent results.
With collaboration comes compatibility. Progress becomes efficient when team members work together and offer each other feedback. Through the agile scrum framework, members learn about different departments at play, creating a more integrated team. Member A will begin to understand what Member B does, and vice versa. Research projects, for instance, can benefit greatly from this model. While software development is the primary sector for deploying the framework, it is slowly catching on in other fields. The principles of daily meetings, sprints, reflection, and other parts of the agile scrum framework can be adapted to various contexts. Maintaining a backlog of tasks is beneficial for any team, and prioritizing tasks effectively enhances productivity. We hope you now have a better understanding of the agile scrum framework and its benefits.
