Scrum Bootcamp: Learn the Basics of Scrum Programming (2016)

Chapter 2. The Scrum Framework

What is Scrum?

Software developers define Scrum as a framework for creating and improving complicated products. It is not an approach or methodology for generating new products; instead, it is a development framework that you can use to implement different approaches and methodologies. Scrum can show you the strengths and weaknesses of your development and management strategies, allowing you to improve your overall effectiveness.

This framework involves development groups (called Scrum Teams), events, rules and artifacts. Each of these components plays an important role in the usage and success of the Scrum framework.

The Processes Involved in the Scrum Framework

When using Scrum, you should standardize processes through prescribed events. Each event is time-boxed, which means it has a specific deadline. You’ll learn more about“events” in a later chapter.

Sprint

Sprint, a time-box usually measured in weeks, serves as the core of Scrum. Basically, Sprint is a period of time in which an increment of a product is generated. A new Sprint begins as soon as the previous one gets completed. Sprints have the following elements:

· Sprint Planning– The people involved in the project will decide on the tasks that must be accomplished within the Sprint. Each member of the Scrum Team must participate in this collaborative activity.

· Daily Meetings– Scrum Teams need to create plans and share updates on a daily basis. To achieve this, each team must have a 15-minute meeting each day.

· Sprint Review– This event occurs at the conclusion of a Sprint. Here, the members of the Scrum Team review the product increment and update the records of the project, if necessary.

· Sprint Retrospective– It happens just before the planning phase of the next Sprint. In this event, the members of the Scrum Team check their performance and look for ways to improve. This allows them to attain better results during the next Sprint.

The Members of a Scrum Team

Scrum Teams involve three main roles, which are:

· The“ScrumMaster” (also written as“Scrum Master”)– This person acts as the leader of the team. The ScrumMaster needs to:

o Make sure that the Scrum framework and the resulting processes run efficiently.

o Identify and remove obstacles that affect the team’s productivity.

o Organize and facilitate important meetings.

· The Product Owner– This person maximizes the team’s efficiency and the product’s value. In general, the product owner needs to manage the backlog of the project. Project backlog management involves the following:

o Clear expression of items within the project backlog

o Effective arrangement of project backlog items to attain the team’s objectives

o Maximize the overall value of the team’s performance

o Make sure that the project backlog is clear, transparent and accessible to all team members. Additionally, the backlog must inform the members about what needs to be done or improved.

o Make sure that each member understands the project backlog items.

A product owner may perform the tasks listed above, or ask the team members to do so. In any case, the product owner is solely accountable for those tasks.

A product owner is just one person, not a group of people. This person may express the needs/wants of other people in the project’s backlog. However, each item present in the backlog must be listed under the product owner’s name.

The whole team must respect the product owner’s decisions. The team members should check the project backlog to know more about the decisions of the product owner.

· The Team– This term refers to the members of a team other than the ScrumMaster and product owner. In general, the“Team” aspect of a Scrum team must be able to organize itself and perform different functions. This aspect is composed of testers, analysts, developers and designers. Other members (e.g. engineers and architects) may be added to a team, depending on the project involved.

For a“team” to be effective, it should be large enough to finish the tasks and small enough to stay versatile. The ideal size of a“team” is five to nine members (excluding the ScrumMaster and Product Owner). If the members are less than five, the manpower may not be sufficient to complete the project within the assigned Sprint. However, if the members are more than nine, the team will need excessive coordination.

Conclusion

Scrum is an Agile framework that specifies roles, rules and tasks to ensure consistency. You can use it for any project or organization, provided that you will follow all the rules of Scrum development.