Creating Large Project Components in SCRUM
In the process of creating Large Project Components, we need to understand how the multiple Product Owners work together and how the multiple Scrum Teams work together. Also common components and common and specialized resources are to be identified. Following are the inputs required for creating large project components in Scrum.
Project Vision Statement
A good project vision explains the business need the project is intended to meet rather than how it will meet the need. The Project Vision Statement should not be too specific and should have room for flexibility. It is possible that the current understanding of the project may be based on assumptions that will change as the project progresses, so it is important that the project vision is flexible enough to accommodate these changes. The project vision should focus on the problem rather than the solution.
Chief Product Owner
In the case of large projects with numerous Scrum Teams and multiple Product Owners, it is still necessary to have one single person who makes the day-to-day business decisions. This person/role is the Chief Product Owner. This role is responsible for coordinating the work of multiple Product Owners. With help from the Product Owners, the Chief Product Owner prepares and maintains the overall Prioritized Product Backlog for the large project, using it to coordinate work through the Product Owners of the Scrum Teams. The Chief Product Owner will be responsible for the final deliverable of the project whereas the Product Owners of the individual teams will be responsible only for those components and features being developed by their respective Scrum Teams.
Chief Scrum Master*
Large projects require multiple Scrum Teams to work in parallel. Information gathered from one team may need to be appropriately communicated to other teams—the Chief Scrum Master is responsible for this activity.
Identify Environment*
In a large project, it is important to identify the number and types of environments needed because numerous Scrum Teams will be working simultaneously to carry out the work of their respective Sprints. Some examples of environments may include: software development/test areas, physical work areas/resources, or process boundaries for each Scrum Team.
Scrum Guidance Body Recommendations*
For large projects, the Scrum Guidance Body becomes an important reference resource to provide guidance and promote best practices in order to improve the chances of success. The Scrum Guidance Body (SGB) is an optional role. It generally consists of a group of documents and/or a group of experts who are typically involved with defining objectives related to quality, government regulations, security, and other key organizational parameters.
Product Owners
The basic role of a Product Owner is the same for small and large projects. This includes the collaboration of Product Owners with their respective Scrum Teams.
The major difference in a large project is that the Product Owner does not make the day-to-day priority decisions as with a small project, but simply provides input and recommendations to the Chief Product Owner. Furthermore, interaction with stakeholders is distributed among all Product Owners. Each Product Owner works with a specific team(s) according to defined roles. These responsibilities and roles are defined in the Product Owners Collaboration Plan.