What is Scrum?
Scrum is one of the most common Agile methods in the world. Learn about the basics below.
Last updated
Scrum is one of the most common Agile methods in the world. Learn about the basics below.
Last updated
What's the difference between Scrum and Agile?
What's the difference between the methods and the philosophies of Agile?
Good questions! We're so glad you asked.
Agile is a philosophy.
Scrum is a method of Agile.
Agile philosophies are the mindsets you build to approach work in an Agile way. Building incremental value instead of value all at once.
Think back to the "Build the skateboard before you build the car" example in previous sections of the Agile Handbook.
Agile Methods are the processes that teams use to carry out the work in Agile ways.
Here are some Agile Methods you see in the world:
Scrum
Kanban
SAFE, otherwise called Scaled Agile Framework
Extreme Programming
Google Design Sprints
So many more!
All of these are methods to carry out the Agile philosophies. Learn about all of the different Agile methods here in this section of the guide: Other Agile Methods.
You have to build an Agile mindset before you learn how to operate an Agile method. Once you are ready to build strong teamwork foundations on Agile teams, and ready to mature your team to from Forming to Performing, you are ready to operate Agile methods.
Scrum is one of the most common methods for Agile work on teams.
In this method, work is always done in a fixed timeframe called a "Sprint". We "Scrum-ites" (followers of Scrum method) call this a "time box" of work. Sometimes this is called an iteration of work.
Each team agrees to whatever their fixed timebox of work will be. They agree to one week, two week, three week, or four week sprints.
This could change over time. A team who agrees to one-week sprints may want to change to two-week or three-week sprints. They have the right to do so as a self-organized, psychologically safe team of service leaders.
Scrum teams deliver usable functionality every "sprint".
Scrum has specific chunks of responsibilities and specific meetings you'd run on a team.
Build a backlog of small amounts of work
Refine the work and estimate its level of complexity
Do your "Planning": Plan work in sprints
Run sprints
Do your "Stand-Up": Check in every day during the sprint
Do your "Demo": Demonstrate work in progress at the end of the sprint
Do your "Retro": Get together and reflect in your previous sprint to identify how to improve
If Scrum were a persona, they'd be just like the fish from Finding Nemo:
"Just keep sprinting, just keep sprinting, sprinting sprinting sprinting sprinting".
The persona of Scrum is someone who's consistently operating and planning their next moves, just like a Scrum team.
Consistency in work intervals.
Forecast the dates of releases.
Increase team work capacity.
Report progress to those outside the team.
Consistent planning of work items.
Teams are able to get into a rhythm while working together.
Rigid in flexibility (you should not change your sprint plan once it begins).
Lots of work must happen before sprint teams can deliver work, it takes a lot of orchestration.
Pick a consistent work interval called a “Sprint” (one week, two weeks, three weeks).
Produce and deliver usable work every Sprint.
Plan 1 to 2 Sprints ahead consistently.
Once the sprint starts, work should not be added or removed, but often is decided by the team whether it is.
