What is Scrum? A Quick, Handy Guide to Scrum Project Management
Scrum is a team-centric, flexible way to manage projects of almost any size, and in almost any environment.
It’s a transparent and collaborative method of running projects, with regular value delivery throughout and a strong focus on self-organising teams and sustainability.
In this article, we will get started on answering the popular question, “what is Scrum?”. We’ll take a look at the origins of this approach, its relationship to Agile project management and management courses, and a high-level overview of how Scrum works. We will also give you pointers on getting started with Scrum.
Covered in this Article:
- Agile and Scrum
- History of Scrum
- How does Scrum work?
- Learn more about Scrum
- Getting started with Scrum
Agile and Scrum
You’ll often hear Agile mentioned when talking about Scrum, and Scrum when talking about Agile. This is because they are connected.
Agile is a project management methodology designed for responsiveness to change, early and frequent value delivery, and sustainability. Scrum is a sub-set of Agile and therefore upholds these values.
Scrum is one of the frameworks used to implement Agile project management. Imagine that Agile is the toolbox and Scrum is one of the tools in that box.
History of Scrum
In 1986, Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka, both professors and authors, wrote an article entitled “The New New Product Development Game”.
This article discussed the strength of self-organising teams in rugby and how this thinking could be applied for more responsive, efficient project management.
This article was read by software developers Ken Schwaber, Mike Beedle, and Jeff Sutherland. They adapted its ideas into Scrum methods that they began to utilise for projects in 1993.
How does Scrum work?
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The Scrum Team
Comprised of the Scrum Product Owner, Scrum Master, and the Scrum Developers (team members).
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Scrum Events
These events are focus points for keeping everything moving during the project. They are Sprint Planning, the Daily Scrum, and the Sprint Review and Retrospective.
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Scrum Artifacts
Artifacts encompass the articles that contain information relating to the progress of a sprint, such as the Scrum Board, Burn-down Chart, and Product Backlog.
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Scrum Rules
The rules act like anchors, ensuring that the other 3 elements are functioning correctly, adhering to Scrum principles.
It is supported by Sprint Planning before the sprint begins, and the Daily Scrum which helps to keep everything moving along nicely, and eliminates roadblocks during the cycle.
Learn more about Scrum
If you’d like to read more and get more detailed in answering the question “what is Scrum?”, here are a few articles to consider:
Getting Started with Scrum
Depending on your focus, we have 2 options for getting started with Scrum:
Scrum for You
Our Scrum Master Certified (SMCTM) Course offers a comprehensive foundation in Scrum knowledge. It also equips you with the know-how and skill to carry out the key Scrum Team role of Scrum Master. Exam costs and international certification included with this course.
Scrum for Your Team
If you would like to organise in-house Scrum training to get your entire team started with Scrum, we recommend starting with our Scrum Developer Certified (SDCTM) Course. A Scrum Developer is someone who works on a Scrum Team, creating the project deliverables.
