What is Scrum?

Introduction

Have you ever been part of a team where everyone was rushing to get things done, but it seemed like nobody really knew who was responsible for what? Yeah, it happens more often than you'd think. That’s exactly where a popular approach called Scrum comes in.

But before you get overwhelmed by the name, let’s get back to basics and understand what Scrum really is and how it can help organize work much more efficiently and collaboratively. Who knows, it might even help you avoid those last-minute work panics!

Simple Definition

Scrum is an agile methodology for managing projects, especially in teams that need to be fast and flexible. Instead of creating a detailed plan for the entire project right from the start (and hoping everything goes according to plan), Scrum breaks the work into short cycles called sprints.

These sprints, usually lasting two to four weeks, are small blocks of time during which the team works together to deliver specific parts of the project. At the end of each sprint, the team reviews what was done and makes adjustments for the next cycle. This allows for flexibility and adaptation to changes—something that’s crucial in today’s fast-paced world.

Everyday Examples

Let’s simplify it a bit. Imagine you are organizing a series of webinars. Instead of planning the entire series months in advance and doing everything all at once, you use Scrum to break the work into smaller cycles. In the first cycle, you focus on defining the topics and speakers. In the second, you create the promotional materials. And so on, until the entire series is fully prepared and delivered, with adjustments and improvements made after each stage.

That’s the idea behind Scrum: break the project into smaller chunks, constantly review the progress, and make quick adjustments instead of waiting until the end of the project to realize something went wrong.

How Scrum Works

Scrum has a few key roles and events that keep the team organized:

1. Product Owner: The person who represents the interests of the customers or users and defines what needs to be done in the project.
2. Scrum Master: The team’s facilitator, who helps remove obstacles and ensures that Scrum practices are being followed.
3. Development Team: The people who do the hands-on work and make the project happen.

In addition to these roles, Scrum also has a few important events:

• Sprint Planning: A meeting at the beginning of each sprint where the team decides what will be done.
• Daily Scrum: A short daily meeting to ensure everyone is on the same page.
• Sprint Review: At the end of the sprint, the team presents what was accomplished.
• Sprint Retrospective: A meeting to discuss what went well and what could be improved for the next sprint.

Demystifying Jargon

At first glance, Scrum might seem full of complicated terms, but let’s clear that up quickly.

• Sprint is just a short cycle of work, typically lasting 2 to 4 weeks.
• Backlog is the list of tasks that need to be done in the project. The Product Owner helps prioritize these tasks, and the team works on them sprint by sprint.

It’s really that simple: Scrum helps you prioritize, divide the work, and keep everyone aligned and collaborating in an agile way.

Conclusion

Scrum might seem full of rules at first, but in practice, it’s an agile way of ensuring that work moves forward in a collaborative and flexible manner. Instead of planning every detail from start to finish, Scrum allows your team to make frequent adjustments to deliver the best possible outcome.

What about you? Have you ever worked on a project that felt out of control? Maybe Scrum is what you need to organize the chaos!

Call to Action

This was just a taste of what Scrum is all about. But to really understand and apply this methodology, it’s important to master the fundamental concepts and know how to use it in practical situations. In our Back to Basics series, you’ll learn the essential principles to stay aligned with the best agile management practices.

Want to learn more? Check out the CIGA website for more information, articles, and courses that will help you master Scrum and other agile methodologies!

Glossary

1. Scrum An agile methodology for managing projects, breaking the work into short, iterative cycles called sprints.

2. Sprint A short cycle of work, usually 2 to 4 weeks long, in which the team focuses on completing a part of the project.

3. Product Owner The person responsible for representing the customer’s interests and prioritizing tasks in the project.

4. Scrum Master The facilitator who ensures the team follows Scrum principles and helps remove obstacles.

5. Backlog The list of tasks that need to be completed in the project, prioritized by the Product Owner.

6. Sprint Planning A meeting at the start of each sprint where the team decides what will be done.

7. Daily Scrum A quick daily meeting where the team checks in on progress and next steps.

8. Sprint Review A meeting at the end of each sprint where the team presents what was completed.

9. Sprint Retrospective A meeting to reflect on what went well and what can be improved in the next sprint.