All About Scrum
Table of contents
Some definitions:
Scrum uses ceremonies to timebox certain activities and artificacts to continue to track progress in the agile framework of project management.
Creative Ways to Build a Scrum Board (artifact)
Physical Whiteboard
A traditional low cost approach that allows for hands-on collaboration. Sticky notes can easily be moved and rearranged, visually demonstrating progress.
Digital Whiteboard
Digital whiteboards like Mural offer flexibility and accessibility, allowing team members to collaborate from anywhere. They also provide features like task management and real-time updates.
Scrum Board App
Specialized apps like Jira are available for scrum boards, offering advanced features like task dependencies, progress tracking, and reporting.
How to run a Retrospective
- If your environment allows, use a fun activity to start the retrospective.
- Timeblock the activity and minimize the distractions.
- Make sure everyone who needs to be in the meeting is there.
If it's your first time or you're looking to spice it up:
- Play a game or have a quick ice breaker discussion.
- Set the tone for a positive and productive conversation.
- Encourage team members to share feedback and ideas.
What's working well?
What's not working well?
What Actions do we take for next time?
How to Start Sprint Planning
- Start with a quick icebreaker to get everyone engaged.
- Review the previous sprint's accomplishments and challenges.
- Discuss the upcoming sprint's goals and objectives.
If this is your first time or you're looking to spice things up:
- Use a creative brainstorming technique to generate ideas for user stories.
- Prioritize user stories based on value and complexity.
Good Practices for a Project Kick Off
Define Goals and Objectives
Clearly outline project goals and objectives to ensure alignment within the team.
Team Introduction and Roles
Allow team members to introduce themselves and their roles.
Project Timeline and Milestones
Establish a realistic timeline with key milestones to track progress.
Communication Plan and Expectations
Set communication channels and expectations to ensure smooth collaboration.
Good Practices for Building a Product Backlog
1
Prioritize User Stories
Arrange stories by value and effort. The most valuable and least complex items should be at the top.
2
Refine User Stories
The backlog should be a living document. Refinement involves adding details and clarity to user stories.
3
Estimate User Stories
Use estimation techniques like planning poker to get a sense of the effort involved in completing a story.
4
Regularly Review and Update
The backlog should be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure it remains relevant and aligned with product goals.
What Happens in a Sprint Review/Demo?
1
Product Increment Demonstration
The Scrum Team (generally the Dev side of the team) presents the completed product increment to stakeholders.
2
User Story Presentation
Generally the Product Owner provides completed user stories are showcased to the appropriate stakeholders.
3
Feedback and Questions
Relevant stakeholders provide feedback and ask questions about the product increment.
4
Issue Identification
The Scrum Team gathers valuable feedback and identifies potential issues.
5
Accomplishment Celebration
This is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the team's achievements.
Common Scrum Mistakes
Lack of Definition
Unclear user stories or incomplete product backlog can lead to confusion and misinterpretations.
Ignoring Retrospectives
Failing to analyze and address issues raised in retrospectives can prevent continuous improvement.
Overlooking Team Dynamics
Ignoring team dynamics, communication gaps, and conflict resolution can hinder productivity.
Lack of Transparency
Insufficient communication and transparency can lead to misunderstandings and lack of trust within the team.
How to Know If Your Organization Is Ready for Agile Transformation
Culture of Collaboration
Agile thrives on collaboration. If you have a culture of open communication, information sharing, and teamwork, then you are on the right track.
Adaptable Environment
Agile requires flexibility and adaptability. Are you open to change, willing to experiment, and able to adjust to new information?
Value for Continuous Improvement
Agile emphasizes continuous improvement. Is your organization receptive to feedback and focused on learning from mistakes?
Leadership Alignment
Agile transformation requires buy-in from leadership. Are your leaders committed to supporting agile principles and practices?
How to Use Scrum Without a Scrum Team (otherwise known as good old fashioned Strategic Planning)
1
Define Your Goals (Sprint Planning! What do we want to do?)
Clearly define the goals of your work. A clear goal helps guide you towards success.
2
Break Down Work (Build that Backlog baby!)
Divide your work into manageable chunks. Smaller tasks make it easier to track progress and stay motivated.
3
Estimate Time (a.k.a. Product Backlog refinement, yo!)
Allocate time for each task and track your progress. Realistic estimates help keep you on track.
4
Review Regularly (this is where that Sprint Review/Demo comes in!)
Review your progress regularly and adjust your plan as needed. This helps you stay flexible and adaptable.
5
Reflect and Improve ( your own private Sprint Retrospective)
Take time to reflect on your work and identify areas for improvement. This helps you learn and grow.
How to write useful User Stories
User stories are short, simple descriptions of a feature or functionality from the perspective of a user.
The "As a ______, I want the ability to ________" framework helps structure user stories, most likely examples include:
- As a user, I want to be able to log in to the system.
- As a manager, I want to be able to track the progress of my team's work.
- As a customer, I want to be able to order products online.
What's an Epic?
Epics are large, complex ideas that represent a significant chunk of work - like building an influencer channel on a specific platform. They can not be broken down simply into "As a ______, I want the ability to ______".
They are broken down into smaller chunks called "user stories" for easier management.
Useful Definitions in a Scrum Team
- **Definition of Done (DoD):** A checklist of criteria that must be met before a user story is considered complete.
- **Definition of Ready (DoR):** A checklist of criteria that must be met before a user story can be pulled into a sprint.
- **Sprint:** A timeboxed iteration of work, typically lasting 2-4 weeks.
- **Product Backlog:** A prioritized list of user stories that represent the features and functionality of a product.
- **Sprint Backlog:** A subset of the product backlog containing the user stories that are planned to be completed during a sprint.
Examples of the Definition of Done in a Scrum Team
1
Code Review
All code changes have been reviewed and approved by at least one other team member. This ensures that the code is of high quality and meets the team's standards.
2
Unit Tests
All new code has been thoroughly tested with unit tests. This ensures that the code is functional and meets the requirements.
3
Integration Tests
All new code has been integrated with the existing system and tested to ensure that it works as expected.
4
Documentation
All new code has been documented, including the purpose of the code, how to use it, and any known limitations.
5
Deployment
The code has been deployed to the production environment and is available for users to use.
Examples of the Definition of Ready in a Scrum Team
User Story Clarity
User stories must be clearly defined and understood by all team members. They should have a clear objective, acceptance criteria, and estimated effort.
Technical Feasibility
The team must be confident that the user story can be implemented within the sprint. The necessary technology and skills must be available.
Dependencies Identified
Any dependencies on other user stories or external factors must be identified and addressed before the user story can be considered ready.
Environment Ready
The necessary development and testing environments must be set up and available for the team to work on the user story.
The Agile Manifesto
Individuals and Interactions Over Processes and Tools
Agile values collaboration, communication, and teamwork over rigid processes and documentation.
Working Software Over Comprehensive Documentation
Agile prioritizes delivering working software early and often, adapting to changes along the way.
Customer Collaboration Over Contract Negotiation
Agile emphasizes close collaboration with customers to understand their needs and ensure satisfaction.
Responding to Change Over Following a Plan
Agile embraces change and flexibility, adapting to evolving requirements and market conditions.
SA
by Stella Baker, MSM-PM, PMP, A-CSM