The Elements of Scrum Summary

How do you build software that meets client expectations while staying on budget and schedule? Embrace change with scrum, where planning is ongoing, teamwork is key, and adaptability is your superpower.

1. Traditional Methods Fall Short in Software Development

Software development often fails when following the waterfall method, which requires completing one step before moving to the next. This rigid process struggles to adapt to the complexity of software creation.

The waterfall method’s linear design makes scheduling seem easier, but it lacks flexibility when changes arise. For example, adjustments during production often derail the original plan, delaying the whole project and increasing costs. This is why only 16% of waterfall projects meet deadlines, while 53% exceed budgets.

Software is dynamic, with unforeseen challenges emerging frequently. Opposed to creating a static product like a car, software development requires constant iteration. The rigidity of the waterfall approach makes it ill-suited for such fluid demand while leaving little room for error correction or innovation.

Examples

• Software teams compiling perfect design requirements struggle with adapting mid-production.
• Waterfall projects frequently exceed timelines because they do not handle surprise changes.
• A car production line succeeds with this method, but software design complexity makes it unmanageable.

2. Agile Methodology Encourages Flexibility

The agile system takes a different, more adaptable approach to software development, allowing teams to engage in ongoing adjustment, moving away from strict sequences.

Unlike the waterfall approach, agile lets teams work in small, manageable cycles. Teams develop and deliver parts of the product, gather feedback, and adjust before proceeding. This process generates better outcomes by integrating client input repeatedly, reducing misalignment and errors.

Additionally, agile promotes collaboration, which ensures teams harmonize their work instead of addressing sections in isolation. Each piece is developed as part of an interconnected whole, enabling better communication and alignment of objectives.

Examples

• Photo-editing software teams deliver a black-and-white filter, gather feedback, and iterate efficiently.
• Collaborative interaction between coders and designers avoids conflicting outputs.
• Clients’ involvement at each stage aligns final products with their vision.

3. The Four Agile Values Shape Effective Development Processes

Agile’s success stems from its core values, which prioritize human input, meaningful output, customer collaboration, and responsiveness to change.

The first value emphasizes people and collaboration over stringent processes. In practice, developers focus on open communication rather than rigid tools, fostering more creative and effective problem-solving.

The second value prioritizes delivering functional products over excessive documentation. Teams work smarter, creating software instead of getting stuck in mountains of paperwork.

The third value stresses client collaboration at every stage. Involving customers repeatedly ensures satisfaction and prevents misunderstandings. Lastly, the fourth value recommends adapting plans when necessary, giving space for unexpected changes along the way.

Examples

• Daily scrums replace rigid protocols to encourage collaboration among team members.
• Developers spend more time improving functionality than generating unused documentation.
• A mid-project change in client requirements is swiftly implemented without halting progress.

4. Scrum Brings Agility to Life Through “Sprints”

Scrum operationalizes the values of agility through structured yet flexible sprints. Sprints involve short development cycles where a specific portion of the project is tackled.

Sprints begin with a planning meeting to define the short-term goal and steps the team will follow. By breaking a large project into manageable parts, teams maintain momentum while achieving steady progress. Each sprint is treated like a mini-project encompassing user research, design, coding, testing, and delivery.

Regularly concluding sprints with reviews allows teams to adjust and reflect before starting the next phase. This dynamic results in an iterative approach, reducing delays caused by unforeseen problems.

Examples

• A photo-editing team dedicates a sprint to finalize red-eye removal features.
• User-testing sessions occur mid-project for actionable feedback.
• Weekly sprints ensure steady progress rather than sporadic, massive changes.

5. User Stories Keep the Customer at the Forefront

User stories in scrum ensure a customer-first mindset by describing how end users would interact with the product.

These stories follow a simple structure: who the user is, their main need, and the value this need provides. This method helps development teams think about objectives through the user’s lens, avoiding developer-focused or overly technical designs.

By estimating and categorizing these stories based on complexity, teams allocate time and resources efficiently, making workloads more balanced and predictable.

Examples

• A smartphone user story: “As a photographer, I want automatic photo editing to save time.”
• Larger user stories like tracking full purchasing processes require month-long sprints.
• Teams use relative measures like headers redesign (small) to estimate larger project parts.

6. Daily Scrums Improve Communication and Efficiency

Daily scrum meetings keep teams coordinated and responsive. These quick stand-ups ensure everyone knows their role and shares any roadblocks.

Held simultaneously every day, these gatherings actively promote real-time problem-solving. It allows lagging team members to get support instantly rather than waiting for deadlines to raise issues.

By fostering interdependence, the meetings prevent silos, encouraging individuals to prioritize group success. The consistent updates prevent delays in the project timeline.

Examples

• A coder shares unexpected software bugs during a daily scrum.
• Teams pivot mid-week to address a sudden technical hiccup.
• A 15-minute morning meeting aligns everyone on progress and priorities.

7. Sprint Reviews Let Clients Guide the Process

At the end of every sprint, sprint reviews engage the client directly, collecting crucial feedback before changes pile up.

By presenting progress at regular intervals, teams receive valuable input, allowing them to tweak functionality before issues escalate. This process maintains alignment with client expectations as the product evolves.

Clients better understand the development cycle and feel included, minimizing potential misunderstandings at project completion.

Examples

• Reviewing black-and-white photo features with the client before expanding into other options.
• At a sprint’s end, clients voice usability concerns that are integrated into the next development phase.
• A floating navigation bar prototype receives client revisions early.

8. Retrospective Meetings Improve Future Performance

Scrum teams finish each sprint by looking back to learn from what went well and where improvements are needed.

These retrospective meetings strengthen processes by identifying areas for fine-tuning. Teams discuss solutions to challenges faced during production and gather insight to optimize future sprints.

This step encourages clear communication about improvement and ensures lessons from the past are actively applied moving forward.

Examples

• Teams identify bottlenecks in testing and explore automation in retrospectives.
• Reflecting on slow progress prompts adding new support resources.
• Success and efficiency of daily scrums reaffirm their importance between cycles.

9. Scrum Values Collaboration Over Individual Ego

Scrum development only thrives when teamwork takes precedence over personal ambition. Every team member aligns with collective goals.

Scrum pushes transparency and solution-sharing, transforming conflicts into collaboration. Focusing on the group result ensures decisions benefit everyone working toward that end.

This approach discourages siloed work or individual competitiveness, leading to stronger, better-integrated solutions.

Examples

• Designers and coders collaborate instead of clashing over design tweaks.
• “Egos” are sacrificed for group success during sprint planning meetings.
• Shared accountability motivates teams during challenging sprint cycles.

Takeaways

1. Hold a daily 15-minute scrum to identify roadblocks and stay on track.
2. Break large projects into sprints, each with clear, actionable goals to maintain steady progress.
3. Build user stories for clear customer-focused feature development, shaping your project through the eyes of those who will use it.