Introduction to Scrum Basics
Scrum basics is a straightforward process that helps to make products in chunks and in iterations, to adhere to the fluctuating market needs as well as the stringent goals of the organization.
Roles in a Scrum
The scrum team consists of three roles: a Product Owner, the Development Team, and a Scrum Master.
1. Owner of the product:
- Creating an organizational vision.
- Is a representation of the business and marks the Return on Investment.
- Passes on the vision to the teams involved.
- Takes the ownership of the backlog.
- Makes market needs priority.
- It is the decision-maker for the teams.
- Mediates between the team and the customers to deliver the ultimate deliverable as per needs and on a timely basis.
2. Team for development:
- Self-managed – the team is self-managed and the decision on the work front is taken mutually.
- Independent- the team is empowered to take its own decisions.
- No designation- the team does not have any designation and each member has the necessary skills to deliver the required work.
- Small teams- the Development teams are ideally small-sized with 5-9 members.
3. Master of the Scrum:
- Leader – Coaches the teams on various aspects of scrum basic, guides them on how to proceed on the work front and hence, reaps the advantages of the scrum.
- Helps eliminate obstacles – Helps development teams in removing all the obstacles on the path of progress and help them evolve.
- Identifies ways to collaborate – facilitates the team with everything it needs to be able to deliver the ultimate product.
- Helps teams stay secure – Ensures that no external factor can influence the team in any way.
Artifacts of a Scrum
Documentation is used for progress in work and not collaboration. Working software always measures this progress. Documentation in scrum is only through four main artifacts namely: Product backlog, Sprint backlog, Increment and Definition of Done.
1. Backlog of the product:
- Evolves as per market needs.
- Lists all the requirements needed to deliver quality products.
- It is updated continuously.
2. Backlog of the sprint:
- Subset of product backlog items and is meant to be finished off in one sprint.
- Items are divided into small chunks.
- Focused on how to deliver work in a single sprint.
- Helps prioritize work as per the requirements of the customer and the final deliverable.
- Help teams to supervise the progress and ensure that the goals are aligned with.
3. Product Increment:
The work delivered at the end of each sprint is called an increment. At the end of each iteration, we get a Product Increment (PI) that promises to deliver value and in the end, we get our required product.
4. What is Done?
‘Definition of done’ in a scrum means that it helps teams specify a work as done. This is how teams can estimate the extent to which work has been completed.
Activities in a Scrum Basics
Scrum activities are performed in iterations and allow time for preparation as well as putting all the learnings into use.
Scrum activities include:
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- Product backlog refinement
- Sprint planning
- Daily scrum
- Sprint review
- Sprint retrospective
1. Refinement of product backlog:
- Eliminates product backlog items which are not a priority anymore.
- Includes product backlog items which are not a priority anymore.
- Divides product backlog items into chunks.
2. Planning a Sprint:
- Negotiates product backlog items in the presence of the Product Owner.
- It enables a mature understanding of the work process.
- Completes smaller items on a priority basis.
- Work is properly planned and completed.
To ensure that the above requirements are fulfilled, we need to do the following:
- What is the work to be done?
- How the identified work should be done?
3. Daily meeting of a Scrum:
The daily scrum is a kind of meeting that is held every morning for a maximum of 15 minutes. This is also known as the daily stand-up meeting. It includes:
- What was my contribution at work yesterday?
- What shall be my contribution today?
- Are there any hassles interrupting me in between?
4. Review of the Sprint:
- A proper illustration of the work process with an explanation of the features of the product.
- A feedback of the product that allows us to know the lacuna in the deliverable which can be worked upon.
- A meeting is called upon by the scrum master that is attended by the teams involved and all the stakeholders to discuss the product developed and the work process followed.
5. Retrospective Scrum analysis:
- The team review and enquire on what went well in terms of collaboration, planning, process, and tools
- They find out the lacuna and help improve the process and the competence of the team members involved.
- They plan and take a firm stance on how to proceed from one sprint to another.
- The team ensures that the entire work cycle till delivery is improvised upon each time.
The three questions every team member needs to answer:
- What we need to start doing?
- What we need to stop doing?
- What do we need to maintain doing?
Conclusion:
- Despite being so precise and efficient, scrum has its own limitations:
- Carrying out such an extensive framework is difficult for teams that are scattered geographically.
- Such an extensive framework does not work for teams with members possessing specific skills.
- Certain aspects of scrum pertaining to external facts cannot be controlled.
- Such a framework does not fit a few products as they have specialized features.
Recommended Articles:
This has been a guide to Scrum basics. Here we discuss the roles in Scrum, artifacts of a scrum and the various activities of a Scrum. You may also look at the following articles to learn more –
