What is Scrum in Agile with example
Introduction
What is Scrum in Agile for beginners with example it is a very important concept of Agile in modern software development.Scrum is widely used within the Agile by large organizations such as startups, fintech firms and major enterprises to assist software teams in delivering products rapidly and with superior quality.
In this guide, you will learn in the simplest possible way how software teams manage their work using Scrum. This includes sprints, roles, ceremonies, meetings, practical insights utilized by Agile teams and accompanying examples.
What is Scrum in Agile
Scrum in software engineering is a framework within Agile methodology. It is an Agile development process that is used to manage large and complex projects by dividing the work into small, manageable cycles known as Sprints.Agile Methodology is an umbrella term under which resides many frameworks and Scrum is the most popular one of them all.
Scrum helps the team remain flexible and teams utilize Scrum in situations such as the following:
- When requirements are changing frequently.
- When fast delivery is required.
- When continuous improvement is needed in the project.
- When teams need to remain constantly organized due to the complexity of the project.
- Helps teams work together for Agile Development.
What is Sprint in Scrum Framework
Project or complex problem are broken down into small chunks and consistent short times and periodically work on each chunk for a time-boxed iteration referred to as Sprint.Sprint is one time boxed iteration of a continuous development cycle. Within a Sprint, a planned amount of work has to be completed by the team and made ready for review. They can be as short as a few days usually 1 to 4 weeks and generally are no longer than 3 - 4 weeks.
Sprints make projects more manageable, allow teams to ship high-quality work faster and more frequently, and gives them more flexibility to adapt to change.
Each sprint delivers a usable part of the product.
Example:-
A team builds different functionality in different Sprint
In an E-commerce project
- Sprint 1 = Login page need to complete
- Sprint 2 = Product listing functionality need to complete
- Sprint 3 = Payment integration need to complete
Note:- In Scrum, a Sprint is NOT a meeting. It is a time period (like 2 weeks) where the team works on tasks. The meetings happen inside the Sprint, not the Sprint itself.
What is the 353 structure of Scrum
Scrum provides a very simple and flexible structure for teams.The Scrum Framework is very simple and follows a 3-5-3 structure 3 Roles, 5 events, 3 Artifacts easiest way to remember the key components.
Scrum Roles (Who does the work)
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Scrum Master (Ensures Scrum is followed)
The Scrum Master ensures that the Scrum process runs smoothly and is adhered to by everyone facilitating meetings, removing obstacles and supporting the team's productivity.
The Scrum Master assists the team in improving their collaboration and optimizing their delivery flow.
The Scrum Master provides coaching and guidance to the team to enable them to work effectively with the Product Owner to maximize the ROI, furthermore if any team member requires training on a specific tool or technology, the Scrum Master arranges for it.
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Product Owner (Decides what to build)
The Product Owner is responsible for defining and managing product requirements. They maintain and prioritize the Product Backlog, ensuring that it remains clear, up-to-date and aligned with business goals.
The Product Owner works closely with the team to ensure that requirements regarding the order of implementation remain clear and the product quality is maintained at the time of release. -
Scrum Team (Build the product)
A Scrum team is a cross-functional group consisting of the Scrum Master, Product Owner, Developers, Testers etc. Typically 5-9 members is ideal Scrum team size, sometimes more or less, depending on the project requirements.
This team works together without sub-teams or hierarchy and focuses on delivering a shared Product Goal.
Scrum Ceremonies or Events(When & How work happens)
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Sprint Planning (Plans sprint work and defines goal)
Sprint Planning is a Scrum event where the Scrum Team selects prioritized items from the Product Backlog. The objective of this meeting is to determine what needs to be delivered and how it will be completed during the current Sprint.
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Daily Scrum (Tracks daily progress and blockers)
Daily Scrum is a short time boxed event that takes place every day, during a Sprint usually lasting 15 minutes. It is typically conducted at the same time and place to maintain consistency.
The purpose of this meeting is simply to check the progress towards the Sprint Goal and plan the work for the next 24 hours.
Each team member answers three key questions: what they did yesterday, what they will do today and any blockers they are facing. The Scrum Master helps remove obstacles that may impact progress.
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Sprint Review (Shows completed work and gets feedback)
The Sprint Review is a Scrum event that occurs after the Sprint is complete, where the Scrum Team and stakeholders inspect the completed work. The purpose of this meeting is to review what has been delivered, review progress against the Product Backlog and gather feedback for future improvements.
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Sprint Retrospective (Improves team process)
Sprint Retrospective is a Scrum event and like Sprint Review it happens after the Sprint is completed. The purpose is to discuss what went well, what didn’t go well and what can be improved in the next Sprint.
The team focuses on continuous improvement by identifying actions to enhance processes, teamwork and productivity.
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Sprint (Time period where work happens)
Scrum Artifacts (What is being built)
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Product Backlog (All tasks)
The Product Backlog is a prioritized and dynamic list of all work items, which is maintained and managed by the Product Owner. It includes features, enhancements, bug fixes and technical tasks.
The Product Backlog is continuously refined and reordered based on requirements and business value.
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Sprint Backlog (Current Sprint tasks)
The Sprint Backlog subset of items from the Product Backlog that the Scrum Team selects during Sprint Planning to complete in the current Sprint. The Sprint Backlog is a plan by and for the Developers.
It is a highly visible, real-time picture of the work that the Developers plan to accomplish during the Sprint in order to achieve the Sprint Goal.
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Product Increment (Completed work)
Product Increment the number of completed Product Backlogs items from the current and previous Sprint. This represents the fully integrated, tested and releasable version of the product.
Is a Scrum Meeting different from a Scrum Events in Agile Scrum
Yes, there is a slight difference and many people get confused.All Scrum Meeting are Scrum Events but, all Scrum Events are not Scrum Meeting.
Scrum Meeting usually refer to 4 items, types of Scrum Meeting are Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective.
And Scrum Events have 5 items - Sprint, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective.
Because Sprint is not a meeting, it is a time-box where work happens.
Conclusion
Scrum is an Agile framework which software development teams use to manage their complex projects through short time-boxed work periods known as Sprints. The team delivers a usable product increment during each Sprint which helps them adjust to new requirements.Scrum includes three roles which are Scrum Master Product Owner and Scrum Team and it has five events which are Sprint Sprint Planning Daily Scrum Sprint Review and Sprint Retrospective and three artifacts which include Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog and Product Increment.
The system enhances team collaboration and project visibility and delivery speed and ongoing development processes which makes it a preferred method among contemporary software development teams.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
Is Scrum the same as Agile
No, Scrum and Agile are not the same. Agile is a broader mindset or set of principles approach for software development, while Scrum is a framework that implements Agile principles through roles, events and iterative sprints.Is Scrum a Methodology or a Framework
Scrum is a framework, not a methodology, that provides a flexible structure such as roles, events and artifacts to deliver work in an Agile way.What is a Scrum Board
A Scrum Board is a useful tool used by Agile teams to track progress during a Sprint. It contains columns that show tasks such as To Do, In Progress and Done, which helps the team to stay organized, transparent and focused on the Sprint Goals.How to improve Scrum Team productivity
Scrum team productivity can be increased with clear Sprint goals, well-prioritized Product Backlog and good planning and Sprint Velocity.
Regular Daily Scrums, effective communication, quick removal of blockers and continuous improvement through Sprint Retrospectives also help increase efficiency and delivery speed.What is the main goal of Scrum meetings
The primary goal of a Scrum meeting is to enhance collaboration within the team, increase transparency and continuous progress.
Scrum meetings assist the team in tracking daily progress, reviewing completed tasks, planning work and improving processes to ensure better deliverables in every sprint.What is Sprint Velocity in Scrum
Sprint Velocity measures the amount of work a team has completed during a specific sprint, this is measured in story points.
Its benefits include:- Improved accuracy in Sprint Planning
- Estimation of work capacity of team members
- Team consistency over time
- Planning for future work
In real, Sprint Velocity is used for planning not performance judgment for teams.Who creates the Sprint Goal in Scrum
The Scrum Goal is collectively established by the Scrum Team during Scrum Planning. The Product Owner provides priority and business direction, while the Developers and Scrum Master define a clear, achievable goal for the Sprint.Who can cancel a Sprint in Scrum
Only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel a Sprint in Scrum. This mostly happens when the Sprint Goal and Business Goal change, making it pointless to continue working on that Sprint.How long is a Sprint in Scrum
A Sprint in Scrum usually 2 to 4 weeks sometimes depends on project requirement also.Who is a Scrum Master
A Scrum Master is the one who ensures that all team members correctly follow Scrum practices. They assist the Scrum Team in removing obstacles and improving the workflow so that the product can be delivered efficiently.What is a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) and How to Get Scrum Master Certification
The Certified Scrum Master (CSM) is a professional certification that validates an individual's knowledge of the Scrum framework and their ability to serve as a Scrum Master within Agile teams. You receive the Scrum Master certificate after completing the required Scrum training and passing the examination from a recognized body like Scrum Alliance or Scrum.org.What is the difference between a Product Manager and a Product Owner
In the Product Manager vs Product Owner comparison, the Product Manager focuses on the entire product such as vision, market strategy and customer needs etc. whereas the Product Owner focuses on managing the Product Backlog and ensuring that the Scrum Team delivers the right features in the Sprint.What is the difference between Kanban and Scrum
Kanban vs Scrum is a comparison of two popular Agile frameworks
Scrum and Kanban are both Agile frameworks for managing work, but they follow different approaches.
Scrum works in fixed time-boxed cycles called Sprint and follows a structured process whereas Kanban allows continuous flow of work without fixed Sprints. It uses a visual board to manage tasks and limits work in progress (WIP).
Key Difference- Scrum: Time-based (Sprints, structured process)
- Kanban: Flow-based (continuous delivery, flexible process)
What is the difference between Sprint Review and Sprint Retrospective
Sprint Review vs Sprint Retrospective highlights two important Scrum events- Sprint Review: Show completed work to stakeholders and get feedback
- Sprint Retrospective: Discuss improvements for next sprint & team performance