What Is Scrum? An Overview of the Agile Framework

Everyone wants to become more flexible and productive. No wonder agile work methods are in such high demand right now. And Scrum is one of the best-known! Because it isn’t a rigid set of rules but rather a kind of structure, it’s referred to as a framework: With Scrum, products can be developed in a customer-focused manner within defined time frames. There is no project manager; instead, the team operates entirely on its own. But read for yourself!

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What is Scrum, explained simply?

Scrum is a framework for agile product development. In this approach, an interdisciplinary team organizes itself so that it can respond flexibly and quickly to changing requirements (such as new market conditions or customer requests).

To achieve this, the large product that is ultimately intended is broken down into smaller sub-products. The customer is regularly and closely involved in the entire development process. To implement changes promptly, the Scrum team works in time-boxed cycles—known as sprints. Project progress is regularly made transparent, reviewed, and adjusted as needed. This ultimately results in a product with real value.

What roles are there in Scrum?

There are three different roles in a Scrum team:

• the developers
• the Scrum Master
• and the Product Owner.

The up to eight developers are professionals from various disciplines. They are the developers or creators of the product currently under development.

The Scrum Product Owner is accountable for the overall product. Based on the Product Owner’s specifications, team members carry out tasks in a self-organized manner. It is important that they determine the path to achieving this goal on their own. While the Product Owner sets the goal, he or she does not specify exactly how individual tasks are to be carried out. In addition, the Scrum Product Owner represents the customer’s interests within the Scrum Team, discusses requirements and expectations, and documents them. To perform this role, the Product Owner needs either technical knowledge or a market-oriented understanding—depending on the type of product being developed.

The team is supported in its work by the Scrum Master. As a “servant leader,” he ensures that everything runs smoothly, removes obstacles, and provides support to everyone involved.

What does a Scrum Master actually do?

The Scrum Master is responsible for the processes and the effectiveness of the Scrum team.
First and foremost, he promotes an understanding of Scrum: The team must internalize the theory, values, best practices, and rules of Scrum. But the organization and the customer must also know what it means to work with Scrum.

Another important responsibility: The Scrum Master helps team members organize themselves and do good work. Their goal is to optimize collaboration. A key focus is therefore on building and maintaining trust within the team. In addition, the Scrum Master helps resolve interpersonal conflicts: They remove obstacles—whether technical, structural, or personal—and foster a positive mindset. They also initiate changes that boost their team’s productivity.

Unlike the Product Owner, who brings technical or market-related knowledge to the table, the Scrum Master possesses methodological knowledge of agile topics. He or she knows which approaches can be combined with Scrum—and which best practices prove effective in which situations. In addition, the role requires a significant degree of empathy, organizational skills, and interpersonal skills. This is because the Scrum Master acts not only as a facilitator but also as a coach and mentor.

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What is an agile methodology?

Agile work methods enable the development of products and services in a way that is more customer-focused, more resource-efficient, and more targeted. Communication and collaboration play a key role in this process: The customer is regularly and closely involved in the entire development process.

In an agile approach, a large, complex product is broken down into many small sub-products. Unlike traditional methods, the agile approach does not define the final outcome in great detail from the very beginning. While there is an overarching vision for the direction in which the product should develop, this vision can be adjusted at any time if market conditions or customer needs change. Changes are anticipated, accepted, and, if necessary, implemented quickly. In this way, the agile approach prioritizes flexibility and responsiveness over strict plans and specifications.

WHY AGILE WORK? What are the benefits?

Agile work offers several advantages:

1. Product development is more flexible because it takes place in short cycles. The same process is repeated in a loop—from gathering requirements through design and planning to quality testing. At the end of each process, the customer gets to see the finished small product. If development is heading in an undesirable direction, the customer can voice concerns in a timely manner and specify their preferences.
2. This increases the likelihood that the customer will ultimately be satisfied with the product. The overall product is developed in an agile manner that is significantly more efficient and therefore more budget-friendly—precisely because the customer no longer has to make time-consuming and costly changes at the end.
3. Another advantage is that a finished, functional subproduct already exists at every stage. If, for example, the customer decides to put the development on hold, they have still gotten something for their money through the agile approach. This, too, makes agile work methods increasingly attractive to companies.

What Agile methods are there?

Among the best known areScrumandKanban. But innovation methods such as Design Thinking and decision-making techniques such as Liberating Structures are also considered agile methods. In addition, there are so-called hybrid methods, such as PRINCE2 Agile, which combine the planning certainty of traditional project management with the agile approach.

It is often difficult to choose the right option for your company from the wide range of possibilities available. That’s why overview courses—such as theSERVIEW Agile Foundation—are ideal for decision-makers, as they provide a concise introduction to the agile mindset and various agile methods, including their pros and cons. This quickly provides a basis for deciding whether—and which—agile methods are suitable for your company.

When Should You Use Agile Methods?

Whether a team prefers to work with traditional or agile methods depends on the specific development team and the client. The agile mindset must also be a good fit for the company itself. After all, agile work means more than just more flexible, customer-focused processes. It’s based on an entire mindset: people-centered, tolerant of mistakes, and open to change. Respect and courage are just as essential to an agile approach as confidence in oneself and in the abilities of others. This is another reason why an organization doesn’t become agile overnight.

In addition, there are products that can be implemented much more effectively using traditional methods: the foundation of a house, for example, can be designed with confidence using a traditional approach. When it comes to interior design, however, agile methods can offer clear advantages.

Would you like to take advantage of these benefits? Then join one of our agile training courses—such as the one onScrum. We look forward to seeing you!

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