This page has not been translated into German yet
Scrum
Overview
Scrum is an agile framework for developing complex products. It is especially often used in software development and is based on short iterations called sprints, clear roles, and regular reflection.
Goals:
- Fast delivery of value
- High transparency
- Continuous improvement
- Adaptability to change
The 3 roles
Product Owner (PO)
The Product Owner is the single person responsible for the product. They represent the interests of stakeholders and decide which features the team is working on.
Tasks:
- Maintains and prioritizes the product backlog
- Defines requirements (user stories)
- Decides what will be built
- Tests results
Scrum Master
The Scrum Master is responsible for the process itself. They are not a traditional manager but rather a servant leader who makes sure the team follows the Scrum framework correctly.
Tasks:
- Ensures that Scrum is applied correctly
- Removes obstacles (impediments)
- Coaches the team
- Moderates meetings
Dev Team
The development team is the group that implements the requirements. It is self-organized, meaning the team decides internally how to accomplish the work without being directed by outsiders.
- 3-9 people
- Interdisciplinary
- Self-organized
- Delivers a finished increment at the end of each sprint
The 5 events
Sprint
A sprint is a fixed time period during which the team works on a set of tasks to produce a usable increment. It is the heartbeat of Scrum, providing a regular rhythm for planning, building, and reviewing work.
- Duration: 2-4 weeks
- Goal: Finished, usable increment
Important: During a sprint, no changes that jeopardize the sprint goal should be introduced.
Sprint Planning
At the beginning of each sprint, the entire Scrum team meets to decide what work will be taken on. The team selects items from the product backlog and creates a plan for how to deliver them.
Result:
- Sprint Goal
- Sprint Backlog
Daily Scrum / Daily Standup
The Daily Scrum is a short synchronization meeting where the development team aligns on progress and identifies blockers. It is also called a "standup" because participants often stand during the meeting to encourage brevity and ensure the 15-minute timebox is respected.
- Duration: 15 minutes
- Only the dev team participates
Questions:
- What did I do yesterday?
- What am I doing today?
- Are there any obstacles?
Sprint Review
At the end of each sprint, the team presents the finished increment to stakeholders. The purpose is to gather feedback and collaboratively decide on the next steps for the product.
- Presentation of results
- Feedback from stakeholders
- Product backlog is adjusted
Sprint Retrospective (Retro)
The retrospective is an internal meeting for the Scrum team to reflect on the past sprint. The goal is to identify concrete improvements for the next sprint, making this the key event for continuous improvement.
- Only the Scrum team
- What went well?
- What went badly?
- How can we improve?
The 3 artifacts
Product Backlog
The product backlog is the single source of truth for all work that needs to be done on the product. It is a living document that evolves as the product and its environment change.
- A prioritized list with every requirement
- Maintained by the product owner
- Dynamic, constantly changing
- Entries are formulated as user stories most of the time (e.g. "As a user, I want X so that Y")
Sprint Backlog
The sprint backlog is the subset of the product backlog that the team commits to delivering during the current sprint. It also includes a plan for how the team intends to accomplish the work.
- Filled with tasks for the current sprint
- Created by the dev team
- Concrete and feasible
Increment
The increment is the sum of all completed product backlog items at the end of a sprint. It must be in a usable state regardless of whether the Product Owner decides to release it.
- Finished, tested product component
- Must comply with the Definition of Done (DoD)
Important terms
Definition of Done (DoD)
The Definition of Done is a shared agreement within the team that defines clear criteria for when a backlog item is considered "finished." It ensures consistent quality and prevents incomplete work from being delivered.
Example:
- Code written
- Tests green
- Review conducted
- Documentation updated
Sprint Goal
The sprint goal is an overarching objective that gives the team a shared direction for the sprint. It should describe a meaningful outcome rather than just a list of tasks.
Not just "complete 5 tickets," but rather, for example:
- "Users can register and log in"
- "Users can give feedback with a dedicated button"
Velocity
Velocity measures the average number of story points a team completes per sprint. It is used as a planning tool to forecast how much work can realistically be taken on in future sprints.
- Helps with planning
- Not a performance ranking tool
Story Points
Story points are a relative unit of estimation used to express the overall effort needed to implement a backlog item. Rather than estimating in hours, teams compare items against each other.
- Often Fibonacci (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, ...)
- Takes into account complexity, risk, and effort
Typical sprint process
- Sprint Planning
- Development + Daily Standups
- Sprint Review
- Sprint Retro
- New sprint
Pros and Cons of Scrum
Pros
- High flexibility
- Early feedback through stakeholders
- Transparency
- Continuous improvement
Cons
In practice, Scrum is often implemented incorrectly, leading to common anti-patterns:
- Incorrect role of the product owner
- Scrum Master as a "mini-boss"
- Daily becomes a long status meeting for managers
- No real self-organisation
- "We do Scrum, but..."
Difference from traditional project management (e.g., waterfall model)
| Waterfall | Scrum |
|---|---|
| Fixed planning at the beginning | Iterative approach |
| Changes are expensive | Changes are planned for |
| One delivery | Regular updates through increments |
| Strong hierarchy | Self-organized |