Scrum Methodology: Tackling Agile Challenges Inspired by the Rugby Field

I am presenting a few insightful thoughts about my vision of this truly remarkable methodology, and I promise to do my best to keep it both simple and comprehensive. Let’s dive in.

I am fairly certain that if you are from the IT world, you have at least heard about this methodology, whether from your fellow developer, team leader, a YouTube blogger or even from the advertisement of a school that teaches how to become a project manager.

A lifetime ago, I was studying English to become an interpreter, and back then I developed a habit of exploring the meanings of intriguing words through a glossary. Cambridge dictionary describes Scrum in the first place as follows:

In the sport of rugby, a group of players from each team who come together with their heads down and arms joined, and push against each other, trying to take control of the ball.

Yeah, something like this:

But what does this concept have in common with the IT industry, and beyond? Let’s explore.

Imagine we have a product, and within that product, there's a feature to develop. Picture this feature as a ruby ball with players surrounding it. However, these players are all from the same team. Their heads down, arms joined, focusing on the game.

So they take the ruby-ball feature and split it into parts - the tasks. The whole team works as one. Each member has his task, yet they remain connected within the initial circle. If one team member needs assistance with their part of the feature (the ruby ball), they can rely on the team’s collective support. This interaction can be considered as a fundamental principle of Scrum: the teams must internally organize their work without external interference.

What about the team captain? In Scrum, the captain is called the product owner. His job is to define the size and color of the ball and to set it on the field. Then, the product owner (the captain) directs the team to be as close to the winning as possible. He might not be directly involved in the development process, but may be asked to answer clarifying questions along the way.

Who else do we have? The coach. The coach - Scrum Master - is to make sure everyone has a firm understanding of Scrum principles. Compared with rugby, he shows team members how to behave on the field and what they are expected to do. But keep this in mind: the Scrum master is not the actual leader or people manager of a Scrum team. He is not directly responsible for outcomes. The whole team as one accepts responsibility for the success or failure.

Where does all this happen? In the stadium! Scrum uses Agile mindset as its stadium - the space where everything takes place.

What do we have in the stadium? The scoreboard, that’s for sure. Such scoreboard is presented in Scrum as burndown and burn-up charts. Because we have one team, these charts show how well things are going with the initial plan in some time intervals. For this interval, Scrum has a definition - the sprint.?

The sprint is a time frame of one month or less where Scrum events are carried out. Sprints are carried out back to back. There are no breaks between them. Just like rugby match halves, right? Except there can be a lot of sprints if we are talking about a long-term project.

Speaking about sprints as matches. The team should have a goal. The rugby team aims to win, and the Scrum team wants that too. But there should be a certain definition of what can be considered as a win for the Scrum team. And that definition is called sprint goal.

There's much more detail to explore, but let’s focus on one more term from the Scrum glossary. Who supports the team's success? Who eagerly awaits their triumph? Fans, certainly. But who else? Who holds a financial interest in achieving the goals? Enter the stakeholder - an individual outside the Scrum team providing an external perspective and actively participating in sprint reviews.

In summary, what we've covered here provides a foundational understanding of Scrum and its operational mechanics. By drawing parallels to the dynamics of a rugby match, we've unraveled the essence of this methodology in a relatable manner. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. The world of Scrum is vast and continuously evolving, offering diverse tools and insights waiting to be explored.

I hope this expanded explanation not only clarifies the concept but also ignites a curiosity within you to delve deeper into this knowledge. As you embark on your journey to master Scrum, remember that each discovery and insight gained adds another layer to your expertise, propelling you closer to becoming a proficient practitioner in the field of agile project management.

So, let's embrace the spirit of continuous improvement, and together, let's unlock the full potential of Scrum to drive success and innovation in our projects.