Scrum is a significant element of agile project management . Originally developed by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland, Scrum is now a great support in tackling complex tasks.

Although Scrum is fundamentally easy to understand, implementing the concept and applying it in practice can be difficult. For this reason, we have compiled the most important rules and processes in this article and explain the various Scrum principles.

Scrum – what does the term mean?

The term "scrum" originally comes from rugby and means "ordered scrum." In both rugby and business, the team must work together efficiently to achieve its goal. At the same time, in rugby, it is important to react flexibly and quickly to changes in the game.

This flexibility is equally important in project management and an essential component of the Scrum method.

The Scrum principles

The principles we present in this paragraph form the foundation that makes working with Scrum possible. It is therefore important that you know and appreciate these principles.

#1: Transparency: When working with Scrum and agile methods in general, it is essential that goals, upcoming tasks, and decisions are freely accessible and known. This applies to stakeholders as well as all other participants.

#2: Vision: Every Scrum team should follow a long-term goal, which serves as an overarching point of reference.

#3: Value orientation: The results of working with Scrum are measured by the value achieved for customers and companies.

#4: Autonomy: The Scrum team works autonomously and can self-organize and work autonomously.

#5: Feedback: Both customers and users as well as stakeholders should be involved in the process and thus contribute to a continuous improvement of the process with feedback and input.

The Scrum team

The Scrum team consists of various members who work on the tasks in a self-organized manner and are therefore not dependent on a single project manager .

This team typically consists of the Product Owner, the Development Team, and the Scrum Master .

Product Owner: The Product Owner acts as a key figure in the team and has a clear vision of the goal. Using the Product Backlog, he or she communicates this vision to the development team.

The Product Backlog is a list of all the features, requirements, bug fixes, and optimizations of the product that are addressed in Scrum.

Furthermore, the Product Owner maintains regular communication with product users and customers . This facilitates a better understanding of their needs and desires. Ultimately, the Product Owner's role is to maximize the value of the product or project.

Development team: The development team consists of experts and specialists who use their skills to achieve the defined goal. Composed of a maximum of three to nine members, the development team delivers the deliverables.

The team is responsible for completing the tasks contained in a sprint. We will explain exactly what a Scrum sprint is and why it is so important further down in the article.

Scrum Master: This person is responsible for introducing Scrum rules , monitoring their adherence, and thus ensuring the success of Scrum. Therefore, this role can also be described as that of a coach for the development team and the product owner. For these reasons , the Scrum Master and the development team work closely together .

The core element: The Scrum sprint

The Scrum process is based on a so-called Scrum Sprint , which is implemented within a predefined timeframe. The goal of such a Scrum Sprint is the development of a finished partial product, also known as a product increment . Therefore, the goal should be achieved after the predefined time has elapsed.

The so-called Sprint Backlog , the plan for the sprint, must be planned in detail beforehand, and all tasks and requirements must be clear. The plan is developed by the entire team, which means that transparency during the Scrum is very important.

When such a sprint takes place, it is important that daily scrums are held to discuss the current status.

After a sprint is completed, a sprint review takes place. During this review, the results of the sprint are evaluated so that the next sprint can be started with optimized measures.

This process is repeated until product development is fully completed. All sprints have the same duration.

Our Scrum Management Toolbox contains templates, definitions and tools to help you successfully plan and execute Scrum processes.

Advantages and disadvantages of Scrum

For many, Scrum offers numerous advantages and represents a suitable method for many processes. On the other hand, there are also a few disadvantages, which we would like to present to you, along with the advantages.

Advantages

#1: Short communication channels

Due to the high level of transparency and coordination during Scrum processes, communication channels are relatively short. This greatly simplifies the process.

#2: Continuous Improvement

By repeating a Scrum Sprint until the final result is satisfactory, the product is continuously improved.

#3: Easy to understand and quick to implement

Because Scrum can be used without many rules, the method can be implemented quickly. This allows new increments to be implemented promptly.

Disadvantages

#1: No overall view

Since the entire process consists of several sprints, it is difficult to have a complete overview at the beginning of the Scrum process. Elements change during the individual sprints, and these changes cannot be foreseen at the start.

#2: High coordination effort

While transparency during the Scrum process is important and helpful, it also involves a significant amount of coordination. This can be time-consuming and cumbersome.

#3: Potential insecurity due to lack of hierarchies

Since the Scrum process does not involve designating managers or leading personnel, there may be some uncertainty regarding the distribution of tasks.

Implementing a Scrum process therefore requires a team that can work together professionally and effectively. Scrum sprints can strengthen such a team's cohesion and increase the efficiency of individual team members.

Conclusion: High efficiency when working with Scrum

To make your work easier, to increase employee performance, or for high transparency in project development : with Scrum, all this is possible!

Try out our guide and use our Scrum Management Toolbox for assistance . ► To the Toolbox

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