While Scrum is sometimes referred to as a project management methodology, it is more accurately described as a framework. Unlike project management methodologies that prescribe processes, procedures, and documentation, Scrum provides only a structure for delivery, leaving the specifics of how to work up to the team. While methodologies like Waterfall focus on predictability and planning, the Scrum framework focuses on empiricism. To better solve complex problems, Scrum is intentionally vague—it acknowledges the unpredictable nature of product development and emphasizes the importance of inspecting and adapting work.
Originally designed for use in software development, Scrum is now used by organizations, teams, and project managers across all disciplines. The framework works well for smaller teams tackling work or projects with changing deliverables, unknown solutions, and frequent interaction with clients or end-users.
Scrum favors incremental and iterative ways of working to deliver functional products faster and with more frequency. In the words of Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez, a best-selling author, professor, and expert in project management:
“Scrum is the perfect way to remove the tight controls of traditional project management and to liberate a team’s creativity to address rapid client changing needs.”
In addition to empowering teams to think creatively as they iterate, Scrum organizes features and goals into a priority order that the team works on in sprints, which often span two weeks. This way, the most important work gets done first.
The term Scrum is borrowed from rugby, where a Scrum is the huddle the team forms on the field during the game to call plays and make strategic decisions. Scrum can be used by anyone who needs to produce an end product, such as a webpage, a software program, a marketing campaign, or even a construction project.
Let’s take a closer look at Scrum, including the various Scrum accountabilities, to see if the Scrum framework is a better fit for you than traditional project management methodologies.
Benefits of Scrum
Implementing a new process, framework, or project management methodology for your team will come with challenges, but Scrum offers plenty of unique advantages that you can articulate to your team and other stakeholders as you make the switch.
- Adaptability: Scrum projects require frequent check-ins and updates, so if a project needs to change, it won’t languish for weeks before someone notices. You’ll be able to identify a problem or necessary change and pivot quickly without losing weeks of work. Plus, you see continuous improvement over the product’s lifespan rather than a few periods of big change.
- Visibility: Stakeholders have the ability to see incremental progress—not just at certain intervals around the beginning, middle, and end. They feel more involved, as does the entire team, giving everyone the opportunity to collaborate and watch the product evolve.
- Efficiency: Any Agile philosophy aims to do the right work more efficiently, and if you and your team execute Scrum well, you’ll see those results.
Scrum roles
To start using the Scrum framework, there are a few key roles that need to be assigned: the product owner, the Scrum master, and the developers.
Product owner
The product owner is a stand-in for the customer and should keep the best interest of the stakeholders in mind while working through sprints and prioritizing the backlog.
The role of the product owner is to organize the work, provide clarity and communicate the product goal. A successful product owner is organized and available to answer questions and provide clarity throughout the life cycle of the project or product.
Scrum master
According to the 2020 Scrum Guide, the Scrum master “is accountable for the Scrum Team’s effectiveness. They do this by enabling the Scrum Team to improve its practices, within the Scrum framework.”
A key difference between a Scrum master and a traditional project manager is that a Scrum master does not give step-by-step direction to the team. Scrum masters act as leaders who serve the Scrum team and the broader organization in their Scrum practice.
Developers
The remaining accountabilities in Scrum are the developers who work on creating usable increments each sprint. Anyone with a hand in creating the product is a developer, including programmers, designers, writers, and platform testers (also known as Quality Assurance (QA) experts).
In Scrum, the developers are self-led, and all members work together to complete each sprint. The developers must decide amongst themselves how to best accomplish the sprint goal.
Once roles have been identified, the Scrum team will hold a series of planning meetings to identify, prioritize, and refine the backlog.
