Scrum is a popular agile framework that helps teams deliver value to customers in an iterative and adaptive way. But how do you apply Scrum to your daily work? In this article, you will learn some practical tips and best practices to implement Scrum effectively and efficiently in your projects.
The first step to apply Scrum to your daily work is to understand the three Scrum roles: the Product Owner, the Scrum Master, and the Development Team. The Product Owner is responsible for defining and prioritizing the product backlog, which is a list of features, requirements, and user stories that the team needs to work on. The Scrum Master is responsible for facilitating and coaching the team, removing impediments, and ensuring that the Scrum process is followed. The Development Team is responsible for delivering potentially shippable increments of the product at the end of each sprint, which is a time-boxed iteration of work.
Completely agree with the definition of scrum roles. Conversely, most dev teams face resourcing issues like insufficient Product Owners or Scrum Masters. In my experience, a PO can manage multiple scrum teams and the same applies to SM. To make the scrums efficient the most important thing is; - To keep the agenda well defined - Focus on the most critical, high-priority tasks - Ready to make changes as per developer inputs
The second step to apply Scrum to your daily work is to participate in the five Scrum events: the Sprint Planning, the Daily Scrum, the Sprint Review, the Sprint Retrospective, and the Refinement. The Sprint Planning is a meeting where the team agrees on the sprint goal, the scope of work, and the tasks to be done. The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute stand-up meeting where the team members share their progress, plans, and challenges. The Sprint Review is a meeting where the team demonstrates the product increment to the stakeholders and collects feedback. The Sprint Retrospective is a meeting where the team reflects on their performance, identifies strengths and weaknesses, and suggests improvements. The Refinement is an ongoing activity where the team clarifies and updates the product backlog items.
All 3 sprint ceremonies are important in Agile Development. Daily scrum should focus on below 2 items, 1. What was completed yesterday 2. What's the plan for today 3. Any blockers or critical issues which need attention from PM Sprint review is a way to demonstrate the incremental progress which has been achieved in a Sprint. Sprint retrospective actually adds value in terms of "what went well" and "what did not". In my experience sometimes a junior developer can raise an insightful input which most of us may not have experienced.
The third step to apply Scrum to your daily work is to use the three Scrum artifacts: the Product Backlog, the Sprint Backlog, and the Product Increment. The Product Backlog is a dynamic and ordered list of everything that the product needs to have or do. The Sprint Backlog is a subset of the Product Backlog that the team commits to deliver in a sprint. The Product Increment is the sum of all the product backlog items completed in a sprint, plus the value of the increments of all previous sprints.
The fourth step to apply Scrum to your daily work is to establish and follow a Definition of Done. A Definition of Done is a shared understanding of what it means for a product backlog item to be completed and ready for release. It usually includes criteria such as quality standards, testing, documentation, and acceptance. A Definition of Done helps the team ensure that they deliver high-quality and valuable products that meet the expectations of the customers and stakeholders.
The fifth step to apply Scrum to your daily work is to embody and practice the five Scrum values: commitment, courage, focus, openness, and respect. These values guide the behavior and interactions of the Scrum team and foster a culture of collaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement. By committing to the sprint goal, having the courage to face challenges and change, focusing on the most important work, being open to feedback and learning, and respecting each other's skills and opinions, the team can achieve better results and satisfaction.
The sixth and final step to apply Scrum to your daily work is to adopt a Scrum mindset. A Scrum mindset is a way of thinking and working that embraces the principles and values of agile and Scrum. It means being customer-centric, delivering value early and often, responding to change, inspecting and adapting, collaborating and communicating, self-organizing and empowering, and striving for excellence. A Scrum mindset helps you overcome challenges, seize opportunities, and enjoy your work more.