Scrum/Agile

Scrum is an Agile framework for completing complex projects. It was originally formalized for software development projects, but works well for any complex, innovative scope of work.

The Scrum framework is deceptively simple:

• A product owner creates a prioritized wish list called a product backlog.
• During sprint planning, the team pulls a small chunk from the top of that wishlist (a sprint backlog) and decides how to implement those pieces.
• The team has a certain amount of time, or a sprint, to complete its work (usually two to four weeks) but meets each day to assess its progress (daily Scrum).
• Along the way, the ScrumMaster keeps the team focused on its goal.
• At the end of the sprint, the work should be potentially shippable meaning ready to hand to a customer, put on a store shelf or show to a stakeholder.
• The sprint ends with a review and retrospective.
• As the next sprint begins, the team chooses another chunk of the product backlog and begins working again.

The cycle repeats until enough items in the product backlog have been completed, the budget is depleted or a deadline arrives.

Which of these milestones marks the end of the work is specific to the project. No matter what ends the work, Scrum ensures that the most valuable tasks have been completed when the project ends.

Whether you are building an application, shipping goods around the world or running a charity event, Scrum can help.

Scrum offers benefits to any kind of development team including improved teamwork, better communication and faster results.