09 Jul What is Scrum methodology?
The Scrum methodology is framed within the Agile work, the purpose is to be able to deliver value to the client in a short period of time. It is a work methodology especially used for IT projects, in which there can be constant changes due to customer decisions or changes in the environment.
From our experience of working with scrum, we want to clarify why it is an excellent way to approach projects. The flexibility it offers to companies is the key to understanding the wide adoption of this work methodology.
Scrum methodology
This methodology consists of applying a set of good practices to work collaboratively to obtain the best possible result from a project. SCRUM makes partial and regular deliveries, instead of a single final delivery. The functionality of each delivery is agreed in joint work sessions and the prioritization criteria are established according to the interests to be covered.
The SCRUM methodology is used to control costs, not perpetuate deliveries and control the quality of work, since it is validated as it is developed / implemented and there is more room for reaction to unexpected problems or situations.
What roles exist in the Scrum methodology?
In order to work correctly using Scrum methodology, it is very important to have a well defined series of roles that guarantee the success of the project:
- Product Owner: It is the figure that maintains the dialogue with the client and has to guarantee that the team is working in the right direction. A single person can occupy this position, since it is he who must have the vision of the client’s needs and, specifically, what is expected of that project. Among its main functions is the maintenance and prioritization of the Product Backlog.
- Scrum Master: It is the figure that verifies that team members achieve and meet their goals. The contact between the Scrum Master and the team is constant, as is their accompaniment. Its main functions include empowerment and helps the team to achieve the necessary skills to successfully complete their tasks.
- Scrum Team: It is the team that is in charge of carrying out the prioritized tasks. Each person individually is able to work autonomously, enhancing the tasks for which they have more knowledge for the benefit of the main project. This is why it is important that the team is multifunctional and diverse. There are no work sub-teams or second level specialists since the responsibility for delivering the sprint is shared and everyone must work in the same direction.
How do you work on Scrum methodology?
Sprint
In Scrum you work by sprints and a project is made up of a sequence of sprints. A sprint is a subset of requirements, which the team has to develop and / or implement in a defined period of time.
Most importantly, each sprint is a thematic unit with its own full meaning. When the sprint is delivered, the team loads the functionality into the shared work environment for the customer to test. Designated users test functionality after delivery to continue sprint validation.
The cycles in which the sprints are framed are short. They will depend on the project and the type of tasks to be carried out, but it could be estimated on average between 2 and 4 weeks. After this period, the result is displayed to the client.
Working sequentially, the team has the possibility to make the project into small thematic blocks and perfect them from one sprint to another. For the client, it translates into the fact that they can progressively visualize the results and change decisions more quickly if rectification is required. You don’t have to wait until the end of the project to see the results.
Sprint planning
This is a meeting that the entire Scrum team attends to mark the tasks that will comprise a sprint and the objectives that must be met (sprint objetive). At the end of this meeting, it should be clear what will be done during that sprint (based on this, the tasks of the product order book are chosen) and how it will be carried out (i.e. what actions will need to be carried out for each chosen item in the product portfolio).
Daily meeting
The daily meeting is a short meeting (a maximum of 15 minutes is recommended), in which the Scrum Master and Scrum Team participate. In it, the progress of the tasks is assessed daily. Specifically, each team member reviews the work they did yesterday, what they plan to do today, and whether they have encountered any obstacles that jeopardize the delivery of the sprint.
They are brief meetings in which you must go straight to the point. It would be a mistake to prolong these meetings and make them last too long, as it would be inefficient.
Sprint review
It is a session that takes place with the client in which the Product Owner presents the value of the functionality that is delivered, and the Scrum Team shows how it works. At that point the client must validate the changes made and also provide feedback to see if any prioritization changes should be made to the Product backlog.
Sprint retrospective
This is an internal meeting that takes place at the end of a sprint. In it, the team reviews how the sprint was carried out, changes and improvements are proposed that should be implemented the next day with the start of a new sprint.
What’s the difference between Scrum and Agile?
It is common to confuse the terms Scrum vs Agile. And the reality is that, although they are closely related, they are not the same.
Agile is more than a working methodology. It is a set of principles to follow, a way of doing things and a culture of thought. It is based on a set of good practices and recommended methods described in the Agile Manifesto (you can check it here). It was introduced in 2001 as an alternative to traditional software methodologies.
Scrum, for its part, is the best known approach or framework of the Agile methodology. There are other approaches such as Kanban or Crystal. For their part, these frameworks are no longer exclusive to the IT industry and could be applicable in other sectors.
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