Scrum Santhosh Srinivasan

Outline What is Scrum What is Scrum Why Scrum Why Scrum Scrum Practices Scrum Practices Why Scrum works Why Scrum works Pros and Cons Pros and Cons Case Study Case Study Summary Summary

What is Scrum Scrum is an agile, lightweight process that can be used to manage and control software and product development using iterative, incremental practices [3] Scrum is an agile, lightweight process that can be used to manage and control software and product development using iterative, incremental practices [3][3]

History Origin in Rugby Origin in Rugby Getting an out of play ball into play Getting an out of play ball into play Used to describe hyper-productive development in 1987 by Ikujiro Nonaka and Hirotaka Takeuchi Used to describe hyper-productive development in 1987 by Ikujiro Nonaka and Hirotaka Takeuchi

Why Scrum Software Development Lifecycle Software Development Lifecycle Requirements Gathering and Analysis Requirements Gathering and Analysis Design Design Implementation Implementation Testing Testing Delivery Delivery Output of one stage serves as input for the succeeding stage Output of one stage serves as input for the succeeding stage

Why Scrum 2 Assumption Assumption Each stage produces a predictable and defined output Each stage produces a predictable and defined output Application of the process results in repeatable outputs Application of the process results in repeatable outputs Results Results Loss of control Loss of control Surprises Surprises Incomplete or wrong products Incomplete or wrong products

Why Scrum 3 Major approaches to controlling processes Major approaches to controlling processes Defined process control Defined process control Empirical process control Empirical process control Defined process control Defined process control Well defined set of inputs Well defined set of inputs Repeatable outputs upon completion Repeatable outputs upon completion

Why Scrum 4 Empirical process control Empirical process control Expects the unexpected Expects the unexpected Provides and exercises control through frequent inspection and adaptation Provides and exercises control through frequent inspection and adaptation Imperfectly defined processes that generate unpredictable and unrepeatable results Imperfectly defined processes that generate unpredictable and unrepeatable results

Scrum Practices Scrum Master Scrum Master Interface between the management and the scrum team Interface between the management and the scrum team Typically an experienced engineer Typically an experienced engineer Responsible for removing impediments that stall the progress of Scrum Team Members Responsible for removing impediments that stall the progress of Scrum Team Members Should be able to make quick decisions based on incomplete data Should be able to make quick decisions based on incomplete data

Scrum Practices 2 Product Backlog Product Backlog List of features under consideration List of features under consideration Business features and technology features Business features and technology features Sorted by priority Sorted by priority Product Owner Product Owner Sole owner of the product backlog Sole owner of the product backlog Changes to the product backlog have to be approved by the product owner Changes to the product backlog have to be approved by the product owner Technical lead or Project Manager Technical lead or Project Manager

Scrum Practices 3 Scrum Team Scrum Team Cross Functional Cross Functional Designers, Testers, Technical Writers? Designers, Testers, Technical Writers? Recommended Team Size Recommended Team Size

Scrum Practice 4 Sprint Sprint Lasts for about 30 days Lasts for about 30 days Implement the top priorities in the Project Backlog called as the Sprint Backlog Implement the top priorities in the Project Backlog called as the Sprint Backlog Sprint estimates updated as tasks are completed or new tasks crop up Sprint estimates updated as tasks are completed or new tasks crop up Potentially shippable product increment Potentially shippable product increment

Scrum Practices 5 Daily Scrum Meeting Daily Scrum Meeting Lasts about 15 minutes Lasts about 15 minutes What was achieved since the last meeting? What was achieved since the last meeting? What are the impediments to your tasks? What are the impediments to your tasks? What will you achieve before the next meeting? What will you achieve before the next meeting?

Scrum Practices 6 Sprint Review Sprint Review Lasts for about 4 hours Lasts for about 4 hours Provides feedback to the management Provides feedback to the management Provides feedback to the next Sprint Provides feedback to the next Sprint

Scrum Practices - Summary 30 days 24 hours Product Backlog As prioritized by Product Owner Sprint Backlog Backlog tasks expanded by team Potentially Shippable Product Increment Daily Scrum Meeting Source: Adapted from a presentation on Scrum [2] that has Adapted from Agile Software Development with Scrum by Ken Schwaber and Mike Beedle.[2] Sprint

Why Scrum Works Most of the defined model assumptions are removed Most of the defined model assumptions are removed Constant feedback Constant feedback Focused on “What can be done” instead of “Why it can’t be done” Focused on “What can be done” instead of “Why it can’t be done”

Pros Great emphasis on team work Great emphasis on team work Team learns and contributes throughout the process Team learns and contributes throughout the process Team becomes autonomous and strives for excellence Team becomes autonomous and strives for excellence Rotation of leadership depending on the phase gives a distributed nature of project execution Rotation of leadership depending on the phase gives a distributed nature of project execution

Pros 2 The management team has a pulse on the progress of the team, stepping in whenever required The management team has a pulse on the progress of the team, stepping in whenever required Organizations sometimes learn about obstacles created by established practices Organizations sometimes learn about obstacles created by established practices Creates an open environment and encourages feedback Creates an open environment and encourages feedback Evaluation of effort and subsequent rewards are based on the team performance Evaluation of effort and subsequent rewards are based on the team performance

Pros 3 Reduced need for meetings, authorization and reporting Reduced need for meetings, authorization and reporting Iterative model leading to a delivery every 30 days Iterative model leading to a delivery every 30 days Can act as a wrapper for practices already in place Can act as a wrapper for practices already in place

Cons The basic premise that the team is committed to the project. If the team is not committed then process collapses The basic premise that the team is committed to the project. If the team is not committed then process collapses The management's comfort level in delegation of tasks The management's comfort level in delegation of tasks Emotional impact of failure on team members if the project fails Emotional impact of failure on team members if the project fails

Cons 2 The size of the team is restricted due to the involvement of all team members The size of the team is restricted due to the involvement of all team members Suited for development of new products and not for enhancement of an existing product Suited for development of new products and not for enhancement of an existing product Reliance on experience Reliance on experience

Case Study Year Year Company Company Individual Inc Individual Inc Team Team Personal News Page (PNP) Personal News Page (PNP) 8 engineers 8 engineers

Case Study 2 Problem Problem No features delivered in 8 months No features delivered in 8 months Bad reputation within the company Bad reputation within the company Causes Causes Features under implementation shelved for “Hot Ideas” Features under implementation shelved for “Hot Ideas”

Case Study 3 Approach to the problem Approach to the problem Head of product management made product owner Head of product management made product owner Product Backlog created Product Backlog created Product Owner controlled the Product Backlog Product Owner controlled the Product Backlog Sprint Backlog followed Sprint Backlog followed First Sprint with Daily Scrum meetings First Sprint with Daily Scrum meetings

Case Study 4 Difficulties Difficulties People still approached engineers for adding new features including Product Owner People still approached engineers for adding new features including Product Owner Daily Scrum meetings lasted lot longer than 15 minutes initially Daily Scrum meetings lasted lot longer than 15 minutes initially Existing policy created interference Existing policy created interference Non-team members attend Daily Scrum meetings Non-team members attend Daily Scrum meetings

Case Study 5 Results Results A release within the month A release within the month First release in 9 months First release in 9 months Demo for management Demo for management More attention to engineers’ problems More attention to engineers’ problems Team spirit and confidence up Team spirit and confidence up Customers happy to see functioning system and the potential Customers happy to see functioning system and the potential

Summary Scrum is an agile process Scrum is an agile process Scrum questions the basic assumptions of defined process control model Scrum questions the basic assumptions of defined process control model Scrum practices Scrum practices Case Study Case Study Pros and Cons Pros and Cons

References 1. Agile Software Development with Scrum  Ken Schwaber, Mike Beedle  Prentice Hall pres/RedistributableIntroToScrum.ppt pres/RedistributableIntroToScrum.ppt pres/RedistributableIntroToScrum.ppt

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