Introduction

The term “Agile” generally refers to being able to move or respond quickly and easily; being nimble. In any kind of management discipline, Agile as a quality would therefore be a valid aim. Agile project management specifically, involves being adaptive during the creation of a product, service, or other results. It is important to understand that while Agile development methods are highly adaptive, it is also necessary to incorporate stability in their adaptive processes.

Rapid changes in technology, market demands, and expectations have resulted in increased challenges to developing products and services using traditional project management models. This paved the way for the conceptualization and implementation of Agile methods and values in many organizations. Agile development models addressed the shortcomings associated with traditional project management models in meeting the ever-growing environmental demands and expectations that organizations were facing. Since traditional project management models generally emphasize extensive upfront planning and conforming to the plan once it is baselined, such models were not successful in meeting the reality of frequent environmental changes.

 Agile relies on adaptive planning and iterative development and delivery. It focuses primarily on the value of people in getting the job done effectively. Though adaptive and incremental methodologies have existed since the 1950s, only methodologies that conform to The Agile Manifesto are generally regarded as truly “Agile”.

The Agile Manifesto is a document that sets out the four key values and twelve principles behind the Agile philosophy and serves to help development teams work more efficiently and sustainably.

As mentioned in the Agile Manifesto:

We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work, we have come to value the following:

Individuals and interactions	Over	Processes and Tools
Working software	Over	Comprehensive Documentation
Customer collaboration	Over	Contract Negotiation
Responding to change	Over	Following a Plan

That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.

The figure below summarizes the twelve Principles of the Agile Manifesto.

Scrum is one of the most popular Agile frameworks. It is an adaptive, iterative, fast, flexible, and effective framework designed to deliver significant value quickly and throughout a project. Scrum ensures transparency in communication and creates an environment of collective accountability and continuous progress.

A Scrum project involves a collaborative effort to create a new product, service, or other results as defined in the Project Vision Statement. Projects are impacted by constraints of time, cost, scope, quality, resources, organizational capabilities, and other limitations that make them difficult to plan, execute, manage, and ultimately succeed. However, successful implementation of the results of a finished project provides significant business benefits to an organization. It is therefore important for organizations to select and practice an appropriate project management approach. 

Project management is described as the process of steering a project from inception to finish. The primary goal of project management is to finish a project within the time, money, and quality constraints that have been defined. Projects have life cycles because they are not meant to live forever. A project management life cycle begins when the project is launched and ends when it is completed or terminated in some way.

Traditional projects emphasize on extensive upfront planning and adherence to the project plan created by the project manager. Usually, changes are managed through a formal change management system and value is created at the end of the project when the final product is delivered.

In Scrum projects, extensive long-term planning is not done prior to project execution. Planning is done in an iterative manner before each Sprint. This allows quick and effective response to change, which results in lower costs and ultimately increased profitability and Return on Investment (ROI). Moreover, Value-Driven Delivery is a key benefit of the Scrum framework and provides significantly better prioritization and quicker realization of business value. Because of the iterative nature of Scrum development, there is always at least one release of the product with Minimum Marketable Features (MMF) available. Even if a project is terminated, there are usually some benefits or values created prior to termination.

To deliver the greatest amount of value in the shortest amount of time, Scrum promotes prioritization and Time-boxing over fixing the scope, cost, and schedule of a project. An important feature of Scrum is self-organization, which allows the individuals who are actually doing the work to estimate and take ownership of tasks.

The following table summarizes many of the differences between Scrum and traditional Project Management:

One of the key characteristics of any project is the uncertainty of results or outcomes. It is impossible to guarantee project success at completion, irrespective of the size or complexity of a project. Considering this uncertainty of achieving success, it is therefore important to start delivering results as early in the project as possible. This early delivery of results, and thereby value, provides an opportunity for reinvestment and proves the worth of the project to interested business stakeholders. It is important to:

1. Understand what adds value to customers and users and prioritize the high-value requirements on the top of the Prioritized Product Backlog.
2. Decrease uncertainty and constantly address risks that can potentially decrease value if they materialize. Also work closely with business stakeholders showing them product increments at the end of each Sprint, enabling effective management of changes.
3. Create Deliverables based on the priorities determined by producing potentially shippable product increments during each Sprint so that customers start realizing value early on in the project.

Some of the key differences with respect to Value-driven Delivery between Scrum projects and Traditional projects are given in the figure below.

In Scrum projects, User Stories are ranked in order of priority which is an effective method for determining the desired User Stories for each iteration or release of the product or service. The purpose is to create a simple, single list with the goal of prioritizing features, rather than being distracted by multiple prioritization schemes.

This simple list also provides a basis for incorporating changes and identifying risks when necessary. Each change or identified risk can be inserted in the list based on its priority relative to the other User Stories in the list. Typically, new changes will be included at the expense of features that have been assigned a lower priority. Minimum Marketable Features (MMF) are also defined, so that the first release or iteration happens as early as possible, leading to increased ROI.

The Scrum cycle begins with a Stakeholder Meeting, during which the Project Vision is created. The Product Owner then develops a Prioritized Product Backlog which contains a prioritized list of business and project requirements written in the form of User Stories. Each Sprint begins with a Sprint Planning Meeting during which high-priority User Stories are considered for inclusion in the Sprint. A Sprint generally lasts between one and four weeks and involves the Scrum Team working to create potentially shippable Deliverables or product increments. During the Sprint, short, highly focused Daily Standup Meetings are conducted where team members discuss daily progress. Toward the end of the Sprint, a Sprint Review Meeting is held during which the Product Owner and relevant Business stakeholders are provided with a demonstration of the Deliverables. The Product Owner accepts the Deliverables only if they meet the predefined Acceptance Criteria. The Sprint cycle ends with a Retrospect Sprint Meeting where the team discusses ways to improve processes and performance as they move forward into the subsequent Sprint.

A key strength of Scrum lies in its use of cross-functional, self-organized, and empowered teams who divide their work into short, concentrated work cycles called Sprints. The below figure provides an overview of a Scrum project’s flow for one Sprint.

It is highly recommended that a Scrum Project Tool should be procured by the company to ensure distributed work, and also ensure that the Scrum Teams can work productively even when all Team Members cannot be collocated at the workplace. The tool should provide the capability to:

• Define all Scrum roles efficiently and provide messaging/collaboration functionality for all team members to interact with each other.
• Provide the ability to create and work through important Scrum artifacts such as Prioritized Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Scrumboard, etc.
• Provide the workflow to work through different Scrum processes including Initiate, Planning, Implementing, Retrospect, and Release.
• If it is being implemented inside a large organization/enterprise, the tool should provide the ability to scale to organization or enterprise levels.
• Scrum teams need to attend multiple meetings such as Daily Standups, Sprint Review Meetings, etc - so the tool should provide the ability to schedule such meetings. However, the actual web meetings may be conducted in a separate Video Conferencing tool.
• Effective Collocated Scrum teams talk with each other regularly - so the tool used for distributed Scrum teams should provide the ability for Scrum teams to chat with each other online - either one on one or through distributed groups. However, unlike a collocated team, team members need to understand that others may not be available to chat at the same time. So, the Scum tool should provide an online chat room and/or discussion forum.
• Ability to capture lessons learnt and learn from retrospectives - preferably such processes should be automated with appropriate reports generated on the fly.
• Provide automation so that templates and guidance through Scrum Guidance Body (SGB) are available to all Scrum teams in the company, for example, the definition of Done or the Definition of Ready as described in the SGB should be available to everyone in the project. Also, the tool should provide the SGB with the ability to determine Scrum behaviors it wants in its Scrum teams such as the maximum number of team members, duration of Sprint etc.
• Provide the ability to clone from similar projects, Epics, and User Stories - that will allow Scrum team members to spend less time in unnecessary documentation and learn from experiences from similar work done earlier. This is especially beneficial when Scrum teams use similar implementation processes to create an identical category of products, for example, an advertising firm creating print advertisements for different clients; a construction firm creating drawings for similar road construction activities, etc.

It is important to note that if Scrum is implemented well in distributed teams by use of a proper Scrum Project Tool, it can provide significant benefits such as:

• 24/7 working - as teams working in different time zones can speed up the delivery of Scrum projects.
• Automation of reports, chats, calendars, workflows etc.
• Enforcing similar guidelines across the organization by automating SGB recommendations.
• Decreasing unnecessary and repetitive documentation through cloning from similar projects, Epics, and User Stories.
• Working with a more diverse team (at times working from different countries) who bring in their own local perspectives and experience.
• Lesser logistical challenges as compared to ensuring that all people work from one location. Saving time and cost on expenses related to travel, expensive work locations, etc.

It is important in distributed teams to pay special attention to the Principles of Scrum to ensure that they are followed even in Distributed teams. Emphasis should be on the ability to work collaboratively and transparently in an environment of trust.          

Scrum is an Agile framework used to manage and complete complex projects, particularly in software development, though it is now applied across many industries. It is designed to help teams work effectively in situations where requirements are uncertain, evolving, or highly complex. Scrum is described as a lightweight framework because it provides only the essential structure needed for teams to collaborate, deliver value, and continuously improve without imposing heavy rules or rigid processes.

At its core, Scrum is iterative and incremental. This means work is completed in small, manageable cycles rather than all at once. Each cycle allows teams to inspect their progress, gather feedback, and adapt their plans as needed. By doing so, Scrum enables teams to respond quickly to change instead of following a fixed plan that may become outdated. This adaptability is one of the defining characteristics of Scrum and a key reason for its widespread adoption.

Scrum focuses on delivering value early and frequently. Instead of waiting until the end of a project to deliver a final product, Scrum encourages teams to produce usable outcomes at regular intervals. This approach ensures that stakeholders can see progress clearly and provide feedback throughout the project. Frequent inspection and feedback help teams identify issues early, reduce risk, and ensure that the work remains aligned with business and customer needs.

The concept of Scrum is inspired by the idea of teamwork where individuals move together toward a common goal. This idea originated in the 1980s when Takeuchi and Nonaka introduced the concept of rugby-style teamwork, emphasizing collaboration, shared responsibility, and collective progress. Scrum adopts this philosophy by encouraging close collaboration among team members rather than isolated or sequential work. Teams are expected to work together, communicate openly, and take collective ownership of outcomes.

Another defining feature of Scrum is transparency. Scrum promotes clear visibility of work, progress, and challenges so that everyone involved has a shared understanding of the project’s status. This transparency supports trust, informed decision-making, and effective collaboration among teams and stakeholders. By making work visible and progress measurable, Scrum creates an environment where continuous learning and improvement are possible.

Scrum is not a rigid methodology but a framework that can be applied to different types of work. It provides guidance on how to organize work, collaborate as a team, and deliver results in uncertain environments. Because of its simplicity, flexibility, and focus on value delivery, Scrum has been widely adopted and continues to evolve as organizations seek better ways to manage complex projects in changing conditions.

Examples for sections:

Customer Service

In Customer Service, Scrum helps teams handle customer issues in short, focused cycles. Instead of trying to fix all problems at once, the team prioritizes the most frequent or critical complaints and resolves them step by step. After each cycle, customer feedback is reviewed to improve responses, scripts, or processes. This allows the service team to adapt quickly to customer needs and deliver better support continuously.

Finance

In Finance, Scrum helps manage complex financial initiatives such as budgeting systems or reporting improvements. Work is broken into small tasks like improving reports or automating calculations. Each cycle delivers usable improvements, allowing finance teams to adapt to changing business needs while maintaining control and accuracy.

Human Resources

In Human Resources, Scrum can be used to improve employee onboarding. Instead of designing the entire onboarding process at once, the HR team works in short cycles. In the first cycle, they create offer letters and joining checklists. In the next, they add orientation sessions and feedback forms. After each cycle, HR reviews employee feedback and improves the process. This helps HR adapt quickly to employee needs. Tools like Vabro.ai can help HR teams track tasks, collaborate, and continuously improve onboarding outcomes.

Information Technology

In Information Technology, Scrum helps teams deliver software or system improvements step by step. For example, an IT team upgrading internal systems can divide work into small iterations such as fixing bugs, improving security, or adding features. After each cycle, users test the changes and provide feedback. This avoids long delays and reduces risk. Scrum ensures IT teams respond quickly to changing technical needs. Platforms like Vabro.ai help IT teams manage work, track progress, and collaborate effectively.

Learning & Development

Learning and Development teams can use Scrum to design training programs. Instead of building a full course at once, they release training modules in short cycles. The first cycle may include basic content, followed by assessments and interactive activities in later cycles. Feedback from learners helps improve each module. This approach ensures training remains relevant and effective. Tools such as Vabro.ai support collaboration, planning, and continuous improvement of learning initiatives.

Legal and Compliance

In Legal and Compliance, Scrum helps manage regulatory changes. Instead of addressing all regulations at once, teams work in short cycles to review policies, update documents, and train employees. Each cycle focuses on a specific regulation or risk area. Regular reviews ensure accuracy and compliance. This approach allows quick adaptation to new laws. Using platforms like Vabro.ai improves task tracking, transparency, and collaboration in compliance work.

Marketing

Marketing teams use Scrum to run campaigns effectively. A campaign is broken into short cycles such as content creation, social media posts, and performance analysis. After each cycle, results are reviewed and strategies are adjusted. This allows marketers to respond quickly to audience behavior. Scrum helps deliver consistent value instead of waiting for a single launch. Tools like Vabro.ai support coordination, visibility, and faster execution.

Operations

In Operations, Scrum helps improve ongoing processes. For example, a logistics team can work in short cycles to reduce delays, improve inventory tracking, or optimize workflows. Each cycle focuses on a specific improvement and measures results. This approach ensures steady progress without disrupting operations. Scrum increases efficiency and transparency. Platforms like Vabro.ai help operations teams manage tasks and continuously improve processes.

Product Management

Product managers use Scrum to develop products incrementally. Features are delivered in short cycles based on customer priority. After each cycle, user feedback is reviewed and future features are adjusted. This ensures the product meets real customer needs. Scrum helps product teams reduce risk and deliver value early. Tools such as Vabro.ai assist product managers in prioritization, planning, and collaboration.

Sales

Sales teams can use Scrum to improve sales strategies. Instead of planning a full-quarter strategy at once, teams test sales scripts, outreach methods, or target segments in short cycles. Results are reviewed regularly, and strategies are refined. This helps sales teams adapt to market responses quickly. Platforms like Vabro.ai help sales teams track activities, share insights, and improve performance continuously.

Strategy

Scrum helps leadership teams test business strategies incrementally. Instead of committing to long-term plans immediately, strategies are tested in short cycles. Each cycle focuses on a specific initiative, such as entering a new market or testing pricing models. Feedback and data guide adjustments. This approach reduces risk and improves decision-making. Tools like Vabro.ai support collaboration and visibility across strategic initiatives.

Design

Design teams use Scrum to develop user-focused solutions. Instead of finalizing designs upfront, designers work in short cycles creating wireframes, prototypes, and visuals. User feedback after each cycle helps refine designs. This ensures better usability and creativity. Scrum allows designers to adapt quickly to user needs. Platforms like Vabro.ai help manage design tasks and collaboration.

Project Management

In Project Management, Scrum helps deliver projects in manageable stages. Work is divided into short cycles, each producing a usable outcome. Progress is reviewed frequently, allowing early identification of risks. This improves transparency and control. Scrum helps project managers handle uncertainty effectively. Tools such as Vabro.ai support planning, tracking, and team collaboration.

Investors / Venture Capitalists

Investors and venture capitalists can use Scrum to evaluate startups. Instead of large funding decisions upfront, investments are reviewed in short cycles based on progress milestones. Each cycle assesses growth, product development, or market traction. This reduces risk and supports data-driven decisions. Platforms like Vabro.ai can help track startup progress and investment performance.

Business Analysis

Business analysts use Scrum to gather and refine requirements. Instead of documenting all requirements at once, analysts work in short cycles, validating insights with stakeholders regularly. This ensures requirements remain relevant and accurate. Scrum improves alignment between business needs and solutions. Tools like Vabro.ai help analysts track requirements and collaborate efficiently.

Scrum is an Agile framework used to manage and complete complex projects, particularly in software development, though it is now applied across many industries. It is designed to help teams work effectively in situations where requirements are uncertain, evolving, or highly complex. Scrum is described as a lightweight framework because it provides only the essential structure needed for teams to collaborate, deliver value, and continuously improve without imposing heavy rules or rigid processes.

At its core, Scrum is iterative and incremental. This means work is completed in small, manageable cycles rather than all at once. Each cycle allows teams to inspect their progress, gather feedback, and adapt their plans as needed. By doing so, Scrum enables teams to respond quickly to change instead of following a fixed plan that may become outdated. This adaptability is one of the defining characteristics of Scrum and a key reason for its widespread adoption.

Scrum focuses on delivering value early and frequently. Instead of waiting until the end of a project to deliver a final product, Scrum encourages teams to produce usable outcomes at regular intervals. This approach ensures that stakeholders can see progress clearly and provide feedback throughout the project. Frequent inspection and feedback help teams identify issues early, reduce risk, and ensure that the work remains aligned with business and customer needs.

The concept of Scrum is inspired by the idea of teamwork where individuals move together toward a common goal. This idea originated in the 1980s when Takeuchi and Nonaka introduced the concept of rugby-style teamwork, emphasizing collaboration, shared responsibility, and collective progress. Scrum adopts this philosophy by encouraging close collaboration among team members rather than isolated or sequential work. Teams are expected to work together, communicate openly, and take collective ownership of outcomes.

Another defining feature of Scrum is transparency. Scrum promotes clear visibility of work, progress, and challenges so that everyone involved has a shared understanding of the project’s status. This transparency supports trust, informed decision-making, and effective collaboration among teams and stakeholders. By making work visible and progress measurable, Scrum creates an environment where continuous learning and improvement are possible.

Scrum is not a rigid methodology but a framework that can be applied to different types of work. It provides guidance on how to organize work, collaborate as a team, and deliver results in uncertain environments. Because of its simplicity, flexibility, and focus on value delivery, Scrum has been widely adopted and continues to evolve as organizations seek better ways to manage complex projects in changing conditions. 

Scrum is an Agile framework used to manage and complete complex projects, particularly in software development, though it is now applied across many industries. It is designed to help teams work effectively in situations where requirements are uncertain, evolving, or highly complex. Scrum is described as a lightweight framework because it provides only the essential structure needed for teams to collaborate, deliver value, and continuously improve without imposing heavy rules or rigid processes.

At its core, Scrum is iterative and incremental. This means work is completed in small, manageable cycles rather than all at once. Each cycle allows teams to inspect their progress, gather feedback, and adapt their plans as needed. By doing so, Scrum enables teams to respond quickly to change instead of following a fixed plan that may become outdated. This adaptability is one of the defining characteristics of Scrum and a key reason for its widespread adoption.

Scrum focuses on delivering value early and frequently. Instead of waiting until the end of a project to deliver a final product, Scrum encourages teams to produce usable outcomes at regular intervals. This approach ensures that stakeholders can see progress clearly and provide feedback throughout the project. Frequent inspection and feedback help teams identify issues early, reduce risk, and ensure that the work remains aligned with business and customer needs.

The concept of Scrum is inspired by the idea of teamwork where individuals move together toward a common goal. This idea originated in the 1980s when Takeuchi and Nonaka introduced the concept of rugby-style teamwork, emphasizing collaboration, shared responsibility, and collective progress. Scrum adopts this philosophy by encouraging close collaboration among team members rather than isolated or sequential work. Teams are expected to work together, communicate openly, and take collective ownership of outcomes.

Another defining feature of Scrum is transparency. Scrum promotes clear visibility of work, progress, and challenges so that everyone involved has a shared understanding of the project’s status. This transparency supports trust, informed decision-making, and effective collaboration among teams and stakeholders. By making work visible and progress measurable, Scrum creates an environment where continuous learning and improvement are possible.

Scrum is not a rigid methodology but a framework that can be applied to different types of work. It provides guidance on how to organize work, collaborate as a team, and deliver results in uncertain environments. Because of its simplicity, flexibility, and focus on value delivery, Scrum has been widely adopted and continues to evolve as organizations seek better ways to manage complex projects in changing conditions. 

Scrum is an Agile framework used to manage and complete complex projects. It was originally developed for software development, where complexity, uncertainty, and rapid change are common. Over time, Scrum has expanded beyond software and is now applied across many industries that face similar challenges in project delivery.

Scrum as an Agile Framework

As an Agile framework, Scrum focuses on adaptability and responsiveness. It supports teams working in environments where requirements are likely to change. Scrum enables teams to approach complex projects in a structured way while still remaining flexible and open to change throughout the project lifecycle.

Lightweight and Iterative Nature

Scrum is described as a lightweight framework because it is simple to understand and does not rely on heavy documentation or rigid processes. It is iterative and incremental, meaning work is completed in small cycles and delivered in manageable pieces. This approach allows teams to make steady progress while continuously improving their work.

Delivering Value Quickly

One of the main strengths of Scrum is its ability to help teams deliver value quickly. By working in short iterations, teams can produce usable outcomes regularly. This ensures that progress is visible and that valuable results are delivered early and often during the project.

Adapting Through Inspection and Feedback

Scrum emphasizes frequent inspection and feedback. Teams regularly review their work to assess progress and identify areas for improvement. This ongoing feedback loop allows teams to adapt to changing requirements and adjust their approach as needed, ensuring that the project remains aligned with its goals.

Origins of Scrum in the 1980s

The origins of Scrum can be traced back to the 1980s, when researchers Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka introduced a new way of thinking about teamwork and project management. While studying successful product development practices, they observed that high-performing teams did not rely on rigid, step-by-step processes. Instead, teams worked together as a single unit, progressing collectively toward shared goals.

The Rugby-Style Teamwork Concept

To describe this collaborative approach, Takeuchi and Nonaka used the analogy of a rugby team. In rugby, players move the ball forward by passing it among themselves while advancing together toward the goal. This metaphor highlighted the importance of teamwork, coordination, and shared movement rather than isolated individual efforts. This idea later became the conceptual foundation of what is now known as Scrum.

Emphasis on Collaboration and Shared Responsibility

The rugby-style teamwork model emphasized close collaboration, shared responsibility, and continuous interaction among team members. Rather than dividing work into separate phases handled independently, the entire team remained connected throughout the process. Team members contributed simultaneously, adjusted their actions based on progress, and supported one another. These principles strongly influenced Scrum’s focus on collective ownership, frequent communication, and teamwork.

Transition from Concept to Scrum Framework

As these ideas gained attention, practitioners began applying them to project management, particularly in software development, where requirements were often uncertain and constantly changing. Over time, the principles of collaboration, flexibility, and incremental progress were formalized into the Scrum framework. Scrum preserved the core idea that teams should move forward together, regularly inspect their progress, and adapt their work instead of strictly following predefined plans.

Widespread Adoption Across Industries

The gradual adoption of Scrum continued through the following decades, with its use expanding beyond software development into many industries. By 2025, Scrum had become widely accepted as an effective framework for managing complex projects. Its growth reflects the increasing demand for approaches that support teamwork, adaptability, and continuous improvement in uncertain environments.

Lasting Influence of Scrum’s Historical Foundations

Today, Scrum’s historical roots remain clearly visible in its emphasis on collaboration and collective progress. The rugby-style metaphor continues to define Scrum’s philosophy: teams work together as one unit, adapt based on ongoing feedback, and prioritize learning over rigid control. This strong foundation explains why Scrum remains a lasting and influential framework for managing complex work.

Video on Brief History of Scrum

Organizations use different approaches to manage work depending on objectives, flexibility needs, and the nature of tasks. Waterfall Projects, Scrum Projects, Operations, and Kanban Workflows each serve distinct purposes. Understanding their definitions, objectives, execution styles, and examples helps teams choose the most appropriate approach.

Waterfall Projects

Definition and Objective

Waterfall Projects follow a linear, sequential project methodology with fixed phases. The main objective is to deliver a final product after all phases are complete.

Explanation and Duration

Work is completed in sequential phases, and the product is delivered only when everything is finished. The timeline is fixed, with each phase following the previous one.

Flexibility and Ownership

Flexibility is low, as changes are costly once phases are locked. These projects are managed by Project Managers with a top-down control structure.

Examples

Examples include building a bridge, where design, approval, construction, and inspection occur step by step before opening. Another example is software development that moves through requirements, design, coding, testing, and deployment in order.

Scrum Projects

Definition and Objective

Scrum Projects use an agile, iterative approach with sprints and adaptability. The objective is to deliver working increments frequently for feedback.

Explanation and Duration

Work is split into time-boxed sprints, allowing teams to deliver small, usable pieces of work regularly. The project evolves incrementally over time.

Flexibility and Ownership

Scrum offers high flexibility, adapting easily to changing requirements. Ownership is shared among the Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Team.

Examples

A common example is a mobile app, where the login feature is delivered in Sprint 1, chat in Sprint 2, and payments in Sprint 3. Another example is the same software project broken into 2-week sprints, allowing requirements to change mid-project.

Operations

Definition and Objective

Operations focus on ongoing, repetitive activities to run the business. The objective is to maintain business-as-usual efficiency.

Explanation and Duration

Operations emphasize keeping daily business activities running smoothly. These activities are continuous and have no defined end date.

Flexibility and Ownership

Flexibility is low, as operations follow standard operating procedures. They are managed by Operations Managers or Departments.

Examples

Examples include processing payroll every month, running customer support daily, and manufacturing cars on an assembly line every day.

Kanban Workflows (For Projects or Operations)

Definition and Objective

Kanban Workflows represent a step-by-step sequence of tasks for a specific process. The objective is to standardize and automate task execution.

Explanation and Duration

Kanban creates a visual, repeatable process to streamline tasks. It may be one-time or recurring and is process-based.

Flexibility and Ownership

Flexibility is moderate, as workflows can be customized for efficiency. Kanban is owned by Kanban Managers, Product Owners, and Teams.

Examples

Examples include a Kanban board for handling incoming customer service tickets and IT teams using workflows to manage bugs.

Scrum defines clear roles to ensure effective collaboration and successful project execution. These roles are divided into Scrum Core Roles, which are mandatorily required for the project, and Scrum Non-Core Roles, which are not mandatory but interface with the Scrum Core Team. Each role has a specific purpose and contribution within the Scrum framework.

Scrum Core Roles

(Mandatorily Required for the Project)

Scrum Core Roles form the foundation of Scrum execution. These roles are essential and must be present for a Scrum project to function effectively. The core roles include the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Scrum Team.

Product Owner

The Product Owner is responsible for defining, prioritizing, and refining the Product Backlog to maximize value. This role ensures that the work being done aligns with value delivery. By managing the Product Backlog, the Product Owner plays a central role in deciding what should be worked on and in what order, ensuring that the team focuses on the most valuable items.

Scrum Master

The Scrum Master facilitates Scrum processes, removes team impediments, and manages the Sprint. This role supports the team by ensuring that Scrum practices are followed and that obstacles impacting progress are addressed. The Scrum Master enables smooth Sprint execution by focusing on process facilitation and removing anything that blocks the team’s ability to work effectively.

Scrum Team

The Scrum Team builds and delivers a potentially shippable product increment every Sprint. This role is responsible for transforming Product Backlog items into working increments. Each Sprint results in a deliverable product increment, highlighting the team’s responsibility for continuous delivery and consistent output.

Scrum Non-Core Roles

(Not Mandatory, Interface with Scrum Core Team)

Scrum Non-Core Roles are not required for the Scrum framework to operate but interact with the Scrum Core Team. These roles provide input, support, or guidance while remaining outside the core Scrum structure.

Business Stakeholders

Business Stakeholders interface with the Scrum Core Team. They provide business-related input and perspectives but are not part of the mandatory Scrum roles. Their interaction helps align the Scrum work with broader business interests.

Supporting Services

Supporting Services interact with the Scrum Core Team by providing necessary support. While not mandatory Scrum roles, they assist the team by offering services that help enable project execution.

Vendors

Vendors are external parties that interface with the Scrum Core Team. They may provide products or services required for the project but do not form part of the Scrum Core Roles.

Scrum Guidance Body

The Scrum Guidance Body interfaces with the Scrum Core Team and provides guidance related to Scrum practices. This role supports alignment and consistency but is not mandatory for Scrum execution.

The Scrum framework provides a structured approach for managing and completing complex projects by breaking work into smaller, manageable parts and delivering value incrementally. It enables teams to handle uncertainty while maintaining focus, transparency, and continuous progress.

Project Business Case and Stakeholder Involvement

Every Scrum project begins with a Project Business Case, which explains why the project is needed and what value it aims to deliver. Business Stakeholders, including sponsors, users, and customers, have a vested interest in the project’s outcomes. They provide direction, priorities, and feedback throughout the project lifecycle to ensure alignment with business needs.

Prioritized Product Backlog

At the center of the Scrum framework is the Prioritized Product Backlog. This is an ordered list of all work required to achieve the project objectives, arranged by business importance. The Product Backlog ensures transparency and helps the team focus on delivering the highest-value work first.

Epics and User Stories

The Product Backlog is broken down into Epics, which represent large features or requirements. These Epics are further divided into User Stories, each describing a single piece of functionality that can be completed within a Sprint. User Stories follow a standard format that defines:

• Who the user is
   
• What action they want to perform
   
• The benefit they receive
   

This structure promotes clarity, shared understanding, and alignment with business goals.

Prioritization Based on Business Value

User Stories are prioritized according to their business value. High-priority stories are addressed early to ensure maximum value delivery. This prioritization helps the Scrum Team focus on what matters most to stakeholders and keeps development efforts aligned with organizational objectives.

Sprint Planning and Sprint Goal

Work in Scrum is delivered through Sprints, which are time-boxed iterations typically lasting two to four weeks. At the start of each Sprint, the Scrum Team selects User Stories from the Prioritized Product Backlog to form the Sprint Backlog. These User Stories must meet the Definition of Ready. The team also defines a Sprint Goal, a short statement describing what they aim to achieve during the Sprint. The Scrum Master facilitates this planning process and supports smooth Sprint execution.

Task Breakdown and Daily Standup

During the Sprint, User Stories are broken down into tasks. Tasks may be estimated if required, and team members self-assign work based on skills and availability. Progress is monitored through the Daily Standup, a 15-minute daily meeting where team members discuss:

• What they completed
   
• What they plan to work on next
   
• Any impediments they are facing
   

This daily inspection keeps the team aligned and helps identify issues early.

Definition of Done and Product Increment

A User Story is considered complete only when all tasks meet the Acceptance Criteria and the Definition of Done. Completed User Stories together form a Product Increment, which is delivered at the end of the Sprint. This incremental delivery ensures continuous progress and regular validation with stakeholders.

Scrum offers several important benefits that help teams and organizations manage complex projects effectively. Its focus on incremental delivery, adaptability, and collaboration makes it especially valuable in dynamic environments.

Increased Return on Investment (ROI)

One of the key benefits of Scrum is its ability to increase return on investment. By delivering value early and frequently, Scrum allows organizations to realize benefits throughout the project lifecycle rather than waiting until the final delivery. This early value delivery helps reduce financial risk and ensures that investments generate results sooner.

Adaptability to Changing Requirements

Scrum enables teams to respond effectively to changing requirements. Work is completed in short iterations and reviewed regularly, making it easier to adjust priorities based on stakeholder feedback. This adaptability makes Scrum particularly suitable for projects where requirements are uncertain or evolve over time.

Transparency and Visibility

Scrum promotes transparency by providing clear visibility into project progress for all stakeholders. Everyone can see what work has been completed, what is currently in progress, and what remains to be done. This openness improves communication, builds trust, and enhances coordination across teams and stakeholders.

Continuous Feedback

Continuous feedback is a core benefit of Scrum. Regular interaction with stakeholders ensures that the product remains aligned with customer expectations and business needs. Feedback received during and after each iteration helps teams make timely improvements and prevents major issues later in the project.

Continuous Improvement

Scrum encourages teams to regularly reflect on their work and identify opportunities for improvement. Through ongoing evaluation of processes, collaboration, and quality, teams become more efficient and effective over time. This commitment to continuous improvement strengthens long-term performance.

Faster Problem Resolution

Scrum supports early identification of obstacles and impediments. By addressing issues quickly, teams can prevent delays and keep work on track. This proactive problem-solving approach reduces risk and improves delivery speed.

Higher Customer Satisfaction

By delivering high-quality outcomes that align with business value and incorporating regular feedback, Scrum leads to higher customer satisfaction. Products developed using Scrum are more likely to meet customer needs and expectations.