Scalability of Scrum

The scalability of a process, network, or unit refers to its ability to adjust or adapt to expansion. For example, a central server is considered scalable if it performs similarly when attending to five clients or fifty clients. Scrum is a scalable methodology, which means that the scaling mechanisms applicable for a single Scrum Team can also be used for larger projects with multiple teams.

Initially, Agile authors believed that Agile methodologies, including Scrum, were mainly suitable for small-scale projects. However, the Guide to the Scrum Body of Knowledge (SBOK? Guide) provides comprehensive directions for scaling Agile methodologies, including Scrum, to be applied to larger projects.

Scalability in Scrum can occur at three levels: Projects, Programs, and Portfolios. In small Scrum projects, there is adequate scope for self-organizing Scrum Team members to collaborate. The problem arises when the team size expands, and coordination is required between multiple teams.

Scrum of Scrum (SoS) Meetings are the primary mechanism through which scalability in Scrum is achieved. Scrum recommends small teams; however, if teams are larger, they are divided into smaller teams that meet occasionally to discuss their status. Ideally, Scrum Teams should have six to ten members, but if the size exceeds ten members, multiple teams can work on the project simultaneously.

The Scrum of Scrums facilitates synchronization between multiple Scrum Teams in larger projects. Team representatives update each other about progress, challenges, and coordination activities. The frequency of Scrum of Scrums Meetings is determined by inter-team dependency, project size, recommendations by Scrum Guidance Body (SGB), and complexity level.

Scrum recommends collocated teams and face-to-face communication between team members, but in larger projects employing distributed teams, the Scrum of Scrum Meeting can be held using video conferencing, chats, social media, etc.

Each team representative updates other teams, usually in the form of four questions, to achieve better team coordination and facilitate the coordination of work across multiple Scrum Teams, especially when there are tasks involving inter-team dependencies. The Scrum of Scrums is a forum where team members can transparently discuss issues and resolve them.

In organizations with several Scrum projects happening simultaneously, the Scrum of Scrums Meeting can be scaled up another level to a Scrum of Scrum of Scrums meeting. In this situation, a separate Scrum of Scrums Meeting is held to coordinate each group of projects that are directly related to each other.

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