Scrum is a framework for developing and sustaining complex products that are based on the Agile software development process. It is more than a process; it's a framework with certain roles, tasks, and teams. Scrum was written by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland; together, they created The Scrum Guide.
In a Scrum framework, the development team decides on how to develop a feature. This is because the team knows best about the problem they are presented with. I assume most of the readers are happy after reading this.
Scrum relies on a self-organizing and cross-functional team. The Scrum team is self-organizing; hence, there is no overall team leader who decides which person will do which task, or how a problem will be solved.
The following are the important terms used in the Scrum framework:
- The Sprint: Sprint is a timebox during which a usable and potentially releasable product gets created. A new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint. A Sprint may last between two weeks to one month, depending on the project's command over Scrum.
- Product Backlog: The Product Backlog is a list of all the required features in a software solution. The list is dynamic. That is, now and then the customers or team members add or delete items to the Product Backlog.
- Sprint Backlog: The Sprint Backlog is the set of Product Backlog items, selected for the Sprint.
- Increment: The Increment is the sum of all the Product Backlog items completed during a Sprint and the value of the Increments from all the previous Sprints.
- The Development Team: The Development Team does the work of delivering a releasable set of features named Increment at the end of each Sprint. Only members of the Development Team create the Increment. Development Teams are empowered by the organization to organize and manage their work. The resulting synergy optimizes the Development Team's overall efficiency and effectiveness.
- The Product Owner: The Product Owner is a mediator between the Scrum Team and everyone else. He is the front face of the Scrum Team and interacts with customers, infrastructure teams, admin teams, everyone involved in the Scrum, and so on.
- The Scrum Master: The Scrum Master is responsible for ensuring Scrum is understood and enacted. Scrum Masters do this by ensuring that the Scrum Team follows the Scrum theory, practices, and rules.
The Product Owner, the Scrum Master, and the Scrum Team together follow a set of stringent procedures to deliver the software features. The following diagram explains the Scrum development process:
Scrum methodology
Let us see some of the important aspects of the Scrum software development process that the team goes through.
Sprint Planning is an opportunity for the Scrum Team to plan the features in the current Sprint cycle. The plan is created mainly by the developers. Once the plan is created, it is explained to the Scrum Master and the Product Owner. The Sprint Planning is a timeboxed activity, and it is usually around eight hours in total for a one-month Sprint cycle. It is the responsibility of the Scrum Master to ensure everyone participates in the Sprint Planning activity.
In the meeting, the Development Team takes into consideration the following items:
- The number of Product Backlogs to be worked on (both new and the old ones from the last Sprint).
- Team performances in the last Sprint.
- Projected capacity of the Development Team.
During the Sprint cycle, the developers simply work on completing the backlogs decided in the Sprint Planning. The duration of a Sprint may last from two weeks to one month, depending on the number of backlogs.
This happens on a daily basis. During the Scrum meeting, the Development Team discusses what was accomplished yesterday, and what will be accomplished today. They also discuss the things that are stopping them from achieving their goal. The Development Team does not attend any other meeting or discussion apart from the Scrum meeting.
The Daily Scrum is a good opportunity for a team to measure its progress. The Scrum Team can track the total work remaining, and by doing so, they can estimate the likelihood of achieving the Sprint Goal.
In the Sprint Review, the Development Team demonstrates the features that have been accomplished. The Product Owner updates on the Product Backlog status to date. The Product Backlog list is updated depending on the product performance or usage in the market. Sprint Review is a four-hour activity altogether for a one-month Sprint.