.svg)
.svg)
You’re in a meeting this week, and someone suggested you should try Scrum. Or maybe you’re searching through jobs in your area, and Scrum Master keeps coming up.
In any of these situations, you’re likely wondering, “What is Scrum?”
If you really want to dig into the answer, check my What is Scrum Guide. But for now, let’s just begin with some definitions.
My Working Definition of Scrum
Scrum is a team-based framework to increase work visibility allowing for regular evaluation and timely adjustments.
Scrum is founded on three essential pillars:
As you learn Scrum, you’ll want to ask these three questions each time you encounter a new element of Scrum.
- How does this make things more visible? (Transparency)
- Where does this create space to evaluate? (Inspection)
- When does this encourage growth? (Adaptation)
Understanding the answers to these questions will help you learn the heart of Scrum and apply it more intuitively in new contexts. I explore this in-depth in my What is Scrum Guide.
A More Technical Definition of Scrum
Scrum.org is a great resource. Let’s look at their definition.
Scrum is a framework within which people can address complex adaptive problems, while productively and creatively delivering products of the highest. possible value.”
- scrum.org
There’s a lot in that definition, so let’s break it down into a few key elements.
- People
- Complex adaptive problems
- Creatively
- Delivering products
- Highest possible value
People
People are central to the Scrum framework. There are three clearly defined roles in Scrum:
Together these three roles make up the Scrum team. Each plays a part in making things visible, creating space for evaluation, and encouraging growth. Follow the links for a deeper dive into roles in Scrum.
Related Guides
Complex adaptive problems
Problem-solving lives at the heart of the most meaningful work. With the speed of change today, the complexity of the issues we need to solve seems to be growing at an exponential rate.
Have you ever started a project to solve one problem, but a third of the way in, through new information or a change in circumstances, you are now addressing a different issue? It’s easy to get lost in the complexity that is now becoming the norm. Scrum helps make the right things visible, bringing clarity to the current reality.
We face problems that are neither simple nor static. Scrum is oriented around the rhythm of sprints, lasting anywhere from one to four weeks. These short rhythms of time allow the team to adapt and are key tools for moving forward and making progress even in uncertainty.
When complexity or volatility is high, the sprint should be shorter. If you find yourself facing complex problems where the scope, requirements, or environment have a tendency to change, then Scrum is likely a powerful tool for you and your team.
Leaning Scrum for the first time can be a bit overwhelming. There are many new terms and concepts in Scrum.
Well we’re here to help.
Creatively
The flexibility and freedom of Scrum allow the team to solve the correct problems and to do so more creatively.
Scrum is a framework that was designed to help teams work together more efficiently and effectively by promoting collaboration, transparency, and flexibility. One of the ways Scrum enables creative problem-solving is by breaking down complex problems into smaller, more manageable tasks. This approach allows team members to focus on specific areas of the problem, which can lead to more innovative solutions.
The right mixture of constraints and flexibility are great ingredients for solving problems in creative and novel ways.
Open communication and collaboration among team members allows them to share ideas and insights freely. This can lead to a more diverse range of perspectives, which can help the team identify new and innovative solutions to complex problems.
Scrum also leverages experimentation and iteration to level up creativity.
Short development cycles known as sprints allow teams to quickly test and validate new ideas with end-users. They can learn from their mistakes and make adjustments to their approach in real-time, which can lead to more innovative solutions.
Overall, Scrum enables creative problem-solving by breaking down complex problems, promoting collaboration and open communication, encouraging experimentation and iteration, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Delivering Products
Product development has been the dominant implementation of Scrum, though, in recent years, Scrum has extended into marketing, content creation and even creative design. Two characteristics make Scrum well suited for developing products:
- Scrum delivers core features quickly, allowing early user feedback to be visible to the development team and stakeholders.
- Scrum is agile enough to adapt as product requirements shift based on feedback or changes in priorities.
At the end of every sprint, the Scrum team should deliver a new increment of a working product. In app development, this could be the ability to log in or a basic details screen. The expectation is for each sprint to have a releasable increment. This cadence pushes clarity around features and requirements to achieve a satisfactory state of completeness.
Related Guides
Highest Possible Value
Providing value is why great teams go to work. But have you ever produced something the client didn’t use because, in the end, it didn’t solve the right problem? It doesn’t feel good, but sadly it’s familiar for many of us. Often clients or sponsors can’t precisely identify what they need, or their needs change. By delivering value a little at a time, Scrum invites earlier visibility and evaluation. So if the team is not producing the right, highest value, there is still an opportunity for change.
All requirements, features, and work to be done by the Scrum team is organized into a backlog. The backlog is ordered based on priority. The product owner role is responsible for ordering the backlog items to create the most value for users based on the priorities of the stakeholders.
The backlog is visible to everyone, and there’s no ambiguity about what is important and what is getting done. This prioritization is continually reviewed and updated during backlog refinement to ensure the team’s work and output maximize value.
Start Learning Scrum
Even after covering two definitions of Scrum, we’re just scratching the surface.
It's often said Scrum is easy to learn but difficult to master. I've found the best path for those learning Scrum is to begin by practicing it in their everyday lives. Experiment with how the principals apply practically.
Action Plan
If you want to learn how you can focus and consistently deliver value, then I encourage you to explore my What is Scrum? A Guide for Everyday People to Learn Scrum. It will walk you through the core concepts of Scrum, teach you how to get set up and provide examples to follow. If you have more specific questions. Look at my Scrum FAQ or Scrum Glossary.
If you have more questions, please feel free to reach out on LinkedIn.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Scrum?
What is the definition of scrum?
Scrum is founded on three essential pillars leading teams to ask the following questions:
- How does this make things more visible? (Transparency)
- Where does this create space to evaluate? (Inspection)
- When does this encourage growth? (Adaptation)
Further explore the definition of scrum. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.
Is Scrum hard to learn?
This is because Scrum’s simplicity makes learning easy, but Scrum truly changes how you work, and that adjustment can be difficult. It changes power dynamics and expectations within the team and between the team and the rest of the organization.
You can explore further is Scrum hard to learn, along with the pros and cons of Scrum. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.
When did Scrum start?
Scrum was initially used as a term related to project management in 1986 by Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka in their paper “New New Product Development Game” In the Harvard Business Review. The first recorded Scrum project came a little later in 1993 from Jeff Sutherland.
You can learn more about Scrum’s backstory. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.
What do all the scrum words mean?
Learning Scrum for the first time can be overwhelming. There are a lot of new terms and concepts in Scrum. I’ve listed the most common terms in a Scrum glossary.
How to use Scrum
Why use Scrum?
It forces clarity and prioritization, which provides the focus necessary for teams to be effective. Scrum embraces complexity and change by keeping many things simple and iteratively evaluating and adapting.
You can learn more about why to use Scrum and three challenges Scrum solves. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.
When does Scrum not work well?
Scrum isn’t always the best option for teams. Scrum can fail when there is a substantial mismatch between organizational culture and the Scrum values. It also depends on the nature of the work you do. If you work if very linear, predictable and tightly defined, you may not experience many benefits Scrum provides.
Find out more about aligning your organizational values with Scrum or how Scrum might fit in your context. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.
How do I know when to use Scrum?
Scrum functions at its best when you have a dedicated team focused on developing a singular product. Its agility shines when there are time constraints combined with uncertainty.
Explore the pros and cons of Scrum along with expectations vs. realities with Scrum. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.
Learning to apply Scrum
How to choose between Scrum and Kanban?
Important factors include your team size and the type of work you do. Kanban is very process-oriented, so you should consider how defined, static, or long your process is?
You can explore Scrum and other agile approaches. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.
How does scrum help an organization?
Scrum forces clarity and prioritization, which are critical to organizational effectiveness. It provides a competitive edge by allowing teams to adapt as the market or priorities change. Teams operate more effectively because Scrum combines empowerment of the team members with alignment to top priorities.
Learn more about scrum’s impact on organizational culture. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.
Is scrum a methodology or a framework?
Scrum is more of a framework than a methodology, and it helps teams adhere to Agile principles and get stuff done. Scrum provides basic rules but doesn’t prescribe how to do the work. It provides principles, values, rules, and some core structure but still leaves a lot undefined.
Learn more about scrum as a framework. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.
What’s the difference between scrum and agile?
When people say “agile,” they usually refer to it as a mindset. Scrum is a framework for how to organize people and work in an agile way. If you’re practicing Scrum, you’re working in an Agile way.
Learn more about the relationship between scrum and agile. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.
Scrum team
How does a scrum team work?
The scrum team is made up of the product owner, scrum master and development team. They each play important roles.
- The product owner maximizes the value delivered by the product.
- The scrum master maximizes the impact of the development team.
- The development team transforms the product vision into reality.
Learn more about how a scrum team works together. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.
Is a Scrum Master a project manager?
Project managers and scrum masters differ in where they focus and what they emphasize.
The project manager is focused first on the work. Does the project have everything it needs to get done? The scrum master is focused first on the people. Are they the best team they can be to get projects done?
Continue learning about the relationship between a scrum master and a project manager. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.
Can a scrum master be a developer?
This combo is very doable, but it depends on the person. Some people are great team contributors but are not good scrum masters.
Often, people suggest the type A personality to be the Scrum Master because they seem like the typical leader type. Unfortunately, what usually happens here is that person begins to act like the team's boss, which is not the role of the scrum masters.
Learn more about the roles of a scrum team. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.
What’s the right scrum team size?
With less than three, you don’t get much of the benefit of collaboration or shared momentum. More than nine, and the logistics of coordination start to eat away at the benefits of coordination.
Learn more about how a scrum team works together. Then browse the most common terms in a Scrum glossary and learn what is Scrum.
Scrum backlog
What is the backlog in Scrum?
There are actually two backlogs, the product backlog and the sprint backlog. They each contain the definitive list of work to be done. The product owner keeps the backlog ordered by priority.
Learn to use the backlog in Scrum and check out the sprint backlog vs product backlog in Scrum.
How are the product backlog and sprint backlog different?
The product backlog prioritizes the features needed in the product. It is a singular visible source of requirements for the product.
The sprint backlog represents the work to do in a given sprint. It is a definitive list of all the scrum team is being asked to produce for the sprint.
Learn more about the sprint backlog vs product backlog in Scrum.
What is a PBI (product backlog item)?
Each item in the backlog represents precise work and value to deliver. Often these PBIs are written using both user stories and acceptance criteria. The PBIs are what gets refined during the backlog refinement session, and if one is too large, it may be broken down into smaller PBIs.
Learn more about how backlogs are used in scrum, the sprint backlog vs product backlog in Scrum and explore the essential Scrum glossary.
What is the Scrum sprint backlog?
The Scrum sprint backlog is a prioritized list of items from the product backlog that the development team plans to complete during the upcoming sprint.
It is a plan for the Sprint and is created during the Sprint Planning meeting where the Development Team decides on how to build the functionality that meets the Sprint Goal. The Sprint Backlog typically includes user stories, bugs, technical work, and other items that the development team needs to work on during the sprint. Each item in the Sprint Backlog has a clear definition of done, so the team knows when the item is considered complete.
The Development Team is responsible for creating and updating their Sprint Backlog throughout the Sprint, making sure they are on track to meet the Sprint Goal. The Sprint Backlog is a working document that helps the Development Team visualize their progress and make any necessary adjustments to their plan as they go along. The Sprint Backlog is also transparent, allowing stakeholders to see what work is being done during the Sprint.
Learn more about the backlogs of Scrum.
What is the Scrum product backlog?
In Scrum, the product backlog is a prioritized list of features, bugs, technical work, and other product-related items that need to be addressed by the development team.
It serves as a single source of truth for what needs to be done on the product.
The items in the product backlog are ordered based on their importance to the product owner and the value they bring to the end-user. As the project progresses, the product backlog is constantly updated to reflect new priorities, changes in requirements, and feedback from stakeholders.
The product backlog is a living document that evolves throughout the project's lifecycle. It provides transparency and enables collaboration among all members of the Scrum team.
Learn more about the backlogs in Scrum.
Acceptance criteria
What's an example of acceptance criteria?
Acceptance criteria is structured using the template
- Given that [context allowing me to take an action]
- When [I take the action]
- Then [a result occurs indicating success or failure]
Here are 3 examples:
Checkout process functionality
- Given that I’ve added all the items to my cart and I’m logged in,
- When I click the check out button,
- Then the checkout page loads with all my payment and shipping information preloaded.
Advertising campaign
- Given that someone fits our ideal customer persona,
- When they search for keywords we’re targeting,
- Then a link to a compelling offer is displayed above the fold.
Marketing campaign (Did you know you could use Scrum for marketing)
- Given that a customer is already receiving email communications,
- When they visit the site and engage content related to a specific product,
- Then they will be automatically subscribed to nurturing campaign highlighting that product. Or
See more acceptance criteria examples and learn to write how to create your own or learn other essential scrum terms.
What is acceptance criteria in scrum?
Acceptance criteria is written using the following structure:
- Given that [context allowing me to take an action]
- When [I take the action]
- Then [a result occurs indicating success or failure]
Learn more about how acceptance criteria is used in Scrum and explore the essential Scrum glossary.
How to write an acceptance criteria statement?
Acceptance criteria is broken down into three parts.
- Given that [context allowing me to take an action]
- When [I take the action]
- Then [a result occurs indicating success or failure]
Learn more about templates for writing acceptance criteria or learn other essential scrum terms.
How are acceptance criteria and user stories different?
A user story focuses on the identity, goals and motivations of the user you’re designing for. It emphasizes the why of the new functionality.
Acceptance Criteria focuses on the action taken by the user to meet their goal. It highlights the what of the new functionality.
See more acceptance criteria examples and learn to write acceptance criteria or learn other essential scrum terms.
How are acceptance criteria and the definition of done different?
Acceptance criteria is specific to an individual task, but the definition of done applies to all work done by a team. Acceptance criteria answers the question, “What will be true when this task is completed.” The definition of done answers the question, “What are we committing to do every time we complete a task?”
See more examples and learn to write acceptance criteria or learn other essential scrum terms.
Scrum User Stories
What is a user story?
They keep the team focused on the value they create for the end-user and are written using the following format:
- As a… [user]
- I want to… [goal]
- So that I can… [motivation]
See examples of user stories to learn to write your own and explore the essential Scrum glossary.
What is acceptance criteria in scrum?
Acceptance criteria is written using the following structure:
- Given that [context allowing me to take an action]
- When [I take the action]
- Then [a result occurs indicating success or failure]
Learn more about how acceptance criteria is used in Scrum and explore the essential Scrum glossary.
How are acceptance criteria and user stories different?
A user story focuses on the identity, goals and motivations of the user you’re designing for. It emphasizes the why of the new functionality.
Acceptance Criteria focuses on the action taken by the user to meet their goal. It highlights the what of the new functionality.
See more acceptance criteria examples and learn to write acceptance criteria or learn other essential scrum terms.
What's an example of acceptance criteria?
Acceptance criteria is structured using the template
- Given that [context allowing me to take an action]
- When [I take the action]
- Then [a result occurs indicating success or failure]
Here are 3 examples:
Checkout process functionality
- Given that I’ve added all the items to my cart and I’m logged in,
- When I click the check out button,
- Then the checkout page loads with all my payment and shipping information preloaded.
Advertising campaign
- Given that someone fits our ideal customer persona,
- When they search for keywords we’re targeting,
- Then a link to a compelling offer is displayed above the fold.
Marketing campaign (Did you know you could use Scrum for marketing)
- Given that a customer is already receiving email communications,
- When they visit the site and engage content related to a specific product,
- Then they will be automatically subscribed to nurturing campaign highlighting that product. Or
See more acceptance criteria examples and learn to write how to create your own or learn other essential scrum terms.
What are story points?
They aren’t absolute measurements like hours or days but measure the amount of work a PBI takes relative to other PBIs. Typical measurements include using Fibonacci numbers or t-shirt sizes.
Learn to use story points and explore the essential Scrum glossary.
