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I scrum. You scrum. We all scream for scrum.
Posted by Lauren Walkeron Tuesday, 09 August 2011 in Resources
Lauren Walker
I'm not gonna write a whole new bio. Just go here: http://walkerinteractive.com/about-us.html
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Recently, I was a participant in a two day introduction to all things scrum. If the term is new or only vaguely familiar to you, here’s a nutshell description:
Scrum is a framework for project management that might also be called “agile.” It stands in opposition to the traditional “waterfall” method in many aspects.
It’s also a cult.
Okay, that might be a bit extreme. But let’s consider a few facts:
1. It has a manifesto.
2. It has “ceremonies” and “artifacts.”
3. It has a whole vernacular to use in place of more common project management terms that no one would understand were they not in the cult, including scrumbutt, backlog, sprints, retrospectives, epics, project poker and burndown. (I will include more of these further on, with “scrum-speak” in parentheses, so ya know ‘em when you see ‘em.)
4. The belief centers around the group, rather than the individual.
There is a lot to like about scrum, and I’m rather close to drinking the Kool-Aid, as it were. Here’s what stands out for me as positive:
There are a few aspects of scrum that I wish were different or of which I am extremely skeptical. Of particularly grievous offense are a few of the terms:
Truth be told, I really like the story of scrum and that it’s gaining a foothold in many organizations, outside of the software development teams for whom it is truly meant. There is real research proving that scrum enhances productivity. And I like that is a more accurate take on Darwin, who did NOT say that only the strong survive. This is what he said:
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.
1. It has a manifesto.
2. It has “ceremonies” and “artifacts.”
3. It has a whole vernacular to use in place of more common project management terms that no one would understand were they not in the cult, including scrumbutt, backlog, sprints, retrospectives, epics, project poker and burndown. (I will include more of these further on, with “scrum-speak” in parentheses, so ya know ‘em when you see ‘em.)
4. The belief centers around the group, rather than the individual.
There is a lot to like about scrum, and I’m rather close to drinking the Kool-Aid, as it were. Here’s what stands out for me as positive:
- The constant ability to “inspect and adapt” a project as you move through iterations. This includes interval and iterative buy-in by the client/Product Owner (scrum-speak!) so you know sooner than later if what you are working to create is on track.
- It takes inspiration from the rules of improv: if your teammate steps forward to begin a scene (or take on a task) step out and support her. And always say YES even if it’s a course correction. This is fabulous way to interact with a team. Actually, Tina Fey has a great chapter in her book about how improv rules should be the rules of life and I’m not the only one who thinks so.
- The most important part of scrum is the planning phase, or Spring Zero (scrum-speak!). I’m a big fan of planning. I like creating lists and breaking them down. The more you plan, the easier it is to go forward. But that’s just as true for waterfall as it is for scrum. The difference is that it’s easier to pivot (scrum-speak!) your project when you encounter something you didn’t plan for in scrum, whereas in waterfall, you often don’t even know about impediments (scrum-speak!) until it’s too far in the process and you’ve invested too much time and money.
There are a few aspects of scrum that I wish were different or of which I am extremely skeptical. Of particularly grievous offense are a few of the terms:
- SPRINT. Each two-week or 30 day section of execution is called a “sprint.” While not your entire project, the idea is to use that time to create something “shippable.” But it’s part of the agile manifesto that “Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.” Which is the exact opposite of a sprint: a short burst of balls-out energy that is, by its very nature, not sustainable.
- BACKLOG. I hear the word backlog and start to panic. It’s a list of things I haven’t gotten to yet, but should have. But in scrum, you start with a backlog. It’s your master list of tasks that you make before you assign them scope (or story points in scrum-speak) and priority.
Truth be told, I really like the story of scrum and that it’s gaining a foothold in many organizations, outside of the software development teams for whom it is truly meant. There is real research proving that scrum enhances productivity. And I like that is a more accurate take on Darwin, who did NOT say that only the strong survive. This is what he said:
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.
Tags: project management, web design
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