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Scrum: Empowering Teams to Deliver Value Through Empirical Adaptation

A framework enabling teams to collaboratively deliver adaptive solutions through empiricism, iterative delivery, continuous improvement, and value prioritisation.

Scrum is a a social technology for building adaptive solutions it focuses on delivering the highest business value in the shortest time. Scrum is a framework that helps teams work together. Much like a rugby team (where it gets its name) training for the big game, Scrum encourages teams to learn through experiences, self-organize while working on a problem, and reflect on their wins and losses to continuously improve.

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Overview

Scrum is a Framework and a social technology for delivering adaptive solutions in complex environments. It is built on empiricism—transparency, inspection, and adaptation—and is designed to help teams deliver value iteratively and incrementally. Scrum is a framework that helps teams work together to solve complex problems and deliver high-value products. Its about planning.

First Principals

  1. Empiricism: Scrum is founded on empirical process control theory, or empiricism. Empiricism asserts that knowledge comes from experience and making decisions based on what is known.
  2. Self-Organization: Scrum Teams are self-organizing and cross-functional. Self-organizing teams choose how best to accomplish their work, rather than being directed by others outside the team.
  3. Collaboration: Scrum promotes collaboration among all roles to deliver the highest value.
  4. Value-Based Prioritization: The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Development Team.
  5. Time-Boxing: Time-boxed events are used to create regularity and to minimize the need for meetings not defined in Scrum.
  6. Iterative Development: Scrum uses an iterative, incremental approach to optimize predictability and control risk.
  7. Incremental Delivery: Scrum delivers a potentially releasable product increment at the end of each Sprint.
  8. Continuous Improvement: Scrum Teams continuously improve through the use of the Scrum Events and by inspecting and adapting the product, processes, and practices.

Values

  1. Commitment: The Scrum Team commits to achieving the Sprint Goal.
  2. Focus: The Scrum Team focuses on the work of the Sprint and the goals of the Scrum Team.
  3. Openness: The Scrum Team and its stakeholders agree to be open about all the work and the challenges with performing the work.
  4. Respect: Scrum Team members respect each other to be capable, independent people.
  5. Courage: The Scrum Team has the courage to do the right thing and work on tough problems.

Accountabilities

  1. Scrum Team – Consists of a Product Owner, Developers, and a Scrum Master. The Scrum Team is self-managing and works collaboratively to deliver a usable Increment every Sprint.
  2. Product Owner : Accountable for maximising product value and managing the Product Backlog.
  3. Developers: Accountable for delivering usable Increments that meet the Definition of Done.
  4. Scrum Master : Accountable for Scrum effectiveness, causing the removal of impediments, and coaching the team.

Events

  1. Sprint: A fixed-length iteration (≤ 1 month) in which the team creates at least one usable Increment.
  2. Sprint Planning: Based on the Product Goal, the team plans the work for the Sprint.
  3. Daily Scrum: Based on the Sprint Goal the Developers plan work for the next 24 hours.
  4. Sprint Review: Based on the current state of the Product, current business conditions, and possible future business conduction the Scrum Team plans whats next.
  5. Sprint Retrospective: The Scrum Team plan on how they will change their system to improve the next Sprint.

Artifacts

  1. Commitments
    • Product Goal: The long-term vision for the product.
    • Sprint Goal: A tactical objective for the Sprint.
    • Definition of Done (DoD): A quality standard for completed work.

Key Accountabilities

Scrum is lightweight, but difficult to master. It is not a process or methodology but a framework that helps teams navigate complexity through empirical process control.

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Explains choosing Scrum.Org over Scrum Alliance, focusing on values, certification costs, flexibility, community support, and alignment with agile and scrum principles.
Videos

Debunking the Scrum Myth: Why "Twice the Work in Half the Time" is a Misleading Promise

Explores why Scrum’s “twice the work in half the time” claim is misleading, emphasising value over output and the importance of realistic expectations in Agile teams.
Newsletters

Seasons Greetings & Upcoming Professional Scrum training classes

Get updates on new trainers, expanded Scrum training classes, community growth, and upcoming professional development opportunities for Scrum Masters, teams, and managers.
Course

Scrum for Stakeholders Training

Videos

Empowering Development Teams: Cultivating an Agile Mindset for Lasting Quality

Explores how leaders can foster an agile mindset in development teams by promoting autonomy, mastery, purpose, and a culture of quality and continuous improvement.
Videos

Embracing Process Improvement: How Understanding Scrum Transformed a Developer's Mindset

Explores how learning Scrum and process improvement can shift developer mindsets, boost collaboration, and enhance software delivery in Agile teams.
Signals

Challenging Misconceptions About Behaviour in Agile Teams

Explores common misconceptions about Agile teams, clarifying that true agility demands discipline, planning, and professionalism—not chaos or lack of accountability.
Videos

Detecting Agile BS: Lessons from the US Department of Defense

Learn how to spot fake Agile practices using six key questions from the US Department of Defense, and discover steps to assess and improve true Agile maturity in organisations.
Blog

A change for the better #3 - SSW to Northwest Cadence

Reflects on lessons learned at SSW in software process, technology, and communication, and details a career move to an ALM consultant role at Northwest Cadence in Seattle.
Videos

7 Deadly Sins of Agile: Greed

Explores how greed in Agile leads to overwork and reduced value, offering strategies for value-driven delivery, balanced sprints, team trust, and effective leadership.
Videos

Worst Contribution from a Product Owner that You Know Of

A real-world example of a product owner undermining their Scrum team during a sprint review, highlighting the importance of support, accountability, and collaboration.
Videos

What is a sprint goal?

Explains the sprint goal in Scrum as a clear, tactical objective for each sprint, guiding team focus, enabling actionable feedback, and linking daily work to product vision.
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