Scrum Guide 2020

Synopsis of changes to the Scrum Guide 2020 By Daniel Dojcinovski

1. Less is more!

The Scrum guide has over the years become more prescriptive providing structure and definition, where the latest 2020 edition is aimed at making the Scrum Guide a minimal yet sufficient framework and only 13 pages (truly lightweight).

The latest edition has removed the questions from the Daily Scrum, simplified language regarding Product Backlog Item attributes, Retrospective items being added to the Sprint Backlog and brought down the Sprint cancellation section to two sentences.

2. One Team, One Dream - Focused on One Product

In the latest edition, the Scrum guide aims to eliminate the idea of separate teams within a team that has many times created a “proxy” or “us vs them” environment impacting the ability to truly realise the Scrum Values. The Scrum Team section has been revised to emphasise that there is only one Scrum Team focused on the one outcome with three roles who have accountabilities (Developers, Product Owner and Scrum Master), and replacing the term “The Development Team” to just “Developers”.

3. Welcome to the Product Goal 

The 2020 Scrum Guide has brought in the concept of the Product Goal which aims at giving the Scrum Team focus in delivering value towards a shared objective. Product Goal is a long-term objective in the Product Backlog and describes the future state of the product which allows the Scrum Team to plan each Product Backlog Item and Sprint against the Product Goal.

4. Introduction of Commitments

Along with the introduction of the Product Goal, the latest edition of the Scrum Guide describes the Product Goal, Sprint Goal and Definition of Done as artifacts in the form of commitments. The Product Backlog now has a Product Goal, Sprint Backlog has the Sprint Goal and the Increment has the Definition of Done. The aim of the commitments is to provide transparency, focus toward each artifact and a greater shared understanding. 

5. Goodbye Self-Organizing, Hello Self-Managing Team

The previous edition of the Scrum Guide referred to the Scrum Team as a self-organizing and cross-functional team who choose how best to accomplish their work, where in the latest edition the Scrum Team is referred to as a self-managing team who decide who does what, when and how. The aim of this change removes any assumptions made that there may be a manager who can direct or manage the Scrum Team.

6. Three Topics During Sprint Planning 

In the earlier edition of the Scrum Guide there was two topics addressed in the Sprint Planning event, one of which was what can be done in the Sprint, and the other how will the chosen work get done. In the 2020 edition the Scrum Guide introduces a third topic which is “why is the sprint valuable?”, emphasising on how the product could increase its value in the current sprint.

7. Increasing the value of the Scrum Master role

From the very start of the Scrum Guide, the Scrum Master role is further clarified and the importance and value of the role is highlighted. In the Scrum Definition section it has been emphasised that Scrum requires a Scrum Master to foster the environment. The Scrum Master section further clarifies that the Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team’s effectiveness and refers to the role as a true leader who serves the Scrum Team and organisation, while still including other important aspects of the role.  

About the Author

Daniel is an Agile Coach and Transformation Lead in the DXC Digital Transformation Centre, with Scrum Master, Product Owner and Advanced Scrum Master certifications.

Daniel has a passion for business agility, transformation, innovation, continuous improvement, coaching high performance teams and agile capability uplift and training. In his spare time, Daniel volunteers as a host for the Canberra Agile Community of Practice and has published articles such as “What else does a Scrum Master do?” and “Making the Product Owner Great Again”.

Daniel has experience in delivering a range of projects consisting of implementing a large scaled scrum delivery, leading the delivery of transformation projects and working with organisations to implement practices consisting on Kanban, Lean and Scrum across both Federal and State Government