Scrum is a Framework and a social technology for delivering adaptive solutions in complex environments. It is built on empiricism, transparency, inspection, and adaptation, and is designed to help teams deliver value iteratively and incrementally. Scrum is a framework that helps teams work together to solve complex problems and deliver high-value products. Its about planning.
First Principals
- Empiricism: Scrum is founded on empirical process control theory, or empiricism. Empiricism asserts that knowledge comes from experience and making decisions based on what is known.
- Self-Organization: Scrum Teams are self-organizing and cross-functional. Self-organizing teams choose how best to accomplish their work, rather than being directed by others outside the team.
- Collaboration: Scrum promotes collaboration among all roles to deliver the highest value.
- Value-Based Prioritization: The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Development Team.
- Time-Boxing: Time-boxed events are used to create regularity and to minimize the need for meetings not defined in Scrum.
- Iterative Development: Scrum uses an iterative, incremental approach to optimize predictability and control risk.
- Incremental Delivery: Scrum delivers a potentially releasable product increment at the end of each Sprint.
- Continuous Improvement: Scrum Teams continuously improve through the use of the Scrum Events and by inspecting and adapting the product, processes, and practices.
Values
- Commitment: The Scrum Team commits to achieving the Sprint Goal.
- Focus: The Scrum Team focuses on the work of the Sprint and the goals of the Scrum Team.
- Openness: The Scrum Team and its stakeholders agree to be open about all the work and the challenges with performing the work.
- Respect: Scrum Team members respect each other to be capable, independent people.
- Courage: The Scrum Team has the courage to do the right thing and work on tough problems.
Accountabilities
- Scrum Team – Consists of a Product Owner, Developers, and a Scrum Master. The Scrum Team is self-managing and works collaboratively to deliver a usable Increment every Sprint.
- Product Owner: Accountable for maximising product value and managing the Product Backlog.
- Developers: Accountable for delivering usable Increments that meet the Definition of Done.
- Scrum Master: Accountable for Scrum effectiveness, causing the removal of impediments, and coaching the team.
Events
- Sprint: A fixed-length iteration (≤ 1 month) in which the team creates at least one usable Increment.
- Sprint Planning: Based on the Product Goal, the team plans the work for the Sprint.
- Daily Scrum: Based on the Sprint Goal the Developers plan work for the next 24 hours.
- Sprint Review: Based on the current state of the Product, current business conditions, and possible future business conduction the Scrum Team plans whats next.
- Sprint Retrospective: The Scrum Team plan on how they will change their system to improve the next Sprint.
Artifacts
- Commitments
- Product Goal: The long-term vision for the product.
- Sprint Goal: A tactical objective for the Sprint.
- Definition of Done (DoD): A quality standard for completed work.
Key Accountabilities
Scrum is lightweight, but difficult to master. It is not a process or methodology but a framework that helps teams navigate complexity through empirical process control.
The strongest work on Scrum — ranked by substance, not recency. How this is ranked
The Definition of Done is a Commitment to Quality
Defines the Definition of Done in Scrum as a clear, shared standard for quality, ensuring increments are releasable, transparent, and …
Your Evolving Definition of Done
Explains how the Definition of Done evolves in Scrum, aligning team practices with organisational standards to ensure consistent quality, …
Release planning and predictable delivery
Explores how agile teams can achieve predictable software delivery through quality focus, effective release planning, and continuous …
Stop Paying the Hidden Costs of Weak Delivery: Why a Strong Definition of Done Transforms Your Team’s Results
Stop paying the hidden costs of weak delivery. Discover how a strong, shared definition of done builds trust, quality, and real agility in …
There Is No Such Thing as a "Junior" Scrum Master
Argues that the Scrum Master role requires proven mastery and real-world experience, not entry-level skills or certifications, and should be …
Great Scrum Masters Need Technical, Business, and Organisational Mastery
Scrum Masters are most effective when they combine leadership skills with technical, business, and organisational mastery to support teams, …
Scrum Teams don’t set the bar for quality, they meet it
Scrum Teams must consistently meet a clear, non-negotiable Definition of Done to ensure quality, manage risk, and prevent technical debt in …
Definition of Done - Objective vs Subjective
Explains the difference between subjective goals and the objective Definition of Done in Scrum, highlighting how clear, measurable criteria …
Work can flow across the Sprint boundary
Explains how Scrum teams can strategically allow unfinished work to flow across Sprint boundaries, enhancing throughput, responsiveness, and …
The Definition of Done is a Commitment to Quality
Defines the Definition of Done in Scrum as a clear, shared standard for quality, ensuring increments are releasable, transparent, and …
Your Evolving Definition of Done
Explains how the Definition of Done evolves in Scrum, aligning team practices with organisational standards to ensure consistent quality, …
Release planning and predictable delivery
Explores how agile teams can achieve predictable software delivery through quality focus, effective release planning, and continuous …
The Role of Agency in Scrum: Why Self-Management Without Agency is a Lie
Explains why true Scrum requires real team agency, not just self-management in name, and how lacking agency leads to ineffective, …
Great Scrum Masters Need Technical, Business, and Organisational Mastery
Scrum Masters are most effective when they combine leadership skills with technical, business, and organisational mastery to support teams, …
Balance of Leadership and Control in Scrum
Explores how Scrum Masters and Product Owners balance leadership, authority, and team autonomy to ensure accountability, effective …
There Is No Such Thing as a "Junior" Scrum Master
Argues that the Scrum Master role requires proven mastery and real-world experience, not entry-level skills or certifications, and should be …
Without Delivery, There Is No Value
Value in software is only realised through delivery. Frequent releases validate assumptions, reduce risk, and enable rapid feedback, …
Delivery is the only Measure of Progress in Scrum
Scrum teams must deliver working software to real users every Sprint; true progress is measured by delivery to production, not just by …
Stop Paying the Hidden Costs of Weak Delivery: Why a Strong Definition of Done Transforms Your Team’s Results
Stop paying the hidden costs of weak delivery. Discover how a strong, shared definition of done builds trust, quality, and real agility in …
Acceptance Criteria vs Definition of Done: Why Getting This Right Builds Trust and Delivers Quality Faster
Stop confusing acceptance criteria with definition of done, learn the crucial difference to boost quality, speed, and trust in your agile …
Why Your Definition of Done Is the Secret Weapon for Real Business Impact and Agile Growth
Transform your definition of done into a strategic advantage, deliver real value, reduce risk, and drive business impact with every sprint.
Why Your Definition of “Done” Is Holding Back Quality, Agility, and Trust, And How to Raise the Bar
Is your team’s “done” really done? Discover how a clear, objective definition of done boosts quality, agility, and trust in product …
How to Evolve Your Definition of Done: Start Small, Grow Smarter, and Build Lasting Momentum
Unlock a smarter Definition of Done, start small, evolve standards, and build team momentum without overwhelm. Discover how progress drives …
Why the Concept of a "Junior Scrum Master" is a Misguided Myth
Explains why the Scrum Master role requires experience and competence, debunking the myth of a "junior" Scrum Master and highlighting the …
Mastering Product Development Costs: Empower Your Team for Financial Success
Learn how to track, manage, and optimise product development costs by empowering teams with financial awareness, key metrics, and continuous …
Unpacking the Scrum Master Role: Moving Beyond Misconceptions to True Accountability
Explores common misconceptions about Scrum Masters, clarifies their true accountabilities, and highlights the importance of principles, …
The Problem with Incompetent Scrum Masters: Why Lack of Skills in Team Context Results in Poor ROI
Incompetent Scrum Masters reduce team performance and ROI by lacking key skills. Learn how to measure their impact using innovation, usage, …
Evidence-Based Portfolio Management
322 resources, newest first
A changing Definition of Done undermines quality and predictability in teams
Frequent changes to the Definition of Done reduce team quality and predictability. Consistent, enforced standards are key to reliable …
Scrum Teams don’t set the bar for quality, they meet it
Scrum Teams must consistently meet a clear, non-negotiable Definition of Done to ensure quality, manage risk, and prevent technical debt in …
Why compromising on software quality is a leadership decision
Compromising software quality is a leadership choice, not a team one. Lowering standards carries business risks that should be openly …
Executives want predictability
Lack of a clear, enforced Definition of Done leads to hidden risks, unreliable forecasts, and eroded trust in delivery, undermining …
Your Evolving Definition of Done
Explains how the Definition of Done evolves in Scrum, aligning team practices with organisational standards to ensure consistent quality, …
Scrum is not a process it is a social technology designed to expose dysfunction
Explains how Scrum reveals team dysfunctions by clarifying roles and accountability, highlighting its purpose to expose issues that hinder …
Why Scrum Masters Need Technical Expertise to Guide Teams
Scrum Masters need technical expertise to effectively support teams, understand best practices, and bridge gaps between process and …
Why Most Companies Fail at Adopting Agility Beyond IT
Most companies struggle with agility due to rigid structures, outdated processes, and cultural barriers, not technical issues. True agility …
Empowering Product Owners as Strategic Leaders in Scrum Teams
Explores how Product Owners can drive strategy, maximise value, and lead Scrum teams effectively, highlighting the need for empowerment …
The True Role of a Scrum Master Beyond Facilitation
Explains how a Scrum Master drives team improvement, removes obstacles, and leads organisational change, going far beyond basic facilitation …
Too many Scrum Masters believe they don’t need technical skills
Highlights the importance of technical knowledge for Scrum Masters, arguing that understanding team-specific skills is essential to …
Great Scrum Masters Need Technical, Business, and Organisational Mastery
Scrum Masters are most effective when they combine leadership skills with technical, business, and organisational mastery to support teams, …
Great Scrum Masters and Product Owners don’t micromanage
Effective Scrum Masters and Product Owners empower teams with clear goals and autonomy, balancing structure and flexibility to promote …
Overcoming Project Blockers and Challenging Organisational Inertia
Explores how lack of authority hinders teams from removing project blockers and overcoming organisational inertia, stressing the need for …
“Teams are self-managing
Explains how self-managing teams in Scrum need structure and leadership, clarifying the Scrum Master's role in maintaining clarity, …
Scrum Masters: Why Influence Alone May Not Be Enough
Explores why Scrum Masters need authority, not just influence, to enforce Agile practices, remove blockers, and ensure teams follow Scrum …
No one questions a Product Owner authority
Explores why Product Owners’ authority is accepted while Scrum Masters’ is questioned, highlighting the need for clear authority to ensure …
Why Teams Claim Self-Management to Avoid Alignment Discussions
Explores how teams misuse self-management to dodge alignment, clarifying that true autonomy requires accountability, shared goals, and …
Everyone loves the idea of self-managing teams
Explains how self-managing teams thrive with autonomy balanced by structure, highlighting the need for clear goals, accountability, and …
Scrum Masters and Product Owners are held accountable for results
Explores the gap between accountability and authority for Scrum Masters and Product Owners, highlighting the need to empower roles …
Balance of Leadership and Control in Scrum
Explores how Scrum Masters and Product Owners balance leadership, authority, and team autonomy to ensure accountability, effective …
Lack of Authority Blocks Progress on Critical Projects
Scrum Masters need authority to remove obstacles and drive project success. Without empowerment, they can't fulfil their role or be held …
let-us be blunt, if a Scrum Team isn’t delivering, is it effective
Explores Scrum Team effectiveness, emphasising that consistent delivery is essential and highlighting the Scrum Master's accountability for …
Scrum Master Effectiveness Begins with Consistent Delivery
Explains why consistent delivery is essential for Scrum Master effectiveness, highlighting its role in enabling feedback, improvement, and …
Scrum Masters: Enabling Teams, Fostering Agility, Removing Blockers
Explains the Scrum Master's role in ensuring team delivery by fostering agility, removing blockers, and being accountable for improving team …
Realistic Expectations When Hiring Junior Scrum Masters
Understand the risks of hiring inexperienced junior Scrum Masters, including higher costs, team issues, and project delays, versus investing …
A two-day Scrum Master certification doesn’t make you a Scrum Master
Practical experience is essential for effective Scrum Masters; certification alone is insufficient. True expertise comes from guiding teams, …
Scrum is built on empiricism, transparency, inspection, and adaptation
Explains why consistent delivery of usable increments is essential in Scrum, highlighting the Scrum Master's accountability for ensuring …
Why the Concept of a "Junior Scrum Master" is a Misguided Myth
Explains why the Scrum Master role requires experience and competence, debunking the myth of a "junior" Scrum Master and highlighting the …
What Makes an Effective Scrum Master Beyond Meeting Facilitation
Explores key qualities of an effective Scrum Master, focusing on team empowerment, backlog management, collaboration, and removing …