Scrum: Beyond the Tip of the Iceberg

Introduction 

We are all familiar with the phrase 'the tip of the iceberg'. Cliché and overused as it may seem, this phrase is a metaphor that explains a concept so well, that is so useful to us, it has become part of our language. And it is this metaphor that comes to my mind when reflecting on most team's understanding of Scrum - the framework that the vast majority of product teams (*approx. 94%) choose to help support and enhance their product development endeavours. 

Definition of the tip of the iceberg

: a small part of something (such as a problem) that is seen or known about when there is a much larger part that is not seen or known about

The news is shocking, but we may find out that the stories we've heard so far are just the tip of the iceberg.

Forget 'Agile'

You see, Scrum came well before 'Agile' and draws on many decades of applied research and trial and error that seeks to find a better way of working. Management philosophy and associated practices that suit today's increasingly complex world. For 35 years the software industry has been drawing from this learning starting with Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka's The New New Product Development Game; leading to Scrum, XP, and all other manner of frameworks and approaches - some of which we are all quite tired of by now (did someone say SAFe?).

So, with such a rich body of work to draw from, it is unlikely that you'll encounter a problem when structuring a product organisation or solving an impediment to the flow of value that has not been deeply considered and well documented. You won't find definitive answers and best practice (beware those that offer those things). But you will find repeatably applicable solutions to common product development problems which can be applied through experimentation, careful reflection, and with your specific context in mind. You will find these things if you look beyond the tip of the iceberg.

Think back and consider how far you and your team have come. How you have evolved your process inside the enabling constraint of frameworks like Scrum and how this has benefited you. Improved collaboration with your teammates, frequent feedback, greater autonomy, and creativity are some of the benefits I see. But there is more!

In this blog, we will take a look at what is waiting to be discovered beneath the surface of Scrum and how it can further positively enhance your working life – perhaps in ways that exceed your current expectations.

Mechanics: The Tip of the Iceberg 

Most people understand Scrum as a series of events, roles, and associated artefacts. These are simply the bones of the framework and what I refer to as 'the mechanics'; the basic nuts and bolts, movements that any team can perform with very little understating of the 'why' and the depth of thinking, theory, and empirical knowledge behind them. While the mechanics are a good place to start, they are only part of the story. If you feel that your understanding of Scrum sits at this level, I would encourage you to dig a little deeper.

The basic nuts and bolts of Scrum could be considered as;

• A clearly defined set of roles and associated responsibilities: The Scrum Team consisting; Product Owner, Development Team, Scrum Master.
• A set of events: The Sprint consisting; Sprint Planning, The Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective.
• A set of artefacts: The Product Backlog, The Sprint Backlog, and Increment. 

Underpinning the mechanics are the values of courage, commitment, focus, openness, respect and empirical process control theory (and the three pillars of transparency, inspection, and adaption) which encourages an iterative and incremental approach to software development to increase your chances of positive outcomes.

Again, if these things don't hold real meaning to you, I encourage you to dive a little deeper. The Scrum Guide lays out 'the rules of the game' so it is a good place to start. It makes one thing very clear; 'each component within the framework serves a specific purpose and is essential to Scrum’s success and usage. So, unless you have the mechanics down, are adhering to the basic rules, and the nuts and bolts are firmly in place, you are unlikely to be successful in using Scrum. You will not be doing Scrum at all.

Now, most teams I observe often struggle to get all the basic and essential components in place, and so, unfortunately, never reach their true potential through the framework. So, I would advise that you start here. Scrum is recognised as being; 'lightweight, easy to understand, but difficult to master', so this is all part of the journey.

But don’t stop there! With the basics taken care of, search deeper. Beneath the surface lies a depth of knowledge that will help you reach your goals and improve your working lives. But to reap the benefits you will have to be open to change.

Rethinking the Product Organisation: Beneath the Tip of the Iceberg

Beyond the mechanics, every implementation of Scrum seeks to disrupt the status quo and reimagine the product organisation of old typified by predictive planning, compliance, siloed working, disappointment, frustration and burnout. The modern product organisation lets go of management control, is obsessively value-driven, curious, and understands the power of small, autonomous, and stable teams of missionaries driven by a clear a meaningful vision. The modern product organisation is built on partnership, collaboration, open communication, and kindness.

All this takes great courage and challenges us to rethink everything we know, discover what we know we don't know, and be open to the fact that there are things that we don't know we don't know. For many, this can be uncomfortable and is why, in my opinion, most teams settle for the mechanics, or worse, the parts of the framework that can be accommodated by the existing culture of an organisation. This is missing the point entirely and leads to sub-optimal results.

Conclusion 

Scrum does not meet you where you are, rather it seeks to effect real change and challenges us to completely rethink how we 'do product' and organise ourselves around value. So, all this is about change, real positive change that represents a genuine opportunity for you to reimagine the way you work. Work with purpose.

However, this type of change requires deep thinking, courage, commitment, discipline, and quiet reflection that pushes you out of your comfort zone and takes you beyond the tip of the iceberg.