What Is Scrum in Agile?
The Agile methodology is a widely used approach in software development and other industries where project requirements can change rapidly. One of the most popular frameworks used in Agile project management is Scrum.
Scrum is an iterative and incremental framework that helps teams deliver high-quality products in a timely manner. It is based on the principles of transparency, inspection, and adaptation, and provides a flexible and collaborative approach to project management.
In this article, we will explore the basics of Scrum in Agile project management, including its key principles, roles, and processes. And, if you are looking for a powerful platform to utilize Scrum, Wrike can help you achieve that. You can get started today with a free two-week trial and see it for yourself.
The Scrum process
Scrum was designed using a software model that follows a set of roles, responsibilities, and meetings. It can be used for any complex project but works best when the result is a concrete product rather than a service. Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schwaber are credited with creating Scrum as a framework for project management.
Scrum in Agile requires particular roles and responsibilities. The Scrum process includes the following steps:
- Product owner: The product owner represents the customer’s best interest. This person has the ultimate authority over the final product.
- Scrum master: This person is a facilitator, responsible for arranging the daily meetings, improving team interactions, and maximizing productivity. The project manager often takes on the role of Scrum master, but they can delegate it to anyone on the team who is a Scrum expert and strong facilitator.
- Backlog: The backlog is a prioritized list of tasks and requirements included in the final product. It’s the responsibility of the product owner to create the backlog.
- Sprint: A sprint is a set timeframe for completing each set of tasks from the backlog. Every sprint should be the same length. Two weeks is typical, but a sprint can be anywhere between one to four weeks long, depending on the team and project needs.
- Daily meetings: A Scrum project team is expected to meet every day to discuss progress. These meetings are typically referred to as a daily Scrum or daily stand-up.
- Review: This is a meeting where development teams show the work that was completed in an individual sprint and focus on how they can deliver a better product.
- Retrospective: In the retrospective meeting, the team reviews their overall system and processes and how they can be improved for the next sprint.
Simplify Scrum and ensure success
What is Agile Scrum?
Agile Scrum is the same thing as Scrum. Agile is the overarching methodology, while Scrum is the project management framework that follows the principles of Agile. You could have an Agile team that doesn’t use Scrum, but Scrum will always use the Agile methodology. It is sometimes referred to as Scrum methodology, but Scrum is an Agile framework that helps teams collaborate and deliver a final product.
As mentioned, Agile Scrum is common in software development, where teams require an iterative and incremental approach that focuses on continuous improvement. It’s important that teams engage in sprint planning, where they plan the work to be completed in future sprints. Other key Agile Scrum activities include daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, and sprint retrospectives.
Agile Scrum teams are cross-functional, with different team members offering different areas of expertise. The Scrum master’s role is to lead the team members, ensure they follow the principles of the Scrum framework, and eliminate potential roadblocks that may impede progress.
Within each sprint, the development team completes tasks outlined in the product backlog with the overall goal of creating an improved version of the product, often with additional features and fewer bugs. This process is overseen by the product owner, who ensures that team members are working on the right tasks according to priority.
In summary, Agile Scrum is a widely used framework that values adaptability, team collaboration, and a drive to pursue better outcomes. While it is often associated with software development, it is also suitable for other industries that need to retain a sense of flexibility in their workflows, such as marketing operations and event planning.
You can also watch the video below to learn more about Scrum in project management.
Leverage Scrum with Wrike
We’ve shown that Scrum is a powerful framework that can help teams improve their agility, collaboration, and product quality. By embracing Scrum in Agile methodology, organizations can reduce risks and increase delivery speed.
Implementing Scrum requires a deep understanding of its flexible processes — that's where Wrike comes in. Wrike is highly customizable and offers features to track product backlogs, manage daily standups, execute sprints, and more. With Wrike, Scrum teams can easily plan, execute, and monitor their projects, and adapt to changing requirements in real time.
Artem Gurnov
Artem is a Director of Account Development at Wrike. He previously held the role of Project Manager, overseeing a team of customer success managers (CSMs). Over the years of building teams and scaling business processes, he has successfully deployed multiple projects, from automating client outreach to setting up work prioritization tools for sales reps and CSMs.