6 Things You Should Know About Scrum

Have you watched Silicon Vally of HBO? If yes, then you must have noticed a magical project management methodology, Scrum, which is also adapted in GE, Twitter, NBC, and FBI. Scrum is called the Nobel Prize in management and caused a revolution in management worldwide.

In project management, detailed plans are made ahead and each stage will be reviewed. Only one stage is done well, can the next stage be started. This methodology is also known as Waterfall, which is slow and often causes the development fall behind the plan, resulting in budget overruns. And the products developed in that project might not be able to meet the everchanging requirements of users, or to keep up with the development of technology.

In order to fix defects in Waterfall, Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schawber create Scrum. Being different from the top-down workflow, Scrum is a continuously evolving and self-correcting process. A Scrum team can adjust to feedback like a robot. Scrum emphasizes transparency and close collaborative of the team work, and improves the efficiency and performance by streamlining the flow of information among team members.

Scrum is not just a way to develop new software and new products, but also to help your company change the pattern of work, innovation, planning, and thinking.

6 Things to Know About Scrum

• Teamwork is the whole point of Scrum. Do NOT rely on a hero to save the project by the deadline. If it does happen, there is something wrong with your management.
• The number of team members should be around 7+/-2. The team is small, so it adjusts to changes fast.

Being Periodically and Sprint

• Set1-4 weeks as a period and do sprint.
• Show your work at review meetings
• Do 15-min daily meeting.

Do Not Waste Your Time

• Kick out disturbing team members right away.
• No overtime.
• Don't be multi-tasking.
• Correct stupid rules.
  

Be Realist and Down to Earth

• Do plan what is in your hand, and do NOT plan in a long time.
• Do NOT fall in love with your plan, because it has errors.
• Use Scrum poker.
• Write user stories.
• Know your velocity and workload.

Being Happy and Improve Your Performance

• It is the process that the happiness resides in, not the finish line.
• Happiness brings smart decisions, creativity, and stability.
• Improve a bit every day and make the team happy.
  
• List all todos and make work transparent.
  

Transfer the 20% of Features to 80% of Values

• Scrum can help prioritize the task with the highest values and least risks
• Product Owner is responsible to cover the vision to a list of todos.
• PO is a leader, not a supervisor.
  

*The article is a summary of Jeff Sutherland's Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time.