Getting the best out of
Scrum:
Using it at the right time to
deliver more (and more often)
Keith Richards
KRC
www.agilekrc.com
Presentation Structure
• Introductions
• The basics about Scrum
• Where does Scrum fit in?
• How to incorporate Scrum
• Scrum in the real world
• Scrum weaknesses
• Training and certifications
• Further information / Next steps
• Close and questions.
Introductions
• KRC is a pioneering training and consultancy company
• Specialising in all things Agile
• Focusing on improving Agile capability at scale
• 15 years experience in agile methods
• Author of ‘Agile Project Management’ (TSO)
• Voted ‘Most Valuable Agile Player’ UK Agile Awards 2011.
What is Scrum? (the basics)
• The most well-known of all the agile approaches
• Created by Schwaber and Sutherland during the 90s
• Agile manifesto signatory
• Founded on empirical process control theory
• Built around transparency, inspection and adaptation
• 3 roles, 5 events, 3 artefacts
• ‘Sprints’, ‘Daily Scrum meetings’, ‘Product Backlog’.
What is NOT Scrum?
• A project management approach
• One single answer
• Truly scalable
• Engineering practices such as refactoring and CI
• Techniques such as user stories and estimation games
• Most of Scrum isn't actually Scrum.
Where does Scrum fit?
• Near the bottom, at the ‘coal face’
• Around where the work gets done
• Product delivery - most commonly Business as Usual (BAU)
• The skill is in integrating Scrum into the wider picture
• Don't go beyond the envelope.
How does it relate to other methods?
• Very well but some care is needed in certain situations
• XP
• Kanban
• DSDM
• Lean
• PRINCE2, PMBOK
• Remember these methods look through different lenses.
Integrating Scrum into a wider context
• To get the most from your Scrum
• Dovetail it with a shift in traditional thinking
• Choose your faction!
• www.scrumalliance.org
• www.scrum.org
• or go agnostic?
• Decide where you stand with the engineering practices
• WaterSCRUMFall – don't go there but look at the debate.
Scaling Scrum – the best way
• Several Scrum teams is not a problem
• Sit them under a layer of project management
• ...and sit this under a layer of project governance
• Create upfront/front end disciplines
• Impregnate agile concepts wherever you can
• Engage with the widest stakeholder group possible
• Mind your language
• Don’t use ‘Scrum of Scrums’.
Controlling Scrum
• The conundrum of ‘self organising’
• Can most organisations get ‘happy clappy’ to work?
• Some can and do; most can’t and don’t
• Blend in good old-fashioned PM basics
• ...with a good twist of agile
• The bigger picture needs
its own set of eyes and ears.
A Scrum reality check
• It is so simple the cat can use it!
• But is that good or bad... or both?
• Is this just a glorified stock control?
• Is it a bit like MoSCoW in DSDM?
• ...but it doesn’t work by itself!
What is really in the engine room?
• User Stories
• Relative estimation
• Sorting out your to-do list
• Planning
• Tracking progress
• Teamwork and team ownership.
Is ScrumBut more common than Scrum?
• How well run are your stand-ups?
• Are you getting most of your work done in a Sprint?
• Is the product owner still fully engaged?
• Are things visible (transparent)?
• Have you got lazy? Have you dumbed down?
• Do you really want to be
reminded of your faults?
Areas of weakness?
• A one trick pony only does one trick!
• The product owner is a single point of failure
• Software only (more or less)
• It doesn’t scale (it’s not supposed to)
• Not project friendly
(it’s not supposed to be)
• The hype.
Accreditations and Qualifications
• There are 170,000 CSMs
• CSM, CSD, CSP, CST
• There are 9,000 PSMs (in 2 years)
• PSPO, PSD
• Very mixed reception to certifications.
Training options
• Sledgehammer to crack a nut?
• One day overview (uncertified)
• Two day course (with a certified trainer)
• Two days of certified training (CSM)
• You need to ask yourself what you are trying to achieve
• Just go careful with being cost effective.
In summary
Scrum is not the most popular agile approach by
accident. Everyone needs to look at what Scrum offers.
The future for Scrum is all about getting the basics right.
Those that use it properly will ensure it has a long future
but it has to be used appropriately.
Don’t forget about the pony!
Further Information / Next Steps
• Next webinar we will be discussing the role of the Business Analyst
September 5th @ 12.30pm
• To download your copy of the KRC Scrum diagram please visit:
http://agilekrc.com then click on “resources”
• Certified Scrum Master public course:
• London, 20th September; Birmingham, 17th September
• Certified Product Owner public course:
• Birmingham, 19th September
• Alternatively we have a Scrum in One Day course
• Would you like a visit from the Scrum Doctor?
Getting the best out of
Scrum
Thank you!
k.richards@agilekrc.com
c.robinson@agilekrc.com
www.agilekrc.com