In the fast-paced world of today, companies need project management approaches which balance flexibility and discipline. This is what led to the breakthrough that we call Agile. Scrum is an Agile framework that uses an iterative approach which emphasizes that small cross-functional teams produce better results.
Before taking an Agile and Scrum course, it is necessary to understand why it works.
1. Simultaneous, not Sequential
Traditional project management methods rely on sequential development. In the software context, this means that programmers wait till all the questions are answered and the whole thing is crystal clear before they set to code. Similarly, testing is done after completing the program. Scrum ditches this traditional idea and goes for a simultaneous approach where developers code on the fly. This saves a lot of time and the product reaches the market earlier than expected.
2. Open Communication and Collaboration
Scrum promotes face-to-face communication through Scrum ceremonies like Daily Stand-ups, Sprint Reviews, and Retrospectives. It focuses on individuals and interactions rather than processes and tools. This is because an open-minded team is more likely to have better productivity and deliver better quality products.
The Scrum Masters have an Agile and Scrum certification and they act as facilitators to resolve conflicts and enhances smooth communication. This also causes stakeholders to be informed and engaged in the development process.
3. Adaptability
In Scrum, a project under work supports changes and they can be easily integrated. This is not so in the traditional approach where the scope of a project or what is to be done is constant although time and cost are not. This is the reason why they may take a lot longer to complete and may need more investments. But in Scrum changes are incorporated based on the user requirements and this helps in continuous improvement.
4. Emphasis on Team
In Scrum, the prime importance is for the development team. Members work on the motto all for one and one for all. They strive to complete prioritized work as soon as possible and create shippable increments of business value after each Sprint. There is no boss and team as a whole is responsible for the projects. Moreover, strategies like pair programming are encouraged simply because two heads are better than one.
5. Faster to Market
The Product Owner prioritizes tasks based on their order of importance and updates the Product Backlog regularly. The Development team works on these tasks for potentially shippable increments after each Sprint. This helps businesses to release their products incrementally.
6. Better Employee Satisfaction
The Scrum team is self-motivated because they get suggestions from team members and work accordingly. Not having a boss also helps them identify projects as their own, boosting their morale. Also, the Scrum Master mentors them and protects them from external negative pressure.
7. Stakeholder Satisfaction
The best part about Agile or Scrum approach is its customer satisfaction. This is mainly because of the usable portions of the completed product reaching customers quickly after each increment. Customers then try out the received shipments and report back their findings. This feedback is very crucial for the overall success of the product.
Therefore, product backlog and sprint backlog can be updated and reprioritized. The opinions of the users are taken into consideration at every iteration to make sure that the product adds value in each step. When stakeholders feel involved it assures them that we’re concerned with their needs and are working for them.
8. Quality
Scrum never compromises on quality. The Scrum ceremonies, tools, and every aspect finally target on the product quality. Self-motivation, mutual coordination, and customer feedback add value to the product in each step. As adaptability is one of the three pillars of Scrum, changes can easily be incorporated into the current project. Within the stipulated time and cost, the scope of the product may vary which significantly increases the quality.
9. Time Management
Dividing work into Sprints and completing specific tasks during each sprint saves considerable time. Here the release time period is adjusted. The retrospectives after each Sprint makes them understand what went wrong and thus they can always save time and energy.
10. Continuous Improvement
The product owner can make any alterations in the product at any development stage. Also, after each sprint retrospective, meetings are conducted to reflect on the mistakes and feedbacks. This helps in continuous improvement making it more effective.
Sprint Ahead!
With such great benefits of Scrum methodologies, what’s stopping you from going Sprinting with Scrum?