Effective project management is crucial for the successful development of a product. Therefore, not only in software development, but also in other professions, various methodologies have been developed to facilitate seamless process.
At this point, Agile methodologies prioritize collaboration, flexibility, and customer satisfaction. One of the most popular frameworks within the Agile methodology is Scrum.
In this guide, we will discuss the scrum method based on the agile methodology, which is widely used in the tech industry. Before diving into the scrum method let’s take a look at what the agile methodology is.
Agile Methodology
The core principles of the agile methodology focus on collaboration and iteration during the development process. Agile is designed with flexibility in mind, allowing for adjustments to be made as the product is being developed, even after it is live.
For collaboration, small teams are formed to develop the product under development, and at the end of what is usually called a sprint, the teams meet and consult on the project.
What is Scrum?
Scrum is an Agile framework that provides a structured approach to software development and project management. It was originally introduced by Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schwaber in the early 1990s. The term “Scrum” comes from the game of rugby, where it refers to a method of restarting play. Similarly, in the world of software development, Scrum provides a way to restart and adapt to changing requirements and priorities quickly.
Principles of Scrum
Scrum is built upon a set of core principles that guide its implementation:
- Transparency: All aspects of the project should be visible and transparent to all team members. This includes the progress of work, challenges faced, and future goals.
- Inspection: Regular inspection of the product and processes is essential to identify issues and make necessary improvements. This is typically done through various Scrum ceremonies.
- Adaptation: Scrum encourages teams to adapt to changing requirements and priorities. It embraces the fact that customer needs can evolve, and flexibility is crucial.
Roles in Scrum
Scrum defines three primary roles:
- Product Owner: The Product Owner represents the customer’s interests and defines what needs to be built. They prioritize the product backlog, ensuring the most valuable features are developed first.
- Scrum Master: The Scrum Master is responsible for facilitating the Scrum process. They help the team understand and implement Scrum principles, remove obstacles, and ensure that Scrum ceremonies are effective.
- Development Team: The Development Team is responsible for delivering the product increment. They are self-organizing and cross-functional, which means they have all the skills required to complete the work.
Terms In Scrum Method
To fully grasp the process of Scrum method, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with some key terms. Below are a few examples of the terms you should know:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Product Backlog | A list of all the necessary features, requirements and duties that must be accomplished for the completion of the project |
| Sprint | A set period of time, usually lasting 2-4 weeks, in which the team working on the project creates a part of the product that can be used and given to the customer. |
| Sprint Backlog | A list of things to do during the following sprint taken from the product backlog |
| Daily Scrum | Every day, the team working on the project has a short meeting, usually lasting 15 minutes, where they talk about what they did since the last meeting and what they plan to do in the next 24 hours. |
| Sprint Retrospective | It is a meeting where the process is evaluated at the end of each Sprint. |
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Scrum Method
Each methodology has some advantages and disadvantages, so both the project and the team that will develop the project should be well analyzed so that you can understand whether scrum is a suitable method for your development process.
Let’s see some of the advantages and disadvantages of the scrum method:
Advantages
- Collaboration
In Scrum, teams play a crucial role in the development process. Each team member works together to achieve the project’s goals and objectives by offering support and assistance to one another. This collaborative approach helps to ensure that the project is completed efficiently and effectively.
- Transparency
All aspects of the project are open to everyone involved, and every team member is aware of how the process is progressing. This level of transparency creates trust and confidence among team members and customers, as everyone is aware of the project’s status
Disadvantages
- Time Cost
Meetings are an important part of the process but can sometimes take up extra time that team members could be using to work on the development of the project
- Organization
The Scrum method relies on a well-organized team, but creating a cohensive team dynamic can be challenging. Even though the process is designed to facilitate communication and collaboration, it’s not always easy for team members to work together seamlessly.
An Example of Scrum Process
Now, let’s walk through an example of how Scrum can be applied in a software development project to gain better understanding.
Project: Developing a Content Management System (CMS) for a client.
Team:
- Product Owner (PO): The client’s representative who defines the requirements and priorities.
- Scrum Master (SM): A facilitator ensuring the Scrum process is followed.
- Development Team: A group of software developers, designers, and testers.
Sprint 1: Planning
- Sprint Duration: 2 weeks
Sprint Planning Meeting:
- The Product Owner presents the client’s requirements for the CMS. These include features like user authentication, content creation, and a user-friendly interface.
- The Development Team estimates the complexity of each requirement and selects a subset to work on during the sprint based on their capacity.
- The team decides on a sprint goal: “Create a basic CMS with user authentication and content creation.”
Daily Standup Meetings (Every Day):
- The Development Team meets daily for a 15-minute standup meeting.
- Each member answers three questions: What did I do yesterday? What will I do today? Are there any impediments?
Sprint 1 Progress:
- The team successfully implements user authentication and a simple content creation feature.
- They face some challenges with integrating the user interface components smoothly.
Sprint Review (End of Sprint):
- The Development Team presents the completed features to the Product Owner.
- The client reviews the work and provides feedback.
- The client is pleased with the progress and suggests some minor UI improvements.
Sprint Retrospective (After Review):
- The team discusses what went well and what could be improved.
- They decide to allocate more time for UI development in the next sprint to address the client’s feedback.
- The Scrum Master ensures that any identified impediments are addressed.
Sprint 2: Planning
- Sprint Duration: 2 weeks
Sprint Planning Meeting:
- The Product Owner introduces new requirements, including adding user roles (admin, editor, reader) and enhancing the CMS’s content management capabilities.
- The Development Team estimates and selects the work for Sprint 2, ensuring it aligns with the client’s priorities.
- The sprint goal is set: “Enhance CMS with user roles and improved content management.”
Daily Standup Meetings (Every Day):
- The team continues to meet daily to discuss progress and challenges.
Sprint 2 Progress:
- The team successfully implements user roles and improves content management capabilities.
- They also address the UI improvements requested by the client.
Sprint Review (End of Sprint):
- The Development Team presents the enhanced CMS to the Product Owner.
- The client is pleased with the progress and suggests some additional features for the next sprint.
Sprint Retrospective (After Review):
- The team reflects on the sprint and identifies that communication with the client could be improved.
- They decide to involve the client more in the testing phase of the project to catch issues earlier.
Remember that, this cycle of sprint planning, daily standup meetings, sprint reviews, and retrospectives continues throughout the project until the CMS is fully developed and meets the client’s expectations.
Conclusion
To summarize, the Scrum method, which is based on the Agile methodology, is a popular way for product teams to create a desirable product. Whether or not a company should use it depends on the team, the customers and the specific requirements of the product.
It’s important to weigh the pros and cons and make a decision that is best for your particular situation. Scrum can be a powerful tool for achieving great results but it’s not the right fit for every team or every project.
Thank you for reading.